Our reporters found it such a brilliant experience to be able to speak to our audience directly, find out what they're interested in and hear about the stories that they think are most important. We were very impressed with how engaged the students were and the confidence with which they pitched their ideas in the second half of the session.
Aleena Augustine, Audience Growth Manager, Tortoise Media
31 October 2024
'It showed me a different side of journalism' – King's students visit Tortoise Media
Undergraduate students from the Department of Culture, Media and Creative Industries learnt about ‘slow news’ and podcasting during an outreach at London-based media outlet, Tortoise Media.
The second- and third-year students were given a tour of the Tortoise Media newsroom and met Rebecca Moore, Executive Producer – Always-On Podcasts, Aleena Augustine, Audience Growth Manager, Jess Swinburne, Senior Development Producer, and producers Casey Magloire, Eleanor Biggs and Xavier Greenwood. They introduced the students to Sensemaker Daily and The News Meeting podcasts.
Students learnt about commissioning and pitching stories, interviewing guests, scripting and editing, as well as recording, mixing and publishing. They explored the distribution and promotion of podcasts via hosting platforms, newsletters, promo campaigns, guest swaps and live events.
At the end of the session, students pitched their story ideas and received feedback from the Tortoise Media team.
We had a lot of good discussions and got to explore the things we are passionate about. They gave us great feedback and were really listening to us. It was very useful.
Amy
I’ve been trying to figure out different areas to work in after I finish my degree. The workshop was very insightful. It showed me a different side of journalism and media production and how every single step of the process is done, which was so interesting.
Ileana
I was delighted to visit Tortoise Media with our students and see how investigative and slow journalism matters to them all. While our students figure out their interests and what they want to do when they graduate, it is essential they have opportunities to speak to professionals on the job. This session was particularly exciting as the students practised pitching and other transferrable skills.
Dr Mabel Machado Lopez, Lecturer in Culture, Media, and Creative Industries (Cultural Entrepreneurship) and Senior Tutor, Careers & Employability
Tortoise Media is a media company founded in 2018 with a focus on slow news and sustainable journalism.
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Lecturer in Culture, Media and Creative Industries (Cultural Entrepreneurship)