CHIARA WILKINSON

By Caroline Whiteley

What kind of music do you listen to when you’re writing?

Either ambient, electronic, IDM, or classical music – always without lyrics, otherwise I start thinking about them. Spotify’s Music for Concentration playlist works well because I’ve been listening to it for so long that my brain automatically goes into writing mode.

Why did you do the course?

I was putting on music events during my undergraduate studies, and I wanted to do that after graduating. And then the pandemic happened. I was doing writing for marketing, and I had done student and music journalism, and I thought, ‘if I can’t put on music events then at least I can write about the industry.’ Plus, doing a masters degree seemed like a good opportunity.

What was lockdown studying like? We did a whole term of patch restricted to writing about the areas we lived in. So in a way, we probably had it a bit easier because we already knew the ins and outs of our areas quite well.

What are the challenges to journalism in the current times? When our jobs are potentially being threatened by ChatGPT and AI - it’s even more important to have your own niche and tone of voice.

Did you ever doubt yourself or feel imposter syndrome?

At the beginning of my career, I defnitely did. Especially when I started at City, I didn’t have much experience in newsrooms – or any kind of relevant work experience. When I turned up on my frst day, there was a networking event, and people were mentioning their connections and friends in the industry. That felt really intimidating, as it made me feel like I would be 10 steps behind everyone else.

Have you ever experienced racism or microaggressions in your career?

Yes I have, but it’s always been more covert. The most prevalent is online. Some pieces I’ve written have received racial abuse online by trolls. It’s never going to be said to your face and it shows up on a more structural level, in people’s behaviours and actions. To counter that, there needs to be conscious efforts in newsrooms and in recruitment processes.

Why did you get into journalism in the frst place?

What drew me to journalism was a mixture of two things. I wanted to do something that would have an impact and make a tangible difference to people’s lives, and I was also drawn to the creative aspect of writing.

Have you ever experienced sexism in your career?

I’ve defnitely experienced it, but when it happens, it’s more covert and it won’t necessarily be shown explicitly. There was a time where some of my work was credited to a male journalist. It can be especially hard if you are freelance to face the sexist adversity of journalism. Now, I’m very lucky to work in a diverse newsroom that empowers women.

Freelance journalist, sub-editor, and trustee at PressPad

By Dimple Shiv

What is your strongest memory from the magazine production fortnight?

When we started the course, we only got three weeks in before lockdown started. My biggest memory is coming back for production fortnight and actually meeting everyone I had seen on Zoom over the past few months.

What do you think could be done to improve diversity in the industry?

I’m a trustee for the PressPad charitable foundation. We champion diversity and cater to people who can’t afford to get to London where most journalism opportunities are, so we’re increasing possibilities for more people. There should be more opportunities for junior reporters and journalists but we also need diversity at higher levels to drive inspiration and change in the industry.

What is your go-to snack while writing? I always keep crisps and cookies near me.

Have you ever experienced sexism? I haven’t and I appreciate that, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. I’ve just been lucky so far.

Do you prefer Zoom, face-to-face, or telephone interviews?

Always face-to-face! Sometimes I enjoy telephone interviews because it means I can be looking at my notes and prepare my next questions without the interviewee knowing, but face-to-face interviews are the best.

What are your hobbies?

I love live music and going to gigs and try to do so as much as possible. I enjoy reading and listening to podcasts too, such as Straight Up or Films To Be Buried With with Brett Goldstein.

Who did you think was going to be big from your course?

There were a lot of talented people on my course but I always saw Sascha Lavin as a really good writer. She had an empathetic approach, which I think is very important when it comes to sensitive contributors and vulnerable people and she had a great ability to bring that into her journalism. It’s a huge asset to be able to make people feel comfortable and safe, especially when you’re reporting diffcult stories.

What’s the most useful thing City taught you about journalism?

The ability to always be looking for stories and probing beyond the headlines and interrogating things a little bit further. The investigative course was really good at taking any idea we had, and pushing it as far as possible and seeing all the new angles that you can get from it. It got us into the habit of always being able to generate stories.

Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met?

I met Khloé Kardashian, years ago when I was invited to a restaurant opening while I was working at Time Out.

Have you ever experienced racism or microaggressions in your career?

I have been really privileged in that sense. I have not experienced any racism or microaggressions in my career. However, I have in other aspects of my life.