Nov 30: Talk by Aidan White – Ethical Journalism for the Digital Age
29 November 2011
The Future of Journalism Depends on a Strong Ethical Code -– Aidan White
9 December 2011

JMSC Students Secure Prestigious Winter Internships

More than 40 of this year’s full-time Master of Journalism students have been placed in internships at prestigious media organisations over the winter break.

The placements are in a wide range of organisations spread over a large geographical area.  They include Agence-France Press (AFP), Associated Press Television News (APTN), Asia Pacific Vision (APV), Bangladesh 24, BBC Radio, Buddhistdoor, China Daily, China TourismCNN en Espagnol, CNN Go, CNN International, the Financial Times (FT), the International Herald Tribune (IHT), the Irrawaddy, the Jakarta Post, MalaysiakiniPhoenix TV, the Phnom Penh Post, Tatler Hong Kong, Southern WeeklyTime Out Hong Kong, the Vancouver Sun and YZZK.

The JMSC prides itself on offering students internships in media companies during the course of their studies, giving them the chance to learn through experience.

Patrick Boehler (MJ 2012)

Patrick Boehler, an Austrian student, will undertake two internships over the winter break: one at the Malaysian news website, Malaysiakini, in Kuala Lumpur, and the second at The Irrawaddy, a news magazine that covers Burma and Southeast Asia, based in Chiang Mai.

“I hope to gain practical experience on the job, enjoy every minute of it and learn how journalism gets done by these relatively small and independent news organisations in their own, unique environments,” said Boehler.

Koney Bai will intern at the BBC Chinese Service’s bureau in Hong Kong.  She will write and edit stories for the BBC Chinese-language website.

Koney Bai (MJ 2012)

Bai is from Beijing, so she fits the bill for the BBC Chinese Service as a native Putonghua speaker.

“I hope I can sharpen my writing and editing skills in the following month and get a better understanding of how leading international news oganisations operate,” said Bai.

“I’ve learnt a lot during the Autumn semester, ” she said.

“I have to say it’s been painful to have so many assignments, but absolutely worth it.  And I am very grateful to Lauren Dockett (the JMSC’s internship coordinator) for arranging this fantastic internship for me.”

Anne Renzenbrink, an MJ from Germany, is looking forward to interning at the Phnom Penh Post in Cambodia.

Anne Renzenbrink (MJ2012)

“From what I’ve heard from former MJ’s interning there, you do a lot first-hand reporting and get to write and publish quite a few articles,” she said.

“I hope I will be able to use the knowledge I have gained into real life reporting,” she said. “I want to write a variety of articles such as hard news, features and analysis. I also hope to understand more about Cambodia and its people, as I really love the country!”

Lareina Choong, a Master’s student from Singapore, will work with the editorial team at CNNGo over the winter break.

Lareina Choong (MJ 2012)

“I will get to pitch and write stories; writing is a big part of this internship,” Choong said.

Students say internships are an important part of the JMSC experience.

“The JMSC has given me these extremely exciting opportunities in the first place,” said Boehler.

“It has also helped me cover a part of my costs with a travel stipend.”

Renzenbrink said the MJ programme at the JMSC has taught her basic journalistic skills that she lacked before the course began.

“The MJ programme also confirmed for me again that journalism is what I want to do,” she said.