Harbingers’ Magazine Oxford Newsroom 2024

  • Essential Journalism Conference

    • July 27 - August 7, 2024

      Open
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For the third time, Harbingers’ Magazine opens its annual pop-up newsroom in Oxford. Ten students will attend daily editorials, write articles with the support of experienced journalists, explore the medieval city housing one of the world‘s most famous universities, and make friends with people from all over the world.

Like all global editorial offices, each of the ten conference days in Oxford will begin with an editorial meeting. It will be up to you and your newsroom colleagues to decide what is important for young people, which one of you can cover it most accurately, and how to plan the publication schedule so articles will be successfully delivered.

Your work will be driven by your interests and passions (whether this be climate, animal welfare, culture, politics, economics, sports and more – everything is welcomed) but at every stage of the process, you will be supported by our mentors – experienced journalists from British and international media – who will push you to learn more and ensure that your article will meet the editorial standards.

If you work honestly, you will not only have three articles published – one reporting, one opinion, and one feature – but you will also be invited to join Harbingers’ Magazine as a contributor for the following academic year.

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Learn from professional journalists...

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    Tatev Hovhannisyan

    Deputy editor-in-chief
    Academic director

    Tatev Hovhannisyan

    Deputy editor-in-chief
    Academic director

    Based in Armenia, Tatev is an international investigative journalist and editor with 13 years of editorial experience. Until August of 2023, she was openDemocracy’s Europe and Eurasia editor. Her writing has appeared in numerous international media outlets, including the BBC, Euronews, and the Guardian.

    Tatev is also a lecturer at the Yerevan Brusov State University of Languages and Social Sciences.

    In 2023, Tatev received the Journalists for Human Rights 2023 award for her investigation into illegal adoptions. In 2022, she won an Emma Goldman Award for innovative research on feminist and inequality issues in Europe – the first time a journalist has won the award.

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    Sarah Hussain

    Chief reporter
    Head of partnerships

    Sarah Hussain

    Chief reporter
    Head of partnerships

    Before joining the OXSFJ, Sarah was a Specialist Reporter at Archant Media Group’s Eastern Daily Press, where she covered the cost of living crisis, deprivation and mental health, and the war in Ukraine.

    With almost a decade of experience in the industry, Sarah holds the Level 6 National Qualification in Journalism and received the 2022 NQJ Media Law and Ethics in Practice Award. She has conducted high-profile interviews with Liz Truss and Jeremy Corbyn amongst others.

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    Emily Whitehouse

    Publisher & fact-checker
    Head of operations

    Emily Whitehouse

    Publisher & fact-checker
    Head of operations

    Emily is a graduate from the University of East Anglia. Having joined the OXSFJ in 2021, she is the proofreader, fact-checker, and publisher of Harbingers’ Magazine.

    Working to ensure inclusivity, she has worked previously in schools assisting students with disabilities and/or additional learning needs for both mental health intervention and academic support while self-learning British Sign Language.

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    Tharushi Weerasinghe

    Journalist

    Tharushi Weerasinghe

    Journalist

    Tharushi Weerasinghe is an award-winning freelance journalist based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, specializing in environmental issues, politics, and social justice reporting. Her work appears in the Sunday Times (Sri Lanka) and other regional publications.

    Her climate journalism includes on-ground reporting from the United Nation’s COP27 (Egypt) and COP28 (UAE) have exposed state mismanagement of resources and ecologically damaging policy-making within Sri Lanka. She was also an on-ground reporter of the “Aragalaya”, the Sri Lankan anti-government protests that took place in 2022.

    Weerasinghe is a multiple grant awardee fellow at the Earth Journalism Network and Stanley Centre for Peace and Security. She was awarded the Denzil Peiris Young Reporter of the Year 2023 award and the Upali Wijewardene Best Feature Writer of the Year 2023 award by the Sri Lanka Press Institute and Editor’s Guild. She was also the two-time winner of the aforementioned Young Reporter of the Year Merit award in 2021 and 2022. She is also the Lakshman Kadirgamar Scholar of 2024 to the Manorama School of Communication in Kerala, India where she is currently studying journalism alongside a law degree from the University of London.

…and special guests from leading British media

During the conference, we will host three special guests who will lecture on their fields of expertise. Over the last two years, we have hosted Kasia Madera and Lucy Ash from the BBC, Matthew Campbell (The Sunday Times), James Meek (London Review of Books), Liz Moseley (Tortoise Media), and James Richings (Newsquest), and others.

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Application Requirements

The newsroom is open to students aged 15-17 who are interested in developing their writing, data analysis, and critical thinking skills. The programme is strictly limited to ten students.

A good command of spoken and written English is essential (IELTS 6.5 or equivalent). No previous experience in journalism or publishing is required. 

Applying students will be required to write a motivation letter outlining their interests in the programme. Preference will be given to students who intend to join Harbingers’ Magazine after the conference. 

Newsroom & Accommodation

Full board, single ensuite room at the Ruth Deech Building, St Anne’s College. Two adult supervisors will be present onsite overnight and will assist students throughout the conference.

The newsroom is located at the Glen Callater Room, HB Allen Centre, Keble College.

Both venues are part of the University of Oxford and are within a five-minute walking distance of each other.

Timeline

Saturday, July 27: Arrivals, check-in, and inauguration dinner.

Daily plan, July 28 – August 6: Breakfast (7.30 – 9.30 am); Editorial, lecture, and writing session (10 am – 2 pm); Lunch (2 – 3 pm), Special guest’s workshop / additional writing session / editing (3 – 5 pm); Dinner (6 pm). The daily plan will be modified to accommodate other activities: cultural events, sports, and visits to Oxfordshire landmarks.

Wednesday, August 7: Breakfast and departure.

Fees & Contact

The 2024 attendance fee is available upon request.

The fee covers all reasonable costs related to the programme, including tuition, full board accommodation, cultural events, and transportation to and from Heathrow Airport and throughout the stay.  Please note that the fee does not cover UK visa fees, plane tickets, and medical/travel insurance.

To arrange an online meeting with a member of our team, please email us at office@oxsfj.com or fill out the enrolment form.

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