Careers Spotlight: Peter Oborne

25 January 2021 - Academic

This week, LV – UVI pupils welcomed former chief political commentator of The Daily Telegraph, Peter Oborne, to talk about Journalism in a Careers Spotlight lecture.

Phoebe (LVI) shared her thoughts about the online talk.

On Tuesday 19 January, we were fortunate enough to be given an insight into the world of journalism by journalist and political commentator, Peter Oborne.

Mr Oborne is the former chief political commentator of The Daily Telegraph, he wrote a political column for The Daily Mail for four years, appears regularly on television and is the author of a number of books about journalism; his newest being The Assault on Truth ,which will be published in February.

Mr Oborne emphasised that the principal role of a journalist is not to represent the powerful, rather it is to give a voice to the voiceless and to use your platform to shine a light on the truth, no matter how much criticism you receive in the process.

In order to become a journalist, Mr Oborne advised that it is never too early to start, the best place being at the grass-roots level in your local community. He encouraged prospective journalists to actively provide their local newspapers with unique story ideas, noting that the construction of a successful news article is very different to that of a school or university essay.

Through recounting many personal experiences, we were given a true insider’s view of Mr Oborne’s varied career, from warzones to Westminster, and are incredibly grateful to him for allowing us a glimpse into such a fascinating profession.

Our series of Careers Spotlight events invite inspiring speakers to share real-life accounts of their experiences: the highs, the lows, and some tips for success. The talks give the girls the opportunity to ask questions in an informal environment which they may use to cement the choices they have made or perhaps steer them towards a profession they had not considered.