Technology Journalism

Howdy CNET folk,

I have just started university doing Computer Science, I am very interested in both technology and journalism, to the extent that I have recentely started a technology news blog (with Crave being my main source of information) with a combination of news and my own arrogant opinions (I'm not one for shameless self-promotion but matgreenfield.com). I am at university to learn about computers, technology and engineering, but my aspiration is to become a tech journalist once I have finished (in 2013 but still).

How did you guys get into journalism and is there any advice you could give me?

Thanks.

... and to that post, I'll say ditto

Like you I went to university to get a decent degree but also with a view to getting into journalism. I wrote dozens of film reviews for my student newspaper and ended up as film editor in my final year. I then did a year-long diploma in magazine journalism at Cardiff university, which opened a lot of doors in terms of getting serious work experience - I got a job at the Radio Times through that.
I think I'd find it much harder to get on a course like that now, and even worse trying to find unpaid internships, let alone jobs.
Hopefully by the time you finish uni the market will have picked up Green - good luck to you

I think Recombu, the phone review site Andrew Lim moved to, are looking for interns. Don't know if it's too late to apply or not, but that might be helpful to you.

I would have had a look into it, but I can't move down to London

Nick, in my case, I have two technical degrees, Master of Physics (First Class) & Master of Science (Applied Maths, by research), and currently building up experience with blogging and writing for other websites. Would you say the journalism qualifications would still trump what I'm doing at the moment?

You are qualified. Why not do something with it? Change the world rather than writing about the world changing.

BTW I think the podcast is great.

Thanks
That was originally the plan, but life gets in the way, and I really enjoy writing.

Thanks for the advice all! :D

It's good to see that people have done other courses at university besides journalism and still gone into the field, I was worried that doing Comp Science was limiting what I could do in the future so it's good to know that I haven't shot myself in the foot with that regard.

Of course I'm still open for advice so if any other cnet writers or forum people have anything they'd like to add go right ahead!

I edited my Union newspaper but I've never done a journalism qualification in my life. When I was Editor I went to a student press day at the Telegraph. They wheeled in various big shots and editors for short chats. Every single one of them got asked the same question: "How did you get into journalism?" Every single one said the same thing: "Well I just kind of fell into it..." It was quite poignant watching the roomfull of journalism students get increasingly crestfallen. Also very funny - I had a Media Studies degree and I'd been arsing about watching films for three (ahem) three-ish years.

A journalism qualification will be useful - when you decide to go into PR after you realise being a journalist means you'll never have a nice house.

Only kidding.

On a practical level, get in touch with editors of tech publications and sites and ask them how they like to be pitched to. Then pitch them ideas. They'll say no a lot, if they reply at all, but keep at it.