With the shortlist for this year’s ‘New Journalist of the Year’ recently announced ahead of the British Journalism Awards, we’re looking at our top five picks of the best in up-and.coming journalistic talent.
As a copywriting agency, WooContent understand the importance of relevant and interesting content. Covering everything from unique political insights to pop culture commentary, these are some of the brightest new minds in UK journalism.
Gabriel Pogrund – The Sunday Times
Take a look at Pogrund’s work so far and it’s easy to see why he’s made the BJA shortlist. Former editor of The London Tab, Gabriel Pogrund writes powerful, insightful articles and does a top job of looking at public interest stories from fresh new angles.
Source: The Sunday Times – Gabriel Pogrund interviews Jeremy Corbyn over cappuccino in an Islington cafe
Interviewing Jeremy Corbyn at the height of Jez-Mania would give bragging rights to any young journalist, but Pogrund’s ability to hunt down a great story goes much further than that. Check out his piece for the New Statesman on spending a week inside the right-wing echo chamber after the US presidential election, and his still-relevant 2016 article on how the world forgot Eritrea Classy, informative and original, there’s something for almost everyone in Pogrund’s back catalogue.
Gareth Browne – Freelance, The Times
Gareth Browne has already built up an impressive portfolio of work for The Times, bringing us emotionally authentic insights into the world of ISIS and the conflicts in the middle east. Browne is an Arabic speaker, a skill that has aided him in procuring on-the-ground information from destinations like Iraq and Jordan as the news is breaking.
His bold style and unique perspective make for fascinating reading, and it’s hard-hitting articles like ‘They stitched up his lips for daring to insult ISIS‘ that caught our attention – and that of the British Journalism Awards, no doubt. For his recent first article for the Daily Beast, Browne spent weeks going through the hard drive of a Belgian national who had moved to Raqqa to join ISIS, granting the world a fascinating look into her day-to-day life and thoughts.
Adam Payne, Business Insider UK
Payne’s political reporting has been keeping us up to date with the biggest quotes and headlines in Brexit, Trump and all things Westminster. What’s more, it’s all been done with just the right amount of flair.
Another former Tab editor – this time from Liverpool – Adam Payne now has his finger firmly on the UK political pulse reporting for Business Insider. Whether he’s relaying the fact that White House officials are calling Boris Johnson ‘a joke’ or filling us in on the most recent controversy in Britain’s exit from the EU, the latest news is written with perfect style and a focus on the facts.
Johannes Laubmeier, Freelance
Though much of his work has been for Der Tagesspeigel, it’s Laubmeier’s work for The Times that has thrust him into the limelight. His moving work on the death of migrant refugees pulls no punches – a bleak, harrowing journey into the ongoing migrant crisis.
Humanity is often the theme of Laubmeier’s work, inspecting everyone from the zoo-obsessed to Berlin’s homeless, and how they came to be that way. The Times are sure to be pleased that they can count this extra head among their award nominees this year, so expect to see plenty more UK articles from Johannes Laubmeier in 2018.
Hayley Dixon, The Daily Telegraph
Hayley Dixon may not have made it onto the BJA New Journalist shortlist, but she did make it onto MHP’s 30 To Watch list earlier this year. Her work for the Telegraph is much broader than a single sector, with recent work covering everything from the Bermuda cyber hack to bomb ingredients being sold on Amazon.
To tackle such difficult subjects both firmly and with sensitivity is a skill many journalists lack, but Dixon has established it as her forte.
If, like us, you’re looking to keep your eye on the best new talent in the industry, take a look at the full MHP Young Journalist 30 To Watch list as well as the full selection of British Journalism Awards nominees.
If you’re looking for tips on how to craft a killer press release of your own, we’ve got a guide to get you started here.
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