The 10 things you need to be good at to thrive in modern journalism
BBC News Digital Director Naja Nielsen outlines her view on the journalists of the future
When everything is changing all of the time is it actually possible to future-proof yourself?
And if so, what are the skills you need to thrive in the modern age?
The people tasked with driving forward our major institutions perhaps have as much a say in how the vocation evolves as the rampant advance of tech and collapse of tradition.
Those brave enough to lay out a vision then need people who can deliver it.
Today, the (still pretty new) Digital Director of BBC News, Naja Nielsen, delivered a masterclass for our students at Cardiff University’s School of Journalism Media and Culture (JOMEC).
Engaging and forthright, Nielsen outlined a blueprint for the years ahead.
Her opening gambit was to tell a heaving lecture theatre that they would help re-invent journalism in part because their generation is not tethered to the traditions of the past.
But in case they needed a little more guidance than ‘You lot sort it out’ she offered a 10-point skills base to aim for.
What’s interesting is that it isn’t just a technical list — ‘know this piece of analytics software, understand that platform’ - though it includes that sort of thing too.
It’s as much an outline for the type of person that will make a good journalist as it is about professional guidance.
Nielsen’s ’10 things you need to be good at’
1) Curiosity
“You have to be interested in people. Not just the people who are like you, but more importantly the people who are different to you.”
2) Learning
“The brain is a muscle and it can get bigger. You say you cannot learn another language? Learn lots of languages. It is good for you.”
3) Numbers
“The world is awash with statistics that are not true. You need to be good at numbers. It’s not good enough anymore to say you can’t do it.”
4) Digital
“The New York Times will become a bigger product via digital than it has ever been in print.”
5) Empathy and criticism
“People are not just victims. I interviewed a mother with many children. She was an immigrant to Denmark. She had never learned the language. She had no job. She was in difficulty. The audience is asking: ‘Why didn’t you learn the language? Why didn’t you go to work? Are you just lazy?’ so you need to ask those questions too.
“She might just have some very good answers that help people understand the situation better. You can do it in a respectful way.
“So you can be empathetic and critical at the same time. And you should be.”
6) Be constructive
“We are giving people the wrong impression if we focus only on the negative. The world is good and bad. Be constructive in your approach.”
7) Co-creation
“Silicon Valley will never be able to create the content and we cannot create the platforms. You have to respect that the cultures are different and work together.”
8) Daring
“You need to be daring and push up. Speak your mind. You might end up with some trouble but you will end up with success too.”
9) Reading
“A good journalist is like a good scientist — be curious enough to challenge what you believe.”
10) Life
“Be good at life. You don’t want to be the person who knows everything better than everyone but is a boring dinner guest.”
A quick CV
Nielsen comes to her BBC post after two years as Chief Journalism Officer at Orb Media in Washington.
Her background, though, is in public service broadcasting and Nielsen spent 11 years at DR (Formerly Danmarks Radio) the Danish national broadcaster, where she rose to become Head of News and Deputy to the Director of News.
Nielsen has seen the business from the point of view of a reporter, editor and anchor in both TV and radio.
She also spent five months researching her report ‘Journalism in the Digital Age’ as a visiting scholar at Stanford University in 2014.
Her christian name is pronounced ‘Na-ya’, in case you were wondering.
