Blessed with beauty and brains, Journalist – Elaine Naidoo speaks to us about her career as we get to know a little more about her…
1. Why did you become a journalist?
“There are many reasons why I chose to become a journalist. One of the main reasons why I chose this career is because I wanted to serve as the watchdog of my community and keep residents informed. I guess you could also say that I was born with a ‘deep-seeded desire’ to write. ‘I believe that if your aim is to change the world, journalism is a more immediate short-term weapon’. Being a digital editor as well, I strongly abide by these profound words every day.”
2. Would you still choose this career knowing what you know now?
“Most definitely. Journalism is now a part of my life and now more than ever, I am inspired and motivated to build my career even further.”
3. What do you love about your job?
“I love the fact that I get to experience a new adventure every day. There is not a single day when I find my job mundane and dull. I love a challenge!”
4. What is the most outrageous story/assignment you had to cover?
“I was new to journalism at the time, and I was informed that I had to cover a horrific crash at the Woodhurst Park. When I got to the scene, I was met with absolute carnage. A family of four (father, mother, son and daughter) were travelling in the vehicle when they plunged into a tree. The father and son survived however, the mother and daughter were killed. I was really affected when I got back to office. To me, it was really heart-breaking to know that two innocent people lost their lives under such unfortunate circumstances.”
5. Have you ever been in any dangerous situation covering a story?
“I would be lying if I said no. But fortunately for me, it was not too dangerous and I was safe and unharmed.”
6. What are things you don’t like about current journalism practices that you wish can change?
“Many people have distorted views regarding online media in the sense that they believe that it holds not as much importance as print media. This is really not true. We now live in a society that has become digitally evolved and electronic media is growing immensely.”
7. How do you resolve the ethical dilemma of being a spectator covering a story when you could have helped out in a situation?
“I always remind myself that I am a journalist when covering certain stories. This does not mean that I do not sympathise with those involved in the situation. I am only human, after all.”
8. Have you ever covered a story/assignment you felt strongly against and what did you do? If you refused, what was the consequence? Or if you did your job, how do you resolve the personal/moral/ethical/philosophical conflict?
“Yes. There were many times in the past when I let my emotions get in the way of my reasonable thinking. Eventually, I chose to remain objective. This was extremely hard for me to do, but in the end, it made me a better reporter.”
9. What is the competition like competing against other journalist for a story?
“It can be ruthless at times, but I regard many of the journalists, who work for other newspaper agencies as my friends. I have previously worked with many of them. At the end of the day, we all aim to do the same thing, which is inform our readers.”
10. Do you think that there is any information that is “too dangerous” to print? Why or why not?
“While I personally love taking risks, I do believe that at times, some information can be ‘too dangerous to print’. This is mainly due to legality purposes. As a journalist, we do want to remain credible to our readers.”
11.What risks do the journalists take in revealing a story? Are those risks worth it? Why or why not?
“There are numerous risks when publishing stories especially with regards to accidents, murders and other related crimes. Sometimes, we just have to take the risk and in most cases, it does pay off.”
12.Today the news media is undergoing drastic change because of the opportunities for independent journalism on blogs, because of the ability to constantly update stories online, and because many people prefer to read news online rather than in traditional newspaper format. What do you think about these phenomena? Will they change journalism for the better or the worse? Why?
“Apart from being a journalist, I am also a digital manager. I manage our websites and social media accounts. Times are changing. Given their hectic schedules, many people do not have enough time to flip through a newspaper. News has to be immediate and available at our reader’s fingertips at any given time and this is mainly why online media is becoming quite popular among residents. In my opinion, I believe that online media has a number of benefits for not only the reader and advertiser but also the news agency as a whole.”
13. What advise do you have for a journalist student wanting to get into the field? Would you go to jail to protect a source?
“My advice to journalism students is… Always keep in mind that you have to be able to adapt to the changing world of journalism. “When in doubt, leave it out”- this is something that my editor told me and it kind of stuck with me. Remember, you have the ability to make a difference in the community so never lose faith in yourself.”
14.Do you think journalists twist things out of context?
“I guess certain journalists may do this but in our newsroom, we have always done our best to keep our story as balanced as possible.”
15.Would you go against your own morals to get the story?
“Being a journalist, my morals are often questioned. I have to make sure that when I’m writing an article, I have to put my personal feelings aside and write it as journo.”
16.Did you ever release any information that could permanently damage a person?
“Not as far as I know and I am hoping to keep it that way.”
17.How do you make sure you don’t get personally attached to your sources?
“You have to define the barriers from the outset. You have to understand the difference between a personal and professional relationship.”
18.Whats the craziest thing you ever did to get the story?
“There are too many to even mention. Being crazy makes the job all the more interesting.”
19.What are some of the benefits of your job?
“I get to interact with different people with different stories on daily and also at the same time, I have the opportunity to write about something I feel strongly about. Journalism liberates people. Another exciting benefit is the freebies, of course!”
20.What is the most interesting story who have ever written?
“That would have to be a human interest piece on a group of international missionaries who not only touched the lives of ordinary people with their leadership skills and the message of God, but who have also dedicated their lives to community service.”
21.How long have you been a journalist?
“I have been a journalist for four years.”
22.Did you ever have to wake up at 3 in the morning to chase after a story?
“Yes, I have. Lucky for me, I am used to waking up at that time.”
23.What happens if you write a story that another news paper wrote at the same time?
“That is bound to happen many times. I often read the other newspapers’ article very thoroughly to see if I have missed out on any important details. Their writing skills may be very different from mine and I could also learn from them. Like I said, you learn something new every day in journalism.”
A little More About Elaine…
1. Your current Favourite Song.
“Chains by Nick Jonas and Worth It by Fifth Harmony and Kid Ink.”
2. Favourite Resturant.
“Olive and Oil.”
3. Heels Or Flats?
“I’m really tall so I feel extremely comfy in flats although I do not mind heels.”
4. A day at the beach or park?
“Both! Both places have an amazing atmosphere.”
5. Shark Diving or Deep Sea Diving?
“Neither! I’d rather be relaxing on the shore with a refreshing beverage, reading a novel.”
From the DS Team, we would like to say keep doing this amazing job that you’re consistently doing! We wish you all the best on your career in journalism and may you succeed in all you do and thank you for all you’ve done in helping the community thus far 🙂
