For all Journalism Students and Prospective Students

As a worldwide news, entertainment, and journalism based website, seniorjournalism.com is happy to announce the page dedicated to good journalism, a page dedicated to skills development in this field and professionalism in the regard of journalism as a study, a discipline and a career- Editor & seniorjournalism staff.


Ethics Websites:

A website committed to the development of professional ethics and journalistic codes of conduct.

I have been on the net trying to get a website that can answer many questions on ethics and codes of conduct of a journalist, and there is a website I found to be more than interesting in this field, the site contains anything from ethics for a renowned journalists to the basic Four Normative Theories for an entry student in this field.
check-out: http://www.journalismethics.ca


Get Paid For Your Articles:
There is a site that pays writers for their contributions, the URL is http://www.shvoong.com/tell-me-more/. I reviewed the site because it was advertised on this same page by Google Ads with our host's, wetpaint.com, permission.
I visited the site and yes, it is true they pay for articles published on their site, so claims the Internet page, but with certain conditions of-course.
It was interesting so I thought it was my chance to make money, that thought didn't go on for long because I came across a "term" saying that you had to have a PayPal account in order to be payed, and well, since PayPal also needs to be paid in order for my money to be withdrawn, I decided I was not going to write for the site.
But hey, we have different preference so you MIGHT like it! Check It out!


Writing An Opinion Column/ Letter for a Newspaper:

Many of you wish to write for newspapers- for different reasons of course.
Some want the fame, some wants to earn "clips", particularly those in the journalism field, so that they can be hired and most of all, many wants the money that is if you write a winning letter/ article. But the problem that probably many of you face is that you send letters, emails or articles and they do not get published, and then you get angry with the editor and probably hate the newspaper.

But the real problem lies with YOU, not the editor.
You have to write a piece that will attract the eyes of the editor and make him/her wish to publish the piece.
Well this might seem like making the rain fall, but trust me, it is not.
The following is a step-by-step method to follow in order to get published:

Before I give you the method I have to say that I have successfully used this method to get my work published in Local, Provincial and even National newspaper, and please note that I have written a lot of opinion letters/ articles for Daily Sun, Soccer Laduma, Podium e.t.c and I have also worked as a columnist for the Northern Media Group owned Polokwane Express, and to add a sparkle to all that I was, in 2007, the youngest columnist in a newspaper editorial staff ever in the history of print media in Limpopo Province, the country of South Africa and probably the entire world, at the age of 18. I am not bragging but just want you to know that I am not going to give you a chancer's advise, rather an experienced media person's one.

It is simple: *First, decide on a topic... remember that the topic has to be current, unless it is of public interest
(affecting more people). For example, a political issue facing the country, the behaviour of some
celebrity, a view you think will be useful to the readers, e.t.c.

*Second, do your research, do not be lazy, unless you think you have handful information
to impress the editor, make sure you support your opinion with valid facts and do not use
vulgar language or baseless information because you might get both the newspaper and
yourself in hot water. I am not saying you should be fearful, what I am saying is that while
you express your opinion try to be factual.

*Third, get your ideas down to paper. In this way you will be able to correct yourself and polish
the piece... Just a Tip: Editors hate trash, so edit your work and revise it at least twice to remove
spelling and grammar errors.

*Fourth, be to the point, do not beat around the bush, say your main opinion in the lead ( first
paragraph) and afterwards do not introduce another topic- support the one you have started.

*Fifth and last, write your letter/ opinion article and send it.

REMEMBER: there are many people writing each day so do not get discouraged when your first try is not published. Keep in mind "You can't score if you don't miss"

I used this method and I published 98.5 % out of 100% of my work.
- Madimetja Mashishi( Editor)


If there is any website you think might be useful for the enhancement of journalism and its study, drop us a mail at senior_d@mtnloaded.co.za or vincent.tlou@yahoo.com