• Best Broadcast Journalist: Bhavani Vadde
    Oct 30 2024

    This week we speak to the winner of the Best Broadcast Journalist category at the 2024 Freelance Journalism Awards. Bhavani Vadde tells us about her work on local television and how she juggles working across multiple platforms.

    Guest

    Bhavani Vadde https://x.com/BhavaniVadde

    Instagram https://www.instagram.com/bhavanivadde/?hl=en

    YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5TwMpw5afyQKSvRIE09jEw

    Brilliant Resilent podcast https://open.spotify.com/show/7o48RIkaFh9tFWrMx8QVzc

    Resources

    This award was sponsored by Women in Journalism a network to support and inspire women in the industry https://www.womeninjournalism.co.uk/

    Women in Journalism mentoring scheme https://www.womeninjournalism.co.uk/mentoring

    How to appraise yourself podcast episode https://freelancing-for-journalists.captivate.fm/episode/how-to-appraise-yourself

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    38 mins
  • Best Print and Specialist Journalist: Liz Cookman
    Oct 23 2024

    This week we speak to another double award winner at the Freelance Journalism Awards 2024. Liz Cookman won the best print journalist and best specialist journalist awards for her incredible reporting on the Ukraine war. She talks to us about the difficulty of generating interest in an ongoing conflict and how to ensure your safety as a freelance journalist.

    Guest

    Liz Cookman https://x.com/liz_cookman

    https://linktr.ee/Lizcookman

    Resources

    One of Liz's award-winning print stories https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2024/02/24/inside-occupied-ukraine-best-way-survive-stay-silent/

    One of Liz's award-winning specialist stories https://www.economist.com/1843/2023/08/31/he-was-tortured-for-standing-up-for-ukraine-now-he-lives-alone-in-a-forest

    Rory Peck Safety and Security Training https://rorypecktrust.org/how-we-help/freelance-resources/safety-and-risk-assessment/taking-safety-training/

    Both awards were sponsored by the National Union of Journalists Freelance Branch https://www.londonfreelance.org/lfb/index.html

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    39 mins
  • Best Opinion Writer: Melissa Parker
    Oct 16 2024

    This week in our special award series we chat to Melissa Parker winner of the Best Opinion Writer category at the 2024 Freelance Journalism Awards.

    Melissa speaks about her shift to opinion writing during the pandemic and her passion for disability rights.

    Guest

    Melissa Parker https://x.com/MelissaKParker1

    Resources

    One of Melissa's award winning pieces https://www.stylist.co.uk/health/mental-health/disabled-woman-mental-health-impact/827567

    Recording and transcription tool Otter https://otter.ai/

    This award was sponsored by workspace tool xTiles https://xtiles.app/en?fp_ref=xtiles25

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    33 mins
  • Best News & Feature Journalist
    Oct 9 2024

    In today's episode we speak to double award winner Nicola Kelly who scooped up two prizes at the 2024 Freelance Journalism Awards. Nicola won the best news story and best feature categories for her work on Turkish border forces, and Deliveroo drivers. We found out how her previous career as a diplomat set her on the path to freelance journalism.

    Guest

    Nicola Kelly https://x.com/NicolaKelly

    https://www.nicolakelly.com/

    Resources

    Turkish border force story https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/jun/07/uk-provided-3m-to-turkish-border-forces-to-stop-migrants-foi-reveals

    Deliveroo feature https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2023/sep/14/dodging-death-and-immigration-officers-12-hours-as-a-london-fast-food-rider-and-all-for-40

    The best news story category was sponsored by Birmingham City University media and journalism department https://www.bcu.ac.uk/about-us/schools-and-colleges/subject-specific/media-and-journalism

    The best feature category was sponsored by the National Union of Journalists Freelance Branch https://www.londonfreelance.org/lfb/index.html

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    48 mins
  • Best Campaigning Journalist: Liz Perkins
    Oct 2 2024

    This week we sit down and chat to Liz Perkins, winner of the best campaigning journalist category at the 2024 Freelance Journalism Awards. Liz led the End This Injustice campaign which called for an overhaul of the family court system. She talks about working on the campaign and the challenges of changing the law.

    Guest

    Liz Perkins https://x.com/lizperkinsmedia

    LinkedIN https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-perkins-7b667b75/?trk=public_profile_browsemap&originalSubdomain=uk

    Resources

    End This Injustice Campaign https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/1819475/jade-ward-law-russell-marsh-parent-rights

    This award was sponsored by global journalism network Paydesk https://paydesk.co/

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    33 mins
  • Best Investigation: Sahar Zand
    Sep 25 2024

    In this week's episode we speak to the winner of the Best Investigation category at the 2024 Freelance Journalism Awards. Sahar Zand won the award for her investigation into interpol's misuse of power which was released as a podcast series for Sky News. She discusses fleeing Iran as a child and her drive to uncover abuses of power, often in hostile environments.

    Guest

    Sahar Zand https://x.com/SaharZand

    Resources

    Dirty Work podcast https://www.saharzand.com/podcast/skynews/dirtywork

    Sahar's TED Talk https://www.ted.com/talks/sahar_zand_why_iranians_are_cutting_their_hair_for_women_life_freedom?subtitle=en

    Talking Travel Writing newsletter https://travelwriting.substack.com/

    This award was sponsored by market research company Savanta https://savanta.com/

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    38 mins
  • Best Early Career Journalist: Hatty Willmoth
    Sep 18 2024

    In the latest series of the podcast we speak to the winners of the 2024 Freelance Journalist Awards. We start with Hatty Willmoth who won the Best Early Career Journalist category. She wrote a stunning observational feature for The Independent about why some Gen-Z Christians are making the decision to give up all their money and possessions to join a radical group.

    Guest

    Hatty Willmoth https://x.com/hattywillmoth

    Resources

    Hatty's award-winning article https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/gen-z-commune-bruderhof-darvell-sussex-celibacy-b2518811.html

    The award was sponsored by journalism training provider News Associates https://newsassociates.co.uk/

    Freelancing for Journalists full resource list https://www.freelancingforjournalists.com/

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    37 mins
  • Public Speaking
    Apr 24 2024

    In the final episode of this series we speak to two freelance journalists who have carved out a side income as public speakers. Award-winning podcaster Hannah Ajala and BBC freelancer Dhruti Shah discuss how they find work as inspirational speakers and take us behind the scenes of the planning process.

    The guests

    Hannah Ajala thisishannahajala.com

    Twitter hannah_ajala

    Dhruti Shah www.dhrutishah.com/

    Newsletter: https://haveyouthoughtabout.substack.com/

    Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/have-you-thought-about/id1678099334

    Resources

    Druhti's book https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bear-Markets-Beyond-bestiary-business/dp/1911622463

    Hannah's Tedx talk https://www.ted.com/talks/hannah_ajala_how_to_be_positively_delusional

    Hannah's award-winning podcast Love Janessa podcast https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w13xtvq7

    https://creativeaccess.org.uk/

    We Are Black Journos https://twitter.com/weblackjournos

    Recommendations

    Revolutionary Acts by Jason Okundaye https://www.faber.co.uk/product/9780571372218-revolutionary-acts/

    The F-Rated Podcast https://f-rated.org/f-rated-podcast/

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    52 mins