A New Age for Journalism : A Masterclass with John Pienaar

Written by Amber Bereznyckyj, 2022 Patchwork Masterclass Programme Participant and the Contributor to the London Financial 

On the fifth of July 2022, the Patchworkers have had the privilege of meeting John Pienaar, Drivetime Presenter at Times Radio. It was the week of several resignations within the cabinet, including Rishi Sunak and Savij Javid. With the epoch of a new British democracy commencing, Pienaar was brilliant at expressing the era of journalism from print to online media and how this relates to our current political climate.

Personally, I am a political contributor (and now culture writer) at The London Financial. This role was somewhat of a surprise for my career development. I have found, however, that disseminating British policy changes has also allowed me to understand it better. Without this, I may have never worked with the Patchwork Foundation. Still, when I started writing for the London Financial, I often struggled with tone and handling of politically sensitive topics and interviews. John Pienaar spoke a lot about what it was to be a journalist with integrity. He gave a few tips on how to retain a neutral tone, despite the rapidly changing etiquette of both journalism and British politics. My main takeaway was to be aware of how we disseminate news through personal blogging and social media. When I started writing political articles, I thought I was giving valid arguments from both sides. But I’m afraid I may have been affected by the juxtaposition method in current media – viciously fighting both corners rather than giving space for the causes themselves. Pienaar was kind to reassure us that many new writers fall victim to this but gave very wise advice on how to balance and recover your set when needed.

Furthermore, Pienaar’s team were kind enough to give us a tour of the office and subsequent recording studios. The Sun’s double-decker photo booth bus was the highlight of the night. It was enlightening to have honest conversations about the lack of diversity in journalism alongside this. After receiving a photo booth picture of myself on The Sun front cover, this was made even starker. It was not just because it seemed like a clever marketing idea, but also because The Sun was one of the most popular tabloids in the estate I grew up in. The Sun, for me, has always seemed characteristic of the culture and sentiment of my childhood nostalgia. So, to receive advice on how to break down the barriers of journalism was even more important and something I am very grateful for.

The three steps into journalism Pienaar recommended were:

1. Start or contribute to a blog and apply for work experience.
2. Work towards an NCTJ and (although only recommended with caution) submit opinion pieces to newspapers such as The Independent.
3. Apply to graduate/apprenticeship schemes and junior roles (some of which will include the NCTJ).

Pienaar’s masterclass grounded us back to the main values of the Patchwork Foundation itself. He was certain that to be the best journalist you can, you must be willing to talk to anyone, collaborate with anyone, and sympathise with anyone’s story. This is because as a journalist you have to talk to those with different opinions than you. This is similar to the Patchwork Foundation’s value that you need to immerse yourself around everyone to humanise these figures and understand them better as people. This, in some respects, is the only way we can learn from one another. Although journalism and the basis of our politics are changing, Pienaar was strong in suggesting that we can return to this level of integrity.

The article is re-published from the Patchwork Foundation

Amber Bereznyckyj

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