The Global Young Journalist Awards: Advice From One Of Our 2023 Judges

Entering a journalism competition such as the Global Young Journalist Awards can be a daunting task, especially for those who may not have entered into a journalism or reporting competition before.?

However, receiving advice from previous judges who have industry experience and have been in your student’s shoes before can be incredibly valuable for those thinking about entering.

Not only can they provide insight into the judging process, but they can also offer tips on how to make their submission stand out among the rest!

This year we were honoured to be joined by journalist, writer and broadcaster, Stephanie Hegarty.

As the BBC’s Population correspondent focusing on demographic change and trends across the world, she has been shaped by the many places she’s seen, having also worked for the BBC in Nigeria, covering Africa’s cultural and economic powerhouse.

During this year’s celebration ceremony, Stephanie emphasised the importance for young journalists to understand the distinction between writing an opinion piece and a news story.

“Be sure whether you’re reporting on something, which is when you go out and find out what happened, or writing a piece of opinion journalism, where you are offering your opinion on what happened. If it’s opinion journalism, I think you’ve got to choose a subject that you have insight into. If it’s an opinion piece you want to know that your opinion is really insightful. If it’s a piece of reporting, I don’t want to hear your opinion. I want to hear what’s going on and what’s happened.”

Catch the full blog here to hear some more of Stephanie Hegarty's top advice for students wanting to prepare for next year's competition.