Q&A
What made you become a journalist? I looked at the careers chapter in an encyclopaedia when I was 16 and fell in love with journalism. I tried it out by being editor of my sixth form school magazine and then Head of News at my university’s student radio station. I walked into PR after I started freelancing at the Government News Network at COI in 2004.
What other job might you have done? Due to parental pressure, I tried studying Dentistry and Software Engineering but couldn’t continue as my heart wasn’t in it.
And the best? I was President of Bradford University Students’ Union for a year, which was a full-time job. Even though it was 16 years ago, I learned so much from that one year.
What advice would you give someone starting in journalism? Be inquisitive, curious, committed and competitive and just be yourself.
When did you join the NUJ and why?
In 2002 as a student member after I won the NUJ’s George Viner Memorial Fund Award. The panel urged me to be more involved in the NUJ.
Are many of your friends in the union? My journalist friends are members but the rest of my friends look at me with a sense of bewilderment if I can’t make a social event because I’m popping along to an NUJ branch meeting.
What’s been your best moment in your career? Being at the centre of ground breaking stories whether within PR or as a journalist. I was on a work placement at Channel 4 News during the fi refi ghters’ strike, I was at the Department of Health during the Swine Flu outbreak and the Junior Doctors’ dispute has been very interesting at Acas.
NUJ & Me
Shumon Ali-Rahman is senior media manager at Acas
Who is your biggest hero? Within the NUJ - Pete Lazenby! He taught me how to write a motion to help get it passed when I was a student member of the Leeds NUJ Branch. My non-NUJ one is Barack Obama. I went to the US to campaign for him twice as I was a big fan (and wanted to keep the Republicans out of the White House).
And villain? Donald Trump.
Which six people (alive or dead) would you invite to a dinner party? JFK, Tony Benn, Gandhi, The Queen, Malcolm X and Jesus Christ – just to see the sparks fl y.
What are your hopes for journalism over the next fi ve years? Citizen journalism that relays the true horrors in places like Syria will increase and I think that’s a good thing.
What is the worst place you’ve ever worked in? My worst job was at a supermarket warehouse but I needed it to pay the bills at university.
How would you like to be remembered? As easy-going, friendly, cheerful, someone who loved politics and was a pleasure to know.
theJournalist | 17
BUNWIT UNSEREE / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, PANTHERA / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO
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