Side by side – backstage

Arriving at this afternoon’s discussion, Journalism At Your Service? which aimed to unearth just how much of today’s journalism deals with the “daily bread and butter” of its readers, a figure from the panel seemed familiar.

Panelist and BBC correspondent, Nicolas Jones had spent the hours preceeding his speech in the Press Office, seated amongst the twenty-something volunteers whose computer screens juggled Facebook with festival assignments.

City University student and fellow festival volunteer, Annabel Symington, got chatting to Jones after offering to help him with his printing problems. This integration of both aspiring and inspiring journalists, enabled both to come out on top – Symington made an important industry contact and Jones got his papers printed.

Symington’s experience with Jones demonstrates the nature of this festival – that as journalists, we’re all on the same team and achievements and experience aside, it’s fundamental that we learn how to work together, side by side.

Bridget Davis