Of journalism and more

Prof Kate Williams On Avenues Of Life & Tenets Of Journalism

Varya Khosla, AIS Noida, VIII C

From death of Princess Diana in 1997 to London bombings of 2005, Prof Kate Williams has seen it all, covered it all. Having worked for BBC for 22 long years, she understands journalism like the back of her hand. At present, she is the deputy dean of Faculty of Arts, Science and Technology at University of Northampton, UK. GT reporter caught up with her at the recently concluded International Conference on Emerging Media Paradigms 2020 at Amity University, Noida. We bring you few excerpts.

On working with BBC…Having worked with BBC for 22 years, I am aware of what journalists need to know. But the cycle would only be complete when journalists know what I know. Anyone who steps into the field must have a fair idea of how things work here. This is why I started the in-house journalism training scheme for BBC, which every new trainee must now undertake. The training basically aims at passing on maximum relevant knowledge, which makes it easier for young journos to do their job once they are out in the field.

On challenging assignments…I remember covering the news of Princess Diana’s death. The fervour around the news was crazy. It was such a major international news story that everybody around the world knew about it. To be able to report it and see the coffin go past was indeed an intense moment. I watched it close and saw the emotions of everyone around. It was a very powerful moment and I feel privileged to have reported on it for BBC.

On social media…Social media has changed the way news is reported. Today, news reaches the common man before you can blink an eye. Social media is important even for the journalists, for it helps them in finding new stories, do research and reach avenues that are otherwise ignored or unreachable. Other than that, social media has also given journalists a platform to share their story with people. So, social media is definitely an aid to journalism, and not a threat, quite contrary to what many people believe.

On journalism must-haves…Journalists definitely need to be inquisitive. They must have the confidence to approach people and talk to them. The Indian education system is really good at teaching students how to write and how to tell stories, a key trait in the profession that we have come to know as journalism.

A for Ambition

As I share the fourth tenet of BHAAG, ie, ‘A’ which stands for ‘Ambition’, I am reminded of how great dreams have shaped the world we presently inhabit. It was a dream to fly like a bird which lead to the making of the first airplane. It was a dream to reach out to our loved ones fast and free of cost which created ‘WhatsApp,’ the literal lifeline today. It was a dream to give the world class quality modern education blended with tradition, which created the entire Amity Universe. 
All great achievements started as a dream, and these achievements become a reality, only because of ambition. Your dream is the vision, and your ambition is the virtue which steers that vision in the right direction, helping you to focus on the right things and do the right actions at the right time. Your dreams tell you where to go, but it is your ambition that actually creates the path for you to tread upon and reach there. Once you are ambitious, you are ready to take on the world and make it the way you want it to be, because ambition at times can beat genius 99 per cent of the times.
Remember, ambition is never big or small. One small ambition, driven by hard work and attitude to win, can change the world. The success story of ‘Lijjat Papad’ is one such big example. Ambition is the hub of the wheel of dreams which script your journey of success, so, it is imperative to have a dream and be ambitious.
So, my dear Amitians, always remember that a man without ambition is like a bird flying without any direction. Therefore, as you grow up and prepare to face the world that stands in front of you, have a dream and ambition. This is what will give you the strength to believe in yourself and help you achieve your goals.

Wintry echoes

It does not seem to end. Yes, the winters⁠—the long winters. It’s February, and I am still enjoying the wintry chill packed in my woollens, soaking in the heat of the elections, trying to decode the budget matrix. As a child, I remember vacationing in hill stations, chasing clouds, creating steam with my mouth and letting loose the Picasso on every misty or foggy glass pane. This winter, all this was actually available at our door step. We felt the winters, not on hill stations but at home.
Sounds like a perfect day, but is it really? As I enjoy the extended chill in the weather, another thought sends a chill down my spine. I sip another cup of coffee, watching the steam rising from the hot cup and ponder⁠—what is steaming beneath this cold, long, wintery chill? No matter how much we like winters and secretly wish to delay the scorching heat of summers, we cannot ignore the sound of the alarming bugles it brings with it each day.
As I look across the glass window pane, the life all foggy and still, I can feel the broken rhythm of nature, unlike what we experienced in childhood. My heart can hear the silent tiptoe of the fury our nature might be just readying to unleash itself upon us sometime soon. With the talks of climate change and global warming, my mind shudders at the thought that the apocalypse might have already arrived.
As I finish the last sip of coffee, the steam warms me up, and my soul still warms up to the thought that perhaps these long winters are nothing but the echo of a rhythm disturbed, the sound of nature’s fury. We have done enough damage and now it’s time to set right what we did wrong.

GT M@il

Dear Editor,
This is in reference to the story ‘The ‘C’ signal’ on page 7 of The Global Times edition dated February 3, 2020. When I first heard that my story was going to be published in The Global Times, I was thrilled. As a writer who loves her work, I felt immense joy at finding my work being published in the newspaper. It brought me a great sense of satisfaction to know that my writings are good enough to be published in my school newspaper. The Global Times gave me the courage and inspiration to write more and helped me rediscover my passion for writing. I hope that the readers who read my work will find it as inspiring as it was for me.
Yashaswini Sharma, AIS Mayur Vihar, IX B

Dear Editor,
This is in reference to the story ‘The memory master’ on page 12 of The Global Times edition dated February 3, 2020. I was elated to see that my son Varnit Chandra’s achievement has been covered by The Global Times and it was an even more exciting moment for Varnit. We appreciate this newspaper’s efforts in acknowledging and writing about students’ achievements in different fields. It is such a great platform to showcase talents and stories of the Amitians. We are thankful to the team of The Global Times for their efforts in bringing to us a new and interesting copy of the newspaper every week.
Neha Chandra, Mother of Varnit Chandra, AIS Saket, II