This blog isn’t about TV, film or radio. It was going to be but then I read that Gary Younge was signing off from his column in The Guardian. It’s left me quite sad. To see a fellow black journalist in mainstream press helped me on my journey. It taught you to believe in yourself and that the path you have chosen – to be a journalist and that its possible.
I look back on my career and working as a journalist, certainly at the BBC is not an easy gig. It’s extremely competitive and at times you do lose hope. But you also see other faces around you, like Gary Younge, Keme Nzerem, Reeta Chakrabarti as well as the two Trevors – Trevor Mc Donald and Trevor Philips.
They helped me believe I could be a journalist. There are more faces coming up on screen and in front of camera. I don’t know if diversity has improved in print newsrooms but in television and radio? I haven’t seen a significant improvement. It is sad to see Gary go and I wish him luck in his new job. In the spirit of how I felt he helped me, when I read his columns when I first started, I’d like to offer any young journalist or documentary maker who feel they may need some advice to help them on their way to contact me. I hope I have some wise words to give you. @Lovejitd