Griffith University journalism students had a firsthand taste of reporting on an international event at theGlobal Integrity Summitat South Bank this week.
The second and third-year students interviewed world-leading figures including Professor Gillian Triggs (Australian Human Rights Commission President), environmental economist Pavan Sukhdev, New York Times blogger, Andrew Revkin and Jesuit priest, Father Frank Brennan AO.
They then posted and tweeted their stories to the journalism students’ website The Source Newsand produced a 30-minute radio program.
For Shay Ledingham, interviewing Professor Gillian Triggs was an exciting, although somewhat nerve-racking experience.
“To be interviewing a person like Gillian was a privilege and working at the summit has given me a feel of what it’s really like to be a journalist,’’ she said.
Fellow student Tessa Fox interviewed a range of people including lawyers Carly Nyst andBrett Walker SC as well as Crikey founder Stephen Mayne.
“Covering the high-profile event was a fantastic opportunity and has given me confidence to begin my internship with Crikey next year,’’ she said.
Lecturer Faith Valencia said the summit gave students the opportunity to work in a functioning, multi-platform newsroom.
“They had to make approaches to people, act as ‘in the field reporters’ and find interesting stories, which wasn’t difficult considering the calibre of delegates,’’ Ms Valencia said.
“The summit has given them valuable industry experience to add to their knowledge base and assist in their future careers.”
Five-timeWalkley-award-winning journalist Tony Koch mentored the students throughout the summit and said the two-day event was just as valuable as a longer media internship.
“They’re getting interviews with international figures like Father Frank Brennan and Gillian Triggs, so this is enormously impressive,’’ Mr Koch said.
Their work experience at the Global Integrity Summit follows on from the students’ live reporting of the Queensland Rugby Union premier league season as part of their radio journalism studiesand on last year’s G20 Summit at South Bank.