On The Leaders' Lounge with Ginny Stein

I generally baulk at saying ‘it is a privilege’, as it is such an overused phrase, but in the case of journalism, I absolutely believe it to be true.

Ginny Stein is a trailblazing journalist and multimedia specialist.

The first appointed female foreign correspondent to South East Asia for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), and a multi-award winning journalist, a generation of Australians owe much of what they know about geo-politics in developing countries over the last few decades to Ginny’s outstanding journalism.

We thought we’d ask for advice on how to make it as a foreign correspondent type journalist given how journalism itself has changed in the digital era.

You’ve had an amazing and fascinating career to date, as a foreign correspondent and video journalist for the ABC and SBS across many parts of the world. You’ve covered a wide range of topics including those of international and geo-political significance, and won 3x Walkley Awards for your work in Africa and Burma.

Has your career been by design, or did you just sort of fall into it and pursue opportunities as they arose?
I would love to say it’s been by design, but I have to admit I never thought I’d have the career I’ve had so far.

I was the first in my family to go to university. I wanted to be a journalist from a young age but starting out I had no idea how to get there. Becoming a foreign correspondent was not an immediate goal, primarily because I never thought I had any chance of getting there. It’s hard to believe today, but female correspondents were few and far between when I started out in journalism.

I started my ABC career in Darwin, in what was then an all-male newsroom. ‘We need a woman, the one we had has left’, was my offer to apply. What followed in those early years of my career, were a succession of “first” female milestones. First female news editor at ABC Illawarra, first appointed female South East Asia correspondent and first bi-media correspondent. While there were some wonderful female foreign correspondents ahead of me at the ABC, those fated as the ‘heroes’ of foreign journalism, were all men.

You have worked in many different countries of the world, from Zimbabwe to Burma, Afghanistan and Pakistan to the Philippines and now of course Vanuatu. What sorts of characteristics are necessary for individuals who wish to pursue foreign correspondent type journalism roles in developing countries?
I wish there was an easy answer to this.

Foreign correspondent roles have shrunk dramatically in recent years and so has money and commitment towards hiring freelancers. They are still there, but much fewer in number. Working with foreign news agencies, such as Reuters, the AP, and AFP, as English reporters and sub-editors provide opportunities for work and gaining experience.

As with all forms of journalism curiosity will help you find stories, empathy will help you navigate them without hopefully causing harm to those at the centre of your stories, and finding out the facts, and sticking to them, will breed trust in your work and your contacts.

In your experience, what are some of the challenges that exist in the media industries of developing countries?
I think the challenges in the developing world are the same as anywhere. Access to resources, access to data, access to facts. And being able to publish factual stories without fear of retribution. In some countries, the risks of retribution, are greater than others.

The ABC once sent me to Singapore to film a story about that island nation’s level of control over its citizens. Not much has changed in Singapore, but the ability and right to access information in Australia has certainly regressed.

What role do you believe the Australian media industry and its workforce can play in the APAC region?
Australia’s media industry has the potential to be a be both a leader and mentor and to work alongside individuals and partners in the region.

In the Pacific region where I am currently working, the digital take up is growing exponentially as connectivity improves. Social media is the new kid on the block and Facebook is a giant. Free data is a major factor in its popularity. While the rise of social media brings endless possibilities so too the challenges being faced elsewhere in the world.

Define ‘media’:
It is many things to many people.

It is the message or content being communicated, it’s the channels being used, and it is also those who are creating and disseminating curated, analysed and factual information.

To me, my immediate first thought goes to those who are disseminating the message. It is a powerful and important role.

Things have changed quite a bit since you started your career. Would you say that individuals who wish to pursue a career in mass media and journalism have it easier now than when you were starting out?
I think getting a start in journalism has always been tough. Jobs in ‘the majors’ of main stream journalism are continuing to shrink. Getting a ‘foot in the door’ was the challenge.

Now, I think there are more opportunities to get started. The digital world has created a plethora of opportunities. The demand for journalism and multimedia skills across business, companies and organisations have long outstripped mainstream media.

You currently work as a multimedia communications specialist in Vanuatu. Given how much things have changed due to technological advances over the past few decades, how much of what you learnt in formal education and through on-the-job learning is applicable in your current role?
I started out cutting audio tape with a razor blade. I am old enough to have experienced journalism before the internet began and young enough to have embraced the digital world.

My early formal education taught me to think, but I’ve been learning on the job ever since. I love that the digital world has opened up the possibility to update skills through higher degrees or short courses. It feeds my curiosity and fills in the gaps. I completed my Masters in Disaster Resilience and Sustainable Development last year. In my current role, I felt I needed to know more about digital marketing, and was able to find a course to fill in my knowledge gaps.

What advice do you have for individuals wishing to pursue a career in journalism and particularly in foreign correspondent type roles?
You have to want it. It can be tough. But it is also like no other job. No day is ever the same. You are in a position to ask questions to power, to shine a light on issues that others would rather not be shown, and to tell the stories of people at the most defining moments of their lives.

I generally baulk at saying ‘it is a privilege’, as it is such an overused phrase, but in the case of journalism, I absolutely believe it to be true.

WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR BLOG?
spitball@academyofmedia.edu.au