FT Life and Arts by Chay Allen

Thursday, 10 May 2012

It’s 10:15 on Monday morning and I’m sitting at the Financial Times’ editorial meeting with Lionel Barber and his section chiefs discussing the news agenda for the day: Standard & Poor’s has downgraded eleven Spanish banks, Aung San Suu Kyi has agreed to end a boycott of Parliament, and the Leveson Enquiry is still threatening to damage the Prime Minister’s reputation. Having only been in the building for forty-five minutes, I realise this is far from an ordinary internship.

After a tour of the building, in which my memory of the paper suddenly takes the form of a topography, I’m introduced to my home for the next four weeks on the Arts & Life desk. Managing to maintain my dignity as I’m introduced to the many notable names whose work I have become familiar with over the years, I am struck by the calm and friendliness that pervades the office. The surrounding desks teeming with books, papers and magazines, fencing busied faces performing curious deeds with words, gives me the impression that I’ve stumbled upon my own kind.

The first task I’m charged with is to look after the Twitter feed, making sure that all articles appearing in Life & Arts are given prominence throughout the week. Soon after, the Travel Editor Tom Robbins asks me to dig for information on prestige hotels providing pedal bikes for their guests. Sixty minutes and several phone calls later I have enough material for him to produce a contextual box next to a feature in the coming weekend’s edition.

I soon realise that the calm pervading the office is merely on the surface: while ploughing through reams of book catalogues, phoning film distributors and searching the Googleverse to ascertain the viability of a future feature, I’m given pages of the forthcoming edition to check and correct. No time for idol worship here as my red pen bulldozes a fictive anomaly parading as fact.

You’re given as much responsibility as you can handle, a fact evidenced on Friday when I’m asked to find an interviewee to talk about alternative art galleries open during the Olympic Games. At 6:00 pm I’m writing up an interview I conducted with the Director of the Camden Arts Centre, and have it completed before meeting friends for dinner.

Welcoming, challenging and supportive – this is how I would describe the experience of my first week as an Editorial Intern for Life & Arts. And for anyone serious about a career in arts journalism, this is almost certainly the best introduction you could wish for.

FT Weekend Magazine by Nabeelah Jaffer

Thursday, 26 April 2012

It was a Wednesday afternoon, which meant that I faced an onslaught of questions.

“Who did Pete Sampras beat in 1993?”

“Which blind prophet appears in Homer’s Odyssey and T.S. Eliot’s The Waste Land?”

“What is the tallest breed of dog?”

I cursed my useless modern history degree and tried to look thoughtful rather than vague. “Agassi? Methuselah? An Alsatian?”

Wrong, wrong, and wrong again. Luckily for my terrible memory for trivia, this wasn’t a “tell me about a banana” style interview, meant to test my worth as an FT intern. The Wednesday afternoon group trivia session allows the sub-editing team to test the following week’s magazine quiz and gives everyone a chance to relax a bit after the fast-paced build up to the 2pm press deadline. Kudos is awarded to those who knowledge of the esoteric came up trumps (strictly without resort to Google).

Any regular reader of the letters page will know that accuracy is vital, which means that everyone gets involved in reading through each updated line of copy and re-made proof for mistakes. There is a particular satisfaction to letting your inner pedant run wild on columns and features by familiar writers: Tim Harford, Gillian Tett, and even Lionel Barber.

But the welcoming atmosphere means no magazine intern will spend all their time fact-checking alone at a desk in the corner. My first day began with a tour of the building from a welcoming Editorial Assistant, and some useful training in the paper’s content management system. During my first week, I was moved to the subbing desk for the build-up to the Wednesday peak that dominates the office from Monday morning. I found myself brushing up on old Adobe In Design skills with some patient guidance from the Chief Sub-Editor, and was soon at work laying one or two pages, and playing around with columns and standfirsts. The magazine’s high standards require multiple sign-offs, lending weight and value to your work when it passes the rigorous proofing process.

The Weekend Magazine’s team is small, so work is plentiful and varied. You quickly get to know everyone from the editorial assistants to the commissioning editors, who are keen to involve you in bigger projects or the occasional opportunity to write a short piece. After a few weeks I was asked to extend my internship in order to help with a special focus issue of the magazine, due to come out in a few months’ time. I was soon undertaking the same research as the department’s freelancers, and getting my first taste of journalistic responsibility.

The few administrative tasks that you are given to complete sit alongside a varied workload, and a team who want to give you the chance to learn and broaden your experience. Meeting these opportunities with a proactive attitude will ensure that you take everything you can from your time as an intern.

FT Special Reports by Daniel Liberto

Friday, 13 April 2012

After knocking back my second double espresso and inhaling a six-hour supply of nicotine, I entered the grand headquarters of the FT ready for war and 10 minutes ahead of schedule.

While taking a seat and another browse at that day’s issue of the FT, I was approached by the welcoming face of an editorial assistant, who led me inside the surprisingly tranquil newsroom. There we had a brief chat and filled out some paperwork before heading towards Monday morning’s conference.

Lionel Barber, the FT’s savvy editor, first summarised his take on the previous edition before each of the various news editors proceeded to discuss the latest big stories. Housed in a plush boardroom overlooking the Thames, within 20 minutes of frantic whisperings and passionate rhetoric the ebbing of my caffeine buzz was replaced with a far more potent and energetic wake-up call.

Overall, this experience reaffirmed why I chose journalism as a career path and is a must-attend for anyone curious about the functions of the newsroom - interns are free to attend throughout their stay.

The conference was followed by a tour of the building, the final leg of my pilgrimage that would end with me arriving on the second floor to meet the Special Reports team.

The second floor, is an easygoing and welcoming environment, dedicated to the supplements and less frequent deadlines. As this was to be my home for the next four weeks, I quickly introduced myself to the small Special Reports team before being presented with a desk and my first task of the day.

While chasing private equity firms for comments may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I eagerly got to work, relieved to have avoided the potential disappointment of coffee and photocopying duties. Between dealing with suspicious press officers and chatting with my friendly colleagues, my settling in process was solidified when discovering, though sad it may seem, that one of my desk neighbours is a fellow spurs fan.

Many interns complain, in private, that they are often treated with contempt by certain members of staff. As journalism positions steadily whittle away, cut-throat competitiveness result in the occasional intern being banished to the silent corners of the office.

At the FT, however, there is no sense of elitist hostility towards the intern. In fact, despite the serious tone of the publication, the second floor is full of refreshing banter and informal chatter between all individuals, regardless of one’s age or status.

Since my first day I have been involved in a number of different projects. From comment chasing and brainstorming ideas to interviewing and writing first-person accounts of expats in Hong Kong, it has so far been a pleasurable and eye-opening adventure.

FT Special Reports by Snigdha Jain

Wednesday, 21 March 2012

Intimidated. That’s what one feels when approaching the Financial Times offices for the first time. It felt surreal. When I got the call to tell me I had been selected for an interview, I did the dance from Madagascar in my living room. When I told people I was going to intern there, they got excited and congratulated me - but still the reality of it didn’t register for some reason.

The official business of signing forms and other paperwork on my first day brought it all home. I was given a tour of the newsroom by a very kind and helpful editorial assistant who showed me where the magic happened. I was star struck; I was on the inside looking out and was clutching my temporary pass for dear life.

This was followed by sitting in on the editorial conference, which I attended every morning at 10.15 am, chaired mostly by Lionel Barber. It was hard to believe I was sitting there with all the top editors of the FT. Their bantering and nit-picking allowed me to see how the paper is put together. It didn’t hurt that the view from the conference room was amazing, with the Thames winding in the background.

So much happened in those two weeks that it’s hard to put it into 500 words. The first day there, after I sat down at my own desk and entered my login and password, I felt gleeful. I was introduced to the warm and friendly Special Reports team who immediately put me at ease. Then when my editor asked me to research and get info on Davos, I was lost, and panic and fear set in. But I’ve learnt these emotions can be powerful motivators. After a few panicky hours, I settled into a routine and felt quite proud of myself for producing said information promptly.

My second day there, I did training on the FT’s editorial software and met two South African journalism students who were there for two weeks as well. Lunch was always great. Meanwhile I got to research, talk to and interact with CEOs who were attending the Davos 2012 forum. Did that make my confidence soar! It also made me very afraid of messing up, but the Special Reports editor’s faith in me helped me to get a grip. I proof read some stories for FT Business Education as well.

Thanks to one of the commissioning editors on Special Reports, I got to meet Lakshmi Mittal, the CEO of ArcelorMittal and other prominent CEOs. I had tea and snacks with them, and had a three-minute conversation with a steel magnate. Now if that isn’t amazing, I don’t know what is.

FT Life and Arts by Leke Sanusi

Thursday, 9 February 2012

As my parents’ sole son, the only boy (my father is very much a Man. In fact, the Man) in a family pleasantly populated by women, there is, admittedly, a slight tendency exhibited by the ladies of my life to worry far too much about me. This is nice but puzzling, as I am not especially outgoing or outspoken, insulating me from the dangers lurking when one speaks or goes out too much. As it turns out, being a quiet recluse comes with the stigma of fear, or rather, being fearful.

And so, as I started for my front door, ready to seize my first day as a Life & Arts intern, it came as no surprise that fear, and the very idea of it, seemed to fill the air. I wasn’t nervy as I grabbed for my coat, but judging by mother mother’s face and grandmother’s voice, I feared for my life. I wasn’t anxious when my train from Farnborough Main was delayed, and yet, my fellow passengers seemed to intuit an air of impatience on my part.

When I finally got to Number One Southwark Bridge, something altogether curious happened: my distrust of large buildings fell by the wayside, and I casually strolled in to meet the affable editorial assistant, Farhana Yunis, who was scheduled to give me a tour of the Pink Paper’s offices. The presentation of the impressive departments did have me quaking for some brief moments, but, on the whole, I managed to maintain composure. I even gave myself a pat on the back for stunning bravery.

After being introduced to the excellent journalists of the Life & Arts desk, I was allowed a few minutes to settle in, with the towering editor, Lucy Tuck, kindly permitting a few minutes to gather myself before being subjected to a series of tasking tests such as sending emails. She warned me: ‘Figure out how to type in your password or else.’ Clearly joking, her sense of humour relaxed me, even though I probably should have been intimidated. When the friendly and informative Isabel Berwick caught me struggling with my unruly rucksack and asked if I found the whole experience daunting, I actually managed to laugh, and said, rather impertinently, ‘No.’

My first day was filled with a number of interesting assignments, ranging from engrossing research, to instructive fact checking, and humorous tweeting. I found it all very exciting, and was thoroughly enamoured with the experience and the environment. In all honesty, I was probably too enthusiastic, pestering anyone and everyone in sight. I asked lots of questions, made many enquiries, and just stared bug-eyed at the whole Financial Times-ness of it all. In the end, the Life & Arts staff were probably too friendly and helpful for their own good, encouraging me to ask more and more questions. Mr. Neil O’Sullivan, a fellow Arsenal fan, even took the time out to give me another mini tour.

Thinking about it now, it all hits me as incredibly daunting. I simply haven’t been this excited in a long, long time. My first day ended with a headache, no doubt brought on by all the fun; which I found worrying. It begged the question: if my first day was so enjoyable that I hurt my own head, what does the rest of the month hold?

It’s a scary, scary thought.

FT Weekend Magazine by Tina Nandha

Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Having experienced the trauma of Bank during the morning rush for the first time, I walked the short distance from the station to the FT’s very serious-looking Southwark Bridge offices for another daunting first-my first day as an intern at the Weekend Magazine. I was greeted by a friendly editorial assistant, who took me on a tour of the FT offices and gave me a mini-tutorial on how the newspaper is put together. At the end of tour came a chance to observe the morning conference, where the heads of the different desks come together with Lionel Barber to run through what will be in the following day’s paper. Next, I was taken to the Magazine desk to meet the team and settle in. Once armed with my new FT email address, I was ready to get to work.

At the Magazine, ‘work’ can mean anything from fact-checking Tim Harford’s latest Undercover Economist column to attending a brainstorming meeting about possible writers and interviewees for the coming year. Each week peaks on Wednesday with the slightly frantic excitement of going to press. On this day it’s all hands on deck to comb through every inch of copy for mistakes. This, providing you’re a bit of a pedant and like to read, is hardly a chore.

Everyone at the Weekend Magazine is happy to help a new recruit learn the ropes and, when the inevitable career-envy kicks in, people will even take a moment to talk about how they got to where they are today. It’s a relatively small group, which means you get to know everyone, including the commissioning editors, and get a sense of how all aspects of the magazine come together. Though there can be a lot of things to think about at once, as long as you stay organised (as far as I’m concerned, the power of lists is infinite) you can keep on top of everything. Remarkably quickly, the previously intimidating offices start to feel like home.

Although there is some administrative work involved, an internship here offers much more than the life of full-time photocopying and coffee-making I’ve often been warned to expect. It’s an opportunity to learn a lot. Mining the wisdom of the team has already taught me many things; I’ve learnt, among other things and in no particular order, how exactly to go about pitching for a particular section, what constitutes a thorough fact-check and which is the best kebab shop in Kentish Town.

FT Life and Arts by Emily Kent-Smith

Friday, 13 January 2012

Whilst making my way to my internship interview I was reminded of some wise Shakespearean words: ‘The course of true love never did run smooth’. In my case the appropriate quote was: ‘the course of getting to an interview never did run smooth’.

I arrived at Paddington after what should have been a 90 minute journey wearing
a white shirt tie-dyed with coffee stains. I rushed to M&S to buy a (panic purchase)
replacement outfit and then bundled myself in a taxi for Southwark bridge. On the dot
of 12.30, my designated interview time, the taxi driver was slowly approaching the
bridge. ‘One Southwark Bridge doesn’t exist. How far is it from the FT?’ I looked up
and felt rather foolish, the letters F and T were staring me in the face and I realised
that this building was clearly quite the London landmark.

Weeks later, I began my internship on the Life & Arts desk except this time I skipped
the coffee and strode along the bridge feeling elated that the glass building ahead
would be my place of work for the next month.

I was greeted by an Assistant who instantly made me feel at home. Not one detail was
omitted; I was shown where every team sat, taught how to top up my canteen card and
even instructed on how the hot water machine worked.

I was then taken to conference where each editor pitches topics for the next day’s
paper whilst Lionel Barber oversees proceedings and comments on areas that are
excelling and others that need improving. All in all, a fast-paced and awe-inspiring
start to my internship.

I was then allocated a desk for the next month and made to feel at home. Thanks to the Assistant's explanations and a one-on-one training session where I was taught how to
use ‘Methode’, the system where the entirety of the newspaper comes together, I was
saved the embarrassment of constantly quizzing my editor.

By the first afternoon, my internship had kick-started. I have now been here two
weeks and, clichéd as it may sound, every day has been different. Life & Arts is so varied
that I can be researching the Dukan diet one day and Zbigniew Brzezinski, Jimmy
Carter’s advisor, the next. Duties can involve fact-checking, proof-reading, tweeting
and administrative duties such as organising my editor’s post and compiling a
schedule of upcoming events.

I can honestly say that whether filing an invitation or carrying out a research project,
I always learn something along the way. Who knew that a silk garment had been
created entirely by spiders? Who could name all of Brangelina’s children? Not I.

I feel at ease amongst my team and am consistently given the opportunity to attend
exhibitions or film screenings. I am certain that the next few weeks will be just as
educational and I feel confident that I will leave the FT wiser and even more inspired
to succeed in a career in journalism.