News

Activate’s News section consists of 3 pages in every edition. We are not always able to publish "breaking news", because we only produce the paper every two weeks. This means that the news team needs to not only report the news, they need to analyse what the news means. For example, we can't just produce a story saying, "The SRC elections are a complete shambles"; we need to provide intelligent commentary, from a range of sources involved, explaining what the relevance or irrelevance of that news event might be.

As a news reporter, you'll be expected to attend a brief weekly Tuesday meeting and to check your e-mail daily for updates. Keeping in constant contact with the news editor is essential when you're working on a story.

The News section is the most deadline-driven section on the paper. A story might break a few hours before going to print, or more likely, you may be called in to change your article at the last minute.

News reporters are confident, curious, organised and well-read. If you’re none of those things but have enthusiasm in buckets – join the News Team. If you're willing to work hard at seeking out and really understanding major campus issues, while constantly improving your writing and reporting skills, then the News section is definitely worth your time. After all, when you score your first front page, it all seems worth it.