Priyanshi: Internship at the Johnston Press, Belfast, Northern Ireland

The internship provided at Johnston Press was an experience full of surprises. With some menial help from google, I got to know that Johnston Press is the publication behind the “i” newspaper which was previously known as Independent. Being an aspiring Journalist, I thought I’ve hit the biggest jackpot. Jumping right to the first day of my internship, with uncomfortable heels and a professional face, I entered the building for Johnston Press which housed a newspaper publication but not the one I had imagined all along. It was home for the News Letter, one of the widely circulated newspapers in Northern Ireland.

I interned under the guidance of the Lifestyle Editor, Helen McGurk. I interviewed a celebrity I had no clue about but still a c e l e b r i t y. She was Bronagh Waugh, Northern Irish actress most commonly known for her stellar performance in the Hollyoaks and The Fallen. She was a panelist at the the Screen Queens- an event in the Belfast Media Festival which celebrated the females in the media industry and discussed the issues of gender disparity in the industry. My article on her appearance at the festival also got published! I also got to attend the Royal Television Society awards which were hosted by none other than Ms. Waugh. Did I know anyone at the award function? Absolutely not. But did I enjoy every bit of it? heck yeah!

I also got to interview an 83-year-old author who was launching her fourth novel. Norah Humphrey’s article also got published and I learnt a lot through out that internship. I worked under a lot of different reporters in the News Letter office and learnt the intricacies of newspaper publishing. I had a phenomenal time exploring the city, debating about gender equality and donning the journalistic quill. The internship was a lovely experience, one that added a feather in my CV and personal experience.

Thank you AGEMI for providing me with this brilliant opportunity. Here are a few pictures from my incredible experience.