Our people
Employees offer some insight into the day to day life of working at ITN.
Lina Mahdavi - ITN On
Lina is Showbiz Editor for ITN On. ITN On produces news and entertainment for over 250 radio stations across the UK and the UK's leading mobile operators. ITN On content is also available online including YouTube, MSN, Bebo and Yahoo platforms.
What attracted you to ITN?
When I left university I was determined to work as a broadcast journalist and where better to get thrown into the deep end than at ITN? I first joined as a producer/reporter at radio LBC and the learning curve was very steep indeed. ITN's such a diverse organisation to work for with opportunities presenting themselves every day. When I joined ITN On I was able to read news bulletins, report live from major events as well as appearing on ITV News channel as a showbiz correspondent. I don't know of anywhere else where you can cross various mediums so easily.
Describe a typical day
It sounds cliched but at ITN there's no such thing as a typical day - it's always so varied.
In one week you can find me going to film screenings, interviewing actors at film junkets (and yes it's just like that Hugh Grant scene in Notting Hill), standing on the red carpet at premieres, forward planning takes a huge chunk of time and generally chasing an entertainment story by spending A LOT of time on the phone and writing e-mails.
What's the best thing about your job?
The fact that every day is different. I've been lucky enough to travel, covering the Oscars in LA, the Cannes Film Festival and the MTV European Music Awards in Portugal. It's incredible having to think on your feet in a foreign country and out of your safety zone. It's not all easy sailing though and all the hard work and fourteen hour days are always worth it. There's also nothing quite like the excitement of working in a newsroom. When a story breaks the adrenaline kicks in and you're working on auto-pilot.
And the worst...
Dealing with some difficult 'talent' and finding the best way to get them to open up to you. And those sinking stomach moments when you have to bring yourself to ask THE difficult question that everyone wants to know.
What advice would you give someone interested in a career in your area?
Be prepared to work hard and get creative. Figure out a way to get some good work experience and really spread yourself about. Don't wait for opportunities to present themselves and always put yourself up for more work especially in the beginning. It's hard to get the balance right between being pushy and getting what you want - but it's always worth a try.
Oh and on a really basic level -- hard working journalists always appreciate an offer of a tea run.
Felicity Spector
Felicity works with Channel 4 News as a Senior Programme Producer. ITN has produced Channel 4 News for 25 years.
What attracted you to ITN?
I answered an ad for a scriptwriter on Channel 4 News in the Guardian - even though I was all set up to study for a D.Phil at Harvard and St Anthony's, Oxford. I didn't think I was well qualified enough to be a journalist, but little did I know. I joined as an editorial trainee in 1989 as I hoped I it would give me an opportunity to specialise in foreign affairs.
What have you been up to since you joined?
After working across all the main newsrooms as a trainee I joined Channel 4 News in 1990 and worked in the Moscow bureau during the collapse of the old Communist regime. I also travelled extensively in Eastern Europe - later working for a short spell as the ITN Moscow Bureau producer. Back at Channel 4 News I worked a lot in Western Europe, especially Italy and France, as well as chief subbing in the newsroom. In 1999 I managed to get another Fulbright Scholarship and took an 18-month sabbatical to take a Masters degree in American politics and political communication at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. I was also able to work with the Washington bureau on coverage of the 2000 US elections. Most recently I've been chief writer for Channel 4 News, editing More4 News - podcasting on the midterm elections and now writing a twice weekly blog on US politics for Channel 4 Online.
Describe a typical day
If I am chief-subbing on Channel 4 News, I come in at 9.15am, ready for our morning editorial meeting at 9.30 - some days I am also writing the News at Noon, which takes up the whole morning, otherwise I write my blog, think up ideas for the podcast, or the evening programme, and liaise with the Programme Editor about the stories we're running to make sure I'm up to speed on all the latest details. After lunch we have another meeting at 2.15 to go through the running order - then I start writing scripts and checking they're all accurate -- and maintain the editorial flow of the programme. My favourite bit is thinking up the jokey captions that run into each commercial break - if I make everyone in the gallery laugh, it's been a good day.
What's the best thing about your job?
I'm pretty much in control of what I do -- it's always different, challenging and fast moving every day -- and I do love writing, especially the jokes. The Channel 4 newsroom is also a very friendly, creative place to work.
And the worst...?
I don't get out on the road at all now - I do miss the excitement of the Washington political scene - it's sometimes frustrating just writing about it from here.
What advice would you give someone interested in a career in your area?
Read the papers, look at the more reliable blogs and websites which have more quirky bits of news and comment - and if you can, learn a language or get involved in politics, apply for an internship or work experience. If you do want to take a masters degree in journalism -- then the City University, the LSE and Cardiff offer some of the best over here, or try Columbia in New York, the University of Columbia-Missouri or the Annenberg school in LA -- over in the States.
