Friday 13 August 2010

Work Experience: Trinity Mirror Part 2 - Concrete Jungle (but the glass is pretty...I like shiny things)

WEEK ONE


Artificial. Stunningly constructed and breathtaking in its….unnaturalness. That is the first thing that hit me upon emerging from the jubilee line, pausing on the brick terrace and beholding the glass menagerie that is Canary Wharf. The people pottering by uniformly, the polite and empty clink of breakfast cutlery during business meetings al fresco at Carluccios and the glittering office blocks - silver towers shooting floor upon floor into the sky; both imposing and beautiful at the same time.


And despite the deliberate injections of nature...



...the glaring artificialness is inescapable. Surrounded by construction sites, Canary Wharf is like a scientific experiment on a remote island in the Pacific, built by a mad control freak playing God, like a corporate version of the Truman Show.


But beyond the impressive surroundings, I was most impressed by this guy.


Soothing guitar music from a busker near the station’s main exit, and a nice morning note:


Quite. What a perfect beginning to Trinity Mirror mark two. After entering 1 Canada Square, slightly confused about who to report to and feeling a little lightheaded after the 22 floor elevator zip up to the Daily Mirror offices, it struck me:


Toto, I don’t think we’re in Chertsey anymore!


However the larger scale operation didn’t give me small-fish-in-big-pond syndrome – I quite liked looking around to see desk upon desk of busy journos. After a health and safety tour a la Nims the security guard (below) I was given an ID card and told I can use the office gym whenever I want! Yay!

Back at the office, although prepared for a spectator experience at TM HQ, I lucked into sitting next to a really nice lady who made sure I had work to do. Week one included re-working press releases into stories about impatient British shoppers, mobile phone addiction, drink driving, the cheapest pay as you go tariff available and the fact that some insane people have already began their Christmas shopping. Some of my work was published, which was a nice feeling – no bylines but hey, whatareyougonnado? "Fo'get about it" (shrugs) I’m still happy.

Here are my teeny-weeny contributions :)



http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/08/04/end-of-line-for-queues-115875-22462484/



http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/08/05/drink-drive-youngsters-on-the-rise-115875-22465926/

Also, the whole Naomi Campbell blood diamonds thing was breaking news. But you’ve heard enough about that already I’m sure.


WEEK TWO

Next stop – features department. A news feature is a funny thing – unlike an in-depth magazine feature it skims the main facts but does so conversationally, while retaining a newsy tone.

Confused? Me too.

Even so, I managed to research a few feature ideas, forwarded them to the features editor and got some positive feedback. However, the idea he wanted me to write up had been done by the Daily Mail a month before!!!!

Typical rookie mistake, but we live and learn. And fortunately he asked me to write up one of my other options instead, which was encouraging.


Still enthralled by the surroundings in Week two, I got a little snap-happy towards the end of the placement; even passing tourists were eyeing me pityingly.

The final two days at TMHQ were quite non-eventful; the mood was heavy (maybe because of the impending redundancies) and few staff were actually around.

After pestering everyone for some work to do one of the news reporters asked me to write up a story that he had already done – then we could compare and see if my technique was right.

Here is mine:

A teenage burglar who could have put his felonies behind him has ended up behind bars, despite a 'last-chance' offer from a lenient judge.

Bradley Wernham, 19, who was given a chance to turn his back on a life of crime, was jailed for five years today following a string of crimes and a failed rehabilitation programme.

After being spared a prison sentence last October, he somehow dodged 17 counts of theft and burglary and, instead of jail time, was handed a three-year community order. The young crook has a staggering 660 crimes on his record, and has handled an estimated £1,100,000 worth of stolen goods since the age of eleven.

Wernham was sentenced today to four and a half years for the original offences, plus an additional six months for yet another crime – attempting to burgle a house in January this year.

He was able to give jail the slip in 2009 due to a new scheme Essex Police were trialling - education, training and close supervision by the Probation Service instead of prison, a scheme which the judge described today as “innovative”.

Praising the scheme, Judge Christopher Ball QC blamed Wernham’s immaturity for its failure. He told the teenager, of Chelmsford, Essex: “You cast yourself as a victim and you’re not. The public are the victims of your offending and you are responsible for it - no-one else.”

Wernham smiled as he was led away to begin the sentence.


And here’s what the subbers did to his:

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/08/05/one-man-crimewave-bradley-wernham-jailed-by-the-judge-who-let-him-off-115875-22465784/

I think they deserve the byline!

So, exiting the main reception, heels clicking over marbled flooring and ready for the Wizard to send me home, (perhaps in a courtesy porsche from the neighbouring tower block...? No? Ok cool. A girl can dream...)


some encouraging words from Eric the security guard reassure me that with hard work I can achieve a lot in journalism. Thanks buddy!


On my way underground, thinking about how truly unforgettable the experience had been I was compelled to reach for my video phone… and then….



Seriously, what are the odds??! Some things are just fate….

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