When I saw that this week’s newsletter fell on Valentine’s Day, I debated skating over the subject altogether. After all, it’s a commercial holiday that plenty of people choose not to observe—why should a journalism newsletter feel compelled to tackle the almighty subject that is love?
Truth be told, despite the bitterness of this email’s subject line, I don’t hate Valentine’s Day. ‘People In Love Make Me Feel Yuck’ is just too good a tune not to include. Don’t tell anyone, but I’m actually a bit of a hopeless romantic… which is why I thought I’d dedicate this newsletter to lurve. So without further ado, here’s some journalism-related stuff I love:
Morgan Hartley’s ‘Dishing The Dirt’ – it’s a weekly newsletter that makes me properly belly laugh every time it lands in my inbox. See also Morgan’s ‘Love Letters To My 20s’ column on The Indiependent. I wish I had been as wise as Morgan when I was her age
Rhys Thomas’ ‘Hey Man’ column - it’s a personal advice column about guys, by guys, but it’s also a really interesting glimpse into the male psyche if you’re a nosy bitch like me
Steph Green’s ‘Dead Sexy’ column - I’m no movie buff, but The Indiependent Film editor Steph is. Her analysis of erotic thrillers is really scintillating stuff
Nicola Slawson’s newsletter ‘The Single Supplement’ – I particularly loved ‘How to make friends during a pandemic—and why it’s still worth doing’
Empoword Journalism - this woman-led project is a fantastic space for upcoming writers to cut their teeth
Neve Gordon-Farleigh’s ‘Uncanventional’ - this great podcast breaks down the stigma surrounding the decision not to go to university
Another podcast, Jobs Bored is by Bryony Smith, Oli Hammett and George Goldberg and it voices the frustrations of young journalists trying to break into the jobs market in the middle of a pandemic
The New York Times ‘Modern Love’ column (and the podcast, and the spinoff TV series)
Here’s some non-journalism stuff I love:
Music: I love nothing more than lighting a few candles, turning my lights off and laying in the dark watching the flames flicker with one of my favourite records spinning
Table Manners - combining three of my favourite things (music, food and journalism), ‘Table Manners’ is a podcast where Jessie Ware and her mum and their celebrity guests talk about food, family and more
Love Actually style films where all the characters turn out to know each other—see also Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Day etc. Also, the film One Day. Bill Nighy, ILY
Goodnight/good morning text messages (tbh just the early stages of dating, when you’re both obsessed with each other and neither of you are playing it cool)
If you’re lazy like me then The Roasting Tin cookbook series by Rukmini Iyer is brilliant—particularly recommend the scallop, leek and chorizo gratin from The Quick Roasting Tin, which is definitely date night/self-care fare
Not feeling the love at all? Here’s some stuff for the anti-Valentines fans amongst you:
If you want to despair at men then the @beam_me_up_softboi account on Instagram is well worth a peruse
Want to eat your feelings this Valentine’s Day? I can’t recommend Mob Kitchen (@mobkitchen) enough—their cookbooks are great, they have a veggie one and a lot of their recipes are available free online
My week
… in editing
I edited this ‘Love Letter To Live Music’, a 10,000-word feature where The Indiependent contributor team poured their heart out about the best shows they’ve ever been to, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
… in writing
Pitches: 2
Commissions: 0
I pitched a music column but it got rejected within a record 7 minutes by the publication I thought it would be a great fit for. I’ll try elsewhere—watch this space.
Articles written: 1
Articles published: 2
I reviewed Death By Unga Bunga’s new album Heavy Male Insecurity for The Indiependent, which came out on 12 February and is a great listen.
Another article I wrote for work, I enjoyed this Q&A with LGBTQ+ artist Anita Gabrielle about her new EP ‘Just Neat’, which features a duet with Ed Sheeran collaborator Amy Wadge.
… in listening/watching
I had a bit of a ~meh~ week on the productivity front if I’m totally honest with you. A lot of Brooklyn 99 and New Girl was comfort binged.
Psst—Framing Britney Spears (on Hulu) is an important watch, examining the mistreatment of Britney by the press, paparazzi and general public in the noughties.
… in reading
Kate Solomon’s The Telegraph article: ‘Sexualised, mocked, and fed to the wolves: why the Britney Spears story shames us all’ is a great piece on media consumer complicity
Evie Muir’s Journo Resources piece ‘This is how to spot (and tackle) toxic white feminism in the newsroom’ was important reading: "Without personal commitment to challenging internalised biases, and the systems that operate to benefit whiteness, journalists are complicit.”
If you witnessed baked bean gate on Twitter this week then definitely read Kate Lindsay’s ‘Brands on Instagram need to get a room’
Currently buying books faster than I can read them, so Sirin Kale’s Guardian piece on the rise of emotional spending CALLED ME OUT
Rachel Syme’s The New Yorker piece ‘How we lie to ourselves about history’ was fascinating stuff and made me want to listen to the ‘You’re Wrong About’ podcast
Loved Serena Smith’s VICE piece on how ‘Gen Z are already nostalgic for 2014’—I used to have about 20,000 Tumblr followers and non-ironically called myself ‘Tumblr famous’ (cringe) so this article felt like a real trip down memory lane
Rupert Hawksley’s The Independent piece on how ‘Every meme and moment is flogged for all its worth—television is killing the social media star’ is so on the nose
David Pegg and Rob Evans’ investigation on the Queen, who successfully lobbied for a change in law to hide her private wealth, was really excellent reporting
Diyora Shadijanova’s VICE piece on ‘The problem with Clubhouse’ was interesting even to someone like me with an anxiety disorder to whom an audio-only social media app sounds like actual hell on earth
Hopefully you know by now how much I adore Taylor Swift—so I adored Izzie Price’s The Independent piece ‘I went to an all-girls boarding school—Taylor Swift taught me everything I know about love’
Events
Busy week for me next week—I’m recording a podcast with Freelancing For Journalists on Monday evening, then I’m hosting a couple of journalism masterclasses on starting your own publication.
If you’re free on Tuesday 16 come along to my masterclass with News Associates on starting your own publication. You can register for a free ticket here.
I’m also going to be chatting to students from Concrete on 17 February at 5.30 pm about launching your own media outlet.
Opportunities
Aberdeen: There’s a 12-month role here with a leading oil and gas company as a copywriter/editor
Anywhere (remote): Content IQ is looking for freelance writers, paying £10/hour
Birmingham: A women’s fashion retailer is looking for a paid media specialist
Birmingham: Fenice Media is a media group looking for a journalist staff writer
Bridport (remote): The Bridport Prize is looking for a part-time social media assistant
Chester: Searchability is looking for a senior social media executive
Coventry: i4c Publicity Ltd is looking for a part-time social media assistant
Dewsbury: The Business Connection is on the hunt for a copywriter
Dundee: DC Thomson Media has a business journalist role available at The Courier
Edinburgh: There’s a social media specialist gig here for an asset management company
Edinburgh: The Underdog Agency need a freelance junior content writer
Lancaster: SQ Digital needs a content writer
Leeds: DAZN Group is looking for a content associate for social video
Leeds: The University of Leeds is looking for a media and communications officer
Leeds: The Underdog Agency is looking for a freelance junior content writer
Leeds: Leeds Beckett University is on the hunt for a communications and campaigns officer
Leeds: Stickyeyes is keen to find a content editor to join their digital agency
Manchester: LADbible is looking for a sport-specific SEO writer on a 6-month contract
Manchester: Place North West is a B2B publisher looking for a reporter
Manchester: Missguided is on the hunt for a social media executive
Manchester: Great Influence is looking for a social media copywriter
Milton Keynes: Argos is recruiting for a junior video producer
Newcastle: ChronicleLive needs a breaking news editor
Newcastle: PoptopUK needs a junior email marketing copywriter
Nottingham: MMR Research Worldwide need a lead copywriter
Preston: The University of Central Lancashire is looking for a social media and content manager
Salford: Two animation production coordination roles up for grabs here with the BBC
Sunderland: The North East Business and Innovation Centre needs a social media marketing executive
Wirral: Evo Performance Hub is looking for a digital media/marketing assistant
York: The University of York has a creative producer role up for grabs
PS) As ever, I love hearing what you guys think of this newsletter—tweet me your thoughts: @BettyKirkers or @DistrictPeaked