|  NME Editor Conor McNicholas
| | Can you hack it?
NME editor Conor McNicholas, 35,
thinks the key to being a good reporter is to be “a good communicator”,
“experienced” and “multi-skilled”.
As the editor of the
New Musical Express, Conor McNicholas's considerable experience is
rewarded by a salary in excess of £30,000 per annum. He does not take
decisions lightly when hiring new reporters.
“A good reporter is
someone who can recognise a good story – what we call ‘having a nose
for it’ in the industry. They must be a good communicator, able to
identify unusual connections, have patience, and be tenacious.”
Having graduated from Manchester University, McNicholas has advice for students who are considering a career in journalism.
“Being
involved with the Student Union paper at my university not only helped
me practise my techniques, but it was something I could put on my CV -
something to show I had experience.”
People contact McNicholas every day, telling him how passionate they are about music and writing, but he wants more than that.
“I
ask them if they have a blog. If they say no, I think, ‘Well then you
can’t be that fucking passionate then, can you?’ It’s just not good
enough.”
Anyone who applies to write for NME must now be capable
of producing multimedia packages in addition to writing straight
forward copy.
Today’s digital age sees the need for journalists
producing podcasts, video packages and radio broadcasts in order to
suit the needs and habits of their audience
Allana Cutter | |