What are interviewer’s worse fears? For us it would be not being able to get in contact with the person we need to talk to. That was what happened to us when we tried to contact Khailee Ng. Our lecturers Miss Roslina and Miss Yogeetha actually have already prepared the bloggers for each of our group and it was up to us to choose which blogger we wanted. We had Marina Mahathir, Rockie Bru, Beautiful Nara, Kenny Sia and lastly Khailee Ng. If I am not wrong, if any of our groups ever get a chance to interview Tun Mahathir, it would be a great honor.
Our group came to choose Khailee Ng because he usually blogs about youths. We could not contact him by phone so we found his email and mailed him asking for an interview. But as days went by, we had yet to receive any respond from him. So on 19th of October, we went to look for our lecturers to tell them about our problem and they asked us to keep trying. Day by day we waited in front of our laptops waiting for Khailee’s response but in the end all our patience was in vain because we found out that Khailee had went to Russia for the tiger conservation program and was probably too busy to see our email. It was already November and we were starting to panic because our deadline was around the corner.
Interestingly enough, Miss Yogee finally helped us to find another blogger for the interview. We were also told that he was involved in the “Recolor May 13” program and he is Anas Zubedy. We thought it would be interesting to interview him because racial integrity in our country is an issue and May 13 incident is definitely something for us to remember.
We went ahead to contact Anas Zubedy but it was no easy task. We have gone through numerous obstacles in arranging the date for the interview since we are all working and he was busy as well. Despite that, we were glad because we finally managed to set 26th November 2010 for the interview at 7.30pm in his office at Damansara. It was a real challenge when it comes to locating his office because we were going from separate ways. Fortunately, everything went through smoothly as we reached his office on time and was greeted with a warm welcome by him and everyone in his office.
Our first impression of Anas was that he is a really tall man with really long eyelashes. It was a really interesting sharing session because we have came to understand so much more about him and his thoughts about Malaysia and the unity of its people. Besides that, he never fails to add on a little humor to his answers and it did made us laugh throughout the interview. We began our session by asking Anas to tell us a little bit about himself.
**
Anas Zubedy was born in Penang in 1954 and had lived there for 20 years before he moved to KL to study in University Malaya. “I went to Penang free school and then to UM to study economics at that time was known as public administration” said Anas.
Anas started blogging about a few years ago. When asked how did he get into the blogging trend, he said, “I thought maybe I can connect with people as one of the channel of communication, so I had to do some blogging. That’s how it happened. I think rather than why I do blogging, it’s interesting to know that after blogging, I made some really good friends, some new friends.”
“I think there are not many centrist around in terms of bloggers,” said Anas. He thinks that being a centrist is how he is different from other bloggers. Besides getting to know new friends in the blogosphere, he also mentioned that he is good friends with fellow bloggers. Among them are Marina Mahathir and Rocky Bru.
As he mention, he had started blogging for a few years ago and he said that through blogging he want to know how people feel and what people say, what do Malaysians thinks about a certain topics by getting feedbacks on the things he posted on blogs and even on Facebook which became one of his favorite hobbies.
“So blogging give you some feedback. I think blogging make me write a little bit more, it helps me focus to write something, if not I won’t write. So the blogging make me write” Said Anas when he was ask what had he gain through blogging.
He grew up among many different races when he was young. He speaks Hokkien because of he lived in a Chinese area and his best friend was an Indian boy. That also explains why he is one strong believer in unity of races more than anyone else.
“We grew up in a country where unity is a constant reminder. We are constant reminded of self that we have to unite.” Anas also believes that a country cannot survive without unity. “If we don’t unite we will crumble, we will definitely fall flat,” he added.
Since Anas is a person who loves history, he shared some of his opinions on Malaysian history and Malaysian youths.
When asked of his opinion about Malaysian youths’ perception about Malaysian unity, Anas responded, “I think Malaysian youth now, it’s a little bit sad. I’m one of those who think that we shouldn’t have more than one stream of education. I think that was a mistake, a historical mistake.” He thinks that the Chinese, Indians and Malays are all growing up in their own circle of friends from the same race. He blames the education system because in the past, no matter what race you are from, everyone studies under one roof. But unlike nowadays, the standard of education has gone down. Chinese has a much more practical way of thinking. They send their children to Chinese school because the education system is higher.
“To solve the problem, we need to solve that thing first. Make sure they have the best teacher, the best whatever in a normal school, then only people will start moving back,” he added.
We called it a day after a long interview with him and we took some pictures before we left.
In less than a month’s time, I am turning twenty. In these twenty years of my life, never before have I thought of the possibility of me dying tomorrow nor have I really thought of the things that I want to accomplish before I die. This question really got me thinking for a while. There are so many things the world has to offer but to come up with a list of 20 most important ones is definitely a challenge.
I believe that it is no surprise if everyone could up with partially similar answers because most people would think of the most impossible things they want to do before they die. So here is a complete list of things to do before kicking the bucket in random order and importance.
1. First and foremost, visiting Europe has always been one of my biggest wishes. I often depict myself backpacking alone, meeting new people along the way and experience things that I have never experienced before. If it is possible for me to set foot on all seven continents in the world, it will be even better!
2. One of my favorite places in the world has got to be Paris. There is something magical about the city of Paris, the street lights, the people and the myth that claims Paris to be the city of love. I would picnic on the green fields with full view of the Eiffel Tower while I have homemade sandwiches and my favorite coffee.
3. The next thing on the list definitely has some relation with the city of Paris. Macarons. They are so important that they deserve a spot on the bucket list! I have always wanted to have a taste of those colorful little things that comes in every possible flavor you can think of and take photographs of them.
4. I want to take a trip to the United States. I wish to walk across the concrete jungle of New York and make short coffee trips to the exceptional coffee shops while I watch the passerby on the streets.
5. Photography has always been one of my biggest hobbies and dreams besides being a successful career woman. I always believe that a good photographer has to have a creative vision of the world and the next thing that follows that is of course, a good camera. To achieve that, owning a Canon 5D Mark II full frame camera is almost, a must.
6. The last and the most crucial element of good photography is inspiration. CM Leung is one of the world’s top wedding photographers from Hong Kong and if I could meet him in person, I would have no regrets in my entire life. That also includes my wedding photographs being taken by him and an exclusive portrait taken with him!
7. Although I have a great passion in photography, I do not foresee myself being a photographer by profession. I have always thought that I could do it as a hobby or some kind of occasional paid assignment. These sums up to a dream of having at least ten paid photography assignments. I have only done one so far, so nine more to go!
8. Being involved in the advertising field has always been envisioned in my mind, but achieving that goal is now a must-do before I die. The reason why I even got into Mass Communication was because of that determination in me to strive in media-related fields. Now, I aim to work in at least three different fields namely, advertising, broadcasting and journalism in five years time from the moment I graduate.
9. To add on to that, I also wish to have at least 500K in my bank account before the age of 25.
10. I believe every girl will have this listed in the checklist no matter how independent they try to prove themselves because the saying is right, behind every successful woman, there is a man. When I have reached the peak of my career, I will want to get married, probably before the age of 28 and elope to Paris for a month long honeymoon. That doesn’t sound impossible, does it?
11. When I have enough money to have a long holiday, I would want to travel in Korea for at least 3 months. That quaint city of Seoul, that beautiful Han River and the natural landscapes of the country side is suffice to keep me mesmerized. The rich culture and the unique local cuisines are to die for!
12. Next, I pledge to master the Korean language and be able to read, write and speak in perfect Korean. No more English subbed Korean dramas!
13. Before I finish up the money, I would pay someone to invent a time machine (knowing that I have limited intelligence so I have decided to pay someone else to do it instead.) so I could turn back time and do things that I have regretted in life.
14. Skydiving is the craziest thing that I have always feared of trying but I am determined that I should do it before I regret.
15. When I was still a science student back in the secondary school days, I have always came across and studied about ‘weightlessness’. I will definitely want to experience it once in my life in case I die while I sky dive.
16. The last skill that I wish to master but never really got the chance and time to do it is swimming. I am embarrassed to say that I have no knowledge on swimming at all. If I am ever stranded on an island, I might probably die despite the fact that I was once a girl guide.
17. This might sound crazy to some but this actually made it into the bucket list! I want to adopt British accent so badly that I have tried learning some time before in my life. I’m not saying that I detest my own accent, it’s just that I have a crazy obsession over British accent!
18. I want to spend white Christmas with my loved one in our little cottage house and have hot latte by the fireplace while we watch the first snow of winter.
19. Korean music has pretty much changed my preference on various things in life. Be it fashion, music or people, I admit things have changed forever because of that. I have always been a huge fan of a Korean group called TVXQ and I’d love have Kim Jaejoong’s number and be close friends with him. I hope I didn’t sound like I’m drunk.
20. Last but not least, achieving 40kg and 160cm in weight and height is not too much to ask for, right?
These are pretty much the list of everything in a nutshell. Whether or not will I be able to accomplish the things listed here, it will be up to God. Let’s live our lives to the fullest!
News Cast: 27th October 2010, The Star
Montage (0:30)
Teaser (0:30)
1. Bank officers held over theft
2. No e-voter registration
3. Karpal ill, Anwar’s sodomy trial postponed
4. Georgian duo held in drug bust
Script: Good evening and you are watching ABC's Nightline.
Local News
1. Bank officers held over theft (1:30)
A chief cashier and an administrative assistant have been arrested for allegedly stealing cash totaling RM 1.5mil after a bank in Bishop Street reported the amount missing from the strong room.
State police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Wira Ayub Yaakob said, “The investigation was later narrowed down to the possibility of an inside job. The next day we arrested a chief cashier and an administrative assistant.”
2. Brickfields all set to receive Indian PM (1:00)
Brickfields, popularly known as Little India, has been spruced up and ready to receive Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today.
3. No e-voter registration (1:00)
The government will not implement the electronic voter system because it is not feasible as many do not update their addresses.
Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said, “Automatically registering voters according to their old addresses would lead to a poor turnout as during the elections as voters were unlikely to travel back to their previous constituencies.”
4. Karpal ill, Anwar’s sodomy trial postponed (1:00)
The sodomy trial of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim was held over yesterday as his lead to counsel Karpal Singh was down with suspected dengue.
The Solicitor General II Datuk Mohd Yusof Zainal Abiden did not object when Lawyer Ram Karpal Singh requested for the postponement of the trial. “We only ask that the defence to get someone else to conduct the cross-examination should Karpal Singh be unwell still tomorrow (today),” he added.
5. Georgian duo held in drug bust (1:00)
Two women from Georgia have been arrested for syabu worth millions hidden inside the picture frames.
Sabah Narcotics investigations chief Supt Abdul Rahim Dolmat said a woman was nabbed in a hotel here where syabu worth RM1.76 mil was found hidden inside photo frames kept in a bag. “This is our largest seizure so far,” he added.
6. Pirate DVD buyers guilty, too (0:30)
Those who buy pirated CDs and DVDs are equally guilty of breaking the law as those who sell them.
Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry deputy secretary-general Datuk Daud Tahir said, “We are in the process of reviewing the law (under the Copyright Act) by getting public and industry opinions on the matter.”
Teaser: (0:30)
1. Double Blow
2. Floods kill 56 in Thailand
3. Climate change to hit Asia’s poor hardest
Commercial Break (5:30)
World News
7. Double Blow (1:30)
MOUNT MERAPI: Indonesia’s most volatile volcano started erupting in central Jawa yesterday barely hours after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami which killed more than a hundred people and devastated several villages west of Sumatra.
“Our latest data from the crisis centre showed that 108 people have been killed and 502 are still missing,” said a lawmaker, Hendri Dori Satoko.
8. 34 M’sian students to be evacuated (0:30)
All 34 Malaysian students of a religious institute at Secang in Magelang, about 1.5km from Mount Merapi in Yogyakarta, Indonesia will be evacuated in the interest of their safety.
“They will be in Solo until the situation gets better,” said the Malaysian Students Department in Indonesia director, Datuk Junaidy Abu Bakar.
9. Floods kill 56 in Thailand (1:30)
BANGKOK: The worst floods to hit parts of Thailand in decades have left at least 56 people dead, but Bangkok has so far avoided heavy deluges.
“The situation in Bangkok still needs monitoring closely as we cannot be complacent, especially along the banks of the Chao Phraya river.” Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters yesterday.
10. Climate change to hit Asia’s poor hardest (1:00)
SEOUL: Asia’s poor will bear the brunt of disasters sparked by climate change and rapid urbanization.
The bank’s director for sustainable development in East Asia, John Roome said, “More than others, poor people pay for disaster with their lives.”
11. Paul the octopus dies (0:30)
BERLIN: Paul, the oracle octopus who shot to fame in the World Cup this summer for his uncanny ability to predict the results of Germany’s soccer matches, has died at his home in Oberhausen at the age of two.
“He appears to have passed away peacefully during the night, of natural causes, an we are consoled by the knowledge that he enjoyed a good life, ” said the centre’s manager Stefan Porwoll.
Teaser (0:30)
1. Syafiq yet to find the right ball for Asiad
2. Stay here for Evra
3. Refs are biased
Commercial Break (5.30)
Entertainment & Sports News
12. Right royal laugh fest (1:00)
Five of Asia’s top court jesters performed their brand of humor to a sell-out crowd at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre’s Plenary Hall during the staging of Kings and Queen of Comedy Asia.
13. Syafiq yet to find the right ball for Asiad (1:30)
Bowler Mohd Syafiq Ridhwan is working with American ball specialist Rick Benoit to get the right ball to help carry Malaysia’s challenge to win the Guangzhou Asiad team gold medal.
“I hope to bowl well to help Malaysia win the team title,” said the 24-year-old Syafiq.
14. NAA decide to drop women’s recurve archery trio (0:30)
The women’s recurve archery trio of S. Anbarasi, Ng Sui Kim and Shahira Abdul Halim will not be on the plane to Guangzhou for the Asian Games.
“They decided to send only the men’s team (Cheng Chu Sian, Mohd Izzuddin Abdul Rahim and Arif Farhan Ibrahim Putra), who won the silver medal in the recent Delhi Commonwealth Games. The Asian Games level of competition is much higher and the women’s team don’t stand a chance.” said the (NSC) director general Datuk Zolkples Embong.
15. Fear not, Shaaban (1:00)
Shaa ban Hussin the Malaysian golfer dares to dream big in the company of a world-class field in the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia, beginning tomorrow at the Mines Resort and Golf Club.
“There is a bit of pressure because I am the only Malaysian playing this week. But I’m sure that I’m not the only one feeling the pressure to perform. The million-dollar prize money is definitely my goal. I would love to keep that money in Malaysia and not let it go abroad.” said the 30-year-old player.
16. Stay here for Evra (1:00)
Manchester United are to follow Wayne Rooney’s new deal with a megabucks contract for Patrice Evra by raising Evra’s current weekly pay of €70,000 to €100,000.
17. Refs are biased (1:00)
LONDON: Graham Poll has backed tony Pulis’ claim that big clubs get the big refereeing decisions in their favor.
“When you are refereeing for big games you have to treat everyone in a similiar way, but you also have to be aware of players,” said Poll.
The wind blew so hard, the sky turned dark, the clouds were heavy. It was going to pour. I could see the birds flew by through that little window in my room. “Kling, kling, kling,” the wind chime hanging on the front porch of my neighbor’s house sang to a beautiful melody.
I was lying on a daybed in my room reading a book randomly picked from the shelf. The musty smell from the old books stayed on my hair. The smell spells familiarity, just like a usual perfume that I used to wear on the some of the days. All these little details are still so vivid in my mind.
As I lie on the bed, I thought to myself, “Where would I be if I chose the other path and not this? What would I be doing now?” I smiled as I looked down to that broken camera on my lap while the memories flash before my eyes.
It was one of the usual nights in the weekends. I was sitting down on my study table, clicking away on my laptop to the usual websites I frequently visit. I then paused as I heard a person at the door. “Why are you still not sleeping? What are you doing?” a soft spoken voice from the door asked. It was my dad.
“Nothing,” I said as I close the lid of my laptop as a sign of ignorance. He then silently made his way to his room.
I was a young girl with all that passion and enthusiasm in me but confidence was lacking. In the outside, I looked like a happy child who had everything that anyone else could not have asked for more, but deep in me, I was just another lonely child.
Perfect scores and good testimonials were all I had to impress everyone in the family. “You’ve done a great job,” is one of the usual lines that I hear from everyone. I do them proud but I wasn’t feeling happy at all over the endless compliments.
Just when I thought nobody could ever understand what I really wanted in my life, there was this person who gave a start to my little world that I once thought was lived for everyone else but me.
“Here, take this.” My dad said as he handed me a pink digital camera. I was puzzled and I startled for a moment.
“It’s a camera..” I thought in my heart.
It was that little something that gave me a sense of direction. I was wrong, for so many years in my life. Science isn’t my thing. Art is. I took photographs of the world from my point of view. The feeling of seeing the world through that viewfinder is amazing.
After two years of taking pictures, I had enough money to buy myself a better one. My confidence slowly builds up as I’ve found the path that I really want to walk through in my life. Choosing Mass Communication as my major in University also helps to strengthen that belief that I had in me. That is, to be someone that I really want to be and not for anyone else.
Recognition from people around me is suffice to keep myself strong from falling apart.
“You take great pictures. I could feel the soul in the photographs.” It was the first time I was recognized of my skills and I was then given paid assignments on something that I enjoy doing. Yes, I did it.
Although the camera that I first had is broken, but I will always remember the feeling of it being held in my hands, confident. Photography gave me so many things that I thought I will never have.
I smiled as I looked upon the colorful photographs that are stuck on the wall of my room. Those are lost pieces of my life that I have slowly recollected.
“Thank you.” I said as I watch the pouring sky through that little window.
PART A
Anecdotal Lead:
THREE years ago, Sharmadean Reid, a London nail salon owner, was watching the American Music Awards when she saw Beyonce Knowles with a manicure that made her nails look as if they’d been plated with gold. “I paused the television,” she said. “I was like, ‘What is on her nails?’ Gimme now.” (New York Times, 14 Oct 2010)
I think this lead is effective as it clearly states who the focus of the article is on and it is completed with a few quotes of dialogues. To me, it is more like a microscopic view of the article which is about to be elaborated later in the body. The suspense is there when the dialogue says “What is on her nails?” and it also gives a hint to the readers that the following content must be something related about nails.
Descriptive Lead:
I was back at my alma mater recently. As the new term has just begun, the campus was pulsating with new energy. New students were chatting merrily with newfound friends, the common room buzzing with activities, and the library packed with eager, young students carrying thick books and files. (New Straits Times, 19 Oct 2010)
The lead describes what the writer saw when she was back at her alma mater. The scenes of students chatting and the packed library give a vivid image to the readers of how the scene was like. I think it is an effective lead as the description helps to draw the readers into the situation.
Narrative Lead:
COULD someone please turn the volume down?
"Ambient," I said somewhat forcibly over the music. "Music at restaurants should be ambient. You know, like in the background." I was repeating myself. It was a clear sign of frustration. (The Malay Mail, 9 July 2009)
This lead catches my attention the most. The first sentence of the article creates a great suspense as I read. It sounds like the writer was annoyed with rage over something and the dialogues in between slowly gives a clearer idea of what is going to be written in the rest of the article. I think it is an effective lead as it draws the readers into the article by putting them into the situation so to stimulate the readers’ feelings as they read on.
PART B
1.
If you are wondering how you can lose weight, you’re better off being kept in the dark. According to a study, those living in well-lit towns or cities are more likely to become obese than country dwellers, even if they eat the same amount. (New Straits Times, 19 Oct 2010)
I like how the writer begins with a sentence that questions and directs the readers. The presentation of the big idea is also interesting because the readers do not have a clue on how losing weight and living in a well-lit city could be related. Besides that, the research that is included in the paragraph is also persuasive enough to make the readers continue reading.
2.
IT’S official. I’m not very popular. At least, according to Facebook standards I’m not. You see, a recent report crowned Malaysia the most cyber-sociable country in the world, with the average number of social network friends running at a whopping 233, closely followed by Brazil with 231 friends. So what does that say about me and my measly 82 friends?
I’ve just checked my Facebook account and it seems that I have overstated my popularity. I actually only have 81 friends. This means that someone has un-friended me since the last time I was online. It’s demoralising to think that someone who once considered me a friend no longer wants to have anything to do with me, even in cyber land. (The Star, 18 Oct 2010)
I think this is an interesting lead as the writer writes about her own experience in the cyber world while she injects a little humour into the article. Besides that, the statistics that are included in the lead also gives a rough idea on what the writer is going talk about for the rest of the article.
3.
SINCE my son returned from university to spend his summer break at home in Penang, strange things have been appearing in my fridge. Take the other afternoon, for example.
I’d just opened the fridge door to get a cold drink, when I spotted a bulging plastic bag sitting on a plate on the topmost shelf. Curious, I opened the bag, only to recoil with shock. For there, stretching the sides of the pink plastic, was a glistening brain. (The Star, 9 Aug 2010)
I like how detailed the descriptions are. I am intrigued by the suspense created in the lead. It really puts me to imagine the situation as she slowly describes the process of her discovering something strange in the fridge. It also helped to draw my attention to continue reading till the end.
PART C
1.
THE other evening, I was invited to a friend’s house for dinner. After a relaxing pre-dinner cocktail on her patio, I sat down at her dining table and eagerly examined the plate in front of me.
My eyes took in the chicken breasts in a creamy mustard sauce, the plump baked potato, and the ... and the ... For the life of me, I couldn’t remember the name of the long green vegetable stems on my plate. (The Star, 27 Sept 2010)
It begins with a lead that doesn’t hint much on what is going to be written for the rest of the article. Could it be something about the name of the vegetable on her plate which she couldn’t recall? The suspense is in a great deal but it is just not enough to motivate the readers to continue reading.
2.
I have two little boys and a nanny who takes care of them twice a week. It took me months to find her. A neighbour asked for her number to see if she might baby-sit occasionally. I gave it to her because our nanny was always looking for more hours. Now, the neighbor has called to say she’s gotten a job and has offered our nanny a full-time position. Our nanny is better off, but I can’t help feeling betrayed by the neighbour. Could she have handled this better? M. D. (The New York Times, 15 Oct 2010)
I dislike how the lead here is structured because it sounds monotonous and flat to me. Squeezing in too much information in the lead makes it hard for the readers to comprehend. Furthermore, the lack of descriptions and introductions in the paragraph somehow leads to confusion in the events that is happening in the story.
3.
THE Obama volunteer coordinator assigned to find me a canvassing partner walked me toward a busload of elderly people. She must have noticed my dismay, because suddenly she veered left toward a smaller group of mostly male twentysomethings from Brooklyn. The day began looking up. (The New York Times, 15 Oct 2010)
I do not like the lead above because the idea that the writer is trying to convey is vague and the presentation of the lead is boring and unattractive. It is not impactful enough to motive the readers to continue reading.
Name: Loh Lai Kuen
Student ID: 1000819097
Malaysia’s into green tourism
Being the 9th most visited country in the world, Malaysia definitely has its stand in the tourism industry.
We are now on the track to promote green tourism by focusing on environment preservation along with the aim to attract more tourists from all over the world.
In the 2010 World Tourism Conference (WTC) launch yesterday, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin told reporters that Malaysia is on the right track in striking a balance between tourism development and protecting the environment.
“There is a need to come out with clear guidelines, maybe some standard approach on how this issue can be managed by governments and various stakeholders,”(The Star, 5 Oct 2010) he added.
He also made a clear call on the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) to develop a mechanism on the best practices in green tourism as it would benefit member countries in many ways. (New Straits Times, 5 Oct 2010)
Muhyiddin goes on to explain that tourists nowadays would prefer to be closer to the nature.
“They want to go up to the mountain, they want to enjoy the environment. These are the pristine values of tourism that need to be conserved for future generations,”(The Star, 5 Oct 2010) he responded.
In the conference held yesterday, UNTWO secretary-general Taleb Rifai also commented that it is appropriate for the conference to be held in Malaysia as we are one of the world’s most visited country recording for about 23.6 million in tourist arrivals last year.
“I hope Malaysia could share its success in the tourism industry for other countries to emulate.” (New Straits Times, 5 Oct 2010)
Looking at the pace and progress of Malaysia in its path towards green tourism, it is expected that the tourism industry in our home ground will continue to grow and prosper in the long run.
***
Sources:
1. The Star, 5 Oct 2010 - "Develop green tourism, says DPM"
2. New Straits times, 5 Oct 2010 - "Money's on green tourism"
Date (Received): Monday, 4 Oct, 2010Grace Ng Fei Fen, 25, is a news reporter and presenter, voice prompt for various advertisements and also an assistant producer with NTV7 for about 2 years and still counting.
In an email interview with her, Grace responded on her news reporting techniques and her personal opinions about objective journalism.
“I have to keep up to date on current affairs by reading newspapers every day. Always try to look for an interesting angle and an angle that other media has not covered yet. Open your eyes and ears. Spot trends and be curious about everything”, said Grace.
She also mentioned that keeping in contact with other reporters and reaching out for sources are very important especially when reporting news with follow-ups.
While Grace stresses on news credibility, she mentioned that a reporter should always check on facts, rely on more than one source and always use quotations and attributions when writing about something controversial.
“Report only the facts and report both sides. Reporting must be balanced”, Grace responded.
Since Grace is also a news announcer, news presentation becomes far more interesting with the aid of audio and visuals. She said that news reading is all about reaching out to the viewers by using simple and conversational language.
Good sound bites and interesting graphic elements definitely adds more variations and interestingness to the news bulletin too.
When asked how she set aside personal feelings and bias when writing a news story, she said that it is almost impossible.
“Objective journalism is a fallacy because all reporters have their own biases. But, in order to be more objective, like I said earlier, report the facts. Get rid of adjectives”, She added.
While her career might be an interesting one to many, there are things that she claimed to be challenging in her career.
“The pressure from powers to hide and distort the truth can be very intense and a newsroom is a brutal place”, she said.
After spending about 2 years working in the industry, she said that the best thing she likes about her job is when the news story she writes is on the news bulletin and it gives a big sense of achievement to her.
Having experienced many of the jobs in the industry from news reporting to news presenting, Grace’s biggest hope in her career is to make a difference in our country through the power of journalism.
***
Self Reflection:
Now I understand how busy a reporter is. What more for a person who also works as a news presenter like Grace Ng. I spoke to her on the phone to request for the email interview and I think she has a really strong character, very friendly and also very willing to help out fellow Mass Comm students like me!
After doing this assignment, I really think that I am not a person for this industry. Doing things in such a stressful environment and a crazy time constraint really gives me alot of pressure. On top of everything, I enjoyed doing this assignment alot especially the interview and it is a great opportunity for me to understand and learn more about this industry.
