Welcome to the Freelance Forum 2023 Podcast Series
For 2023 we are trying something different. Instead of a Spring and Autumn series of podcasts, clustered around live events, we will upload a new podcast monthly.
It took a little time to get the project organised, so our first episode of the year is in February.
You can listen to this and all podcasts from the Freelance Forum, including archive recordings of Forum events going back several years on Apple Podcasts, using the podcatcher app of your choice, or at the Freelance Forum Soundcloud page from Dublin Freelance.
Freelance Forum 69: Hope and Courage Collective
Mark Malone of the Hope & Courage Collective speaks about the challenges of reporting on the far right in Ireland.
You can find out more about the Collective at https://hopecollectiveireland.ie/, and follow their social media accounts at
https://twitter.com/hope_courage_ie
https://www.linkedin.com/company/hope-courage-collective/
https://www.instagram.com/hopecollectiveireland/
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_UX_XehRaQ9KH5OO9O8Phg
More resources at https://hopeandcourage.ie/category/guides/
Freelance Forum 68: Joy Echipue
Gerard Cunningham talks with Joy Echipue about URock Magazine, living in Ireland, and breaking into journalism.
You can check our URock magazine at https://urockmagazine.com.ng, and order a copy of Joy’s latest book, “Discover Your Unique Path” on Amazon at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Discover-Your-Unique-Path-Unlearn/dp/1546471251
Available on Apple Podcasts, Soundcloud, and the podcatcher app of your choice
Freelance Forum 67: The Pitching Process
Three Irish editors discuss Pitching in the current newspaper environment, and the art of the pitch, with particular emphasis on print media.
Aaron Rogan, Business Post deputy editor, Jennifer Stevens, Sunday Times features editor, Irish Tatler editor Jessie Collins, and Fiona Kenny talk about the pitching and commissioning process for freelancers.
Freelance Forum 66: Rage Against the [A.I.] Machines?
NUJ president Dr Natasha Hirst, Seamus Dooley, Assistant General Secretary, NUJ, Dr Harry Browne, senior lecturer at TUS School or Media, and Stephanie Costello, freelance journalist discuss industrial and professional issues facing journalists and publishers in dealing with veracity as new technologies allow for more convincing and numerous “deep fakes”, machine generated articles and features, and computer “hallucinations”.
Freelance Forum 65: Freelancers and the NUJ
NUJ president Natasha Hirst speaks about life as a freelance journalist and photographer, and how the National Union of Journalists can help. Recorded live at the Autumn 2023 Freelance Forum on 16 October 2023.
Freelance Forum 64: Travelling in Europe
Journalist Margaret Ward talks about travelling in Eastern Europe, the impact the Russian invasion of Ukraine has had on other countries in the region, and the benefits of an Interrail pass.
Freelance Forum 63: Autumn Courses
As the Autumn draws closer and evenings begin to lengthen, Lucille Redmond talks about one option for evening courses that might be of interest to freelance writers and others looking for new creative outlets.
You can sign up to the course at https://mitbe.enrol.ie/crumlinaesept23//mitlive/Register/coursePage.php?courseid=270
And you can follow Lucille at https://twitter.com/Redmond_Lucille and https://mastodon.ie/@sinabhfuil
Freelance Forum 62: The Freelance Life
Gerard Cunningham talks with Amy Fallon about working as a freelance journalist in various markets, the differences between working for news outlets and NGOs, generating leads, and training and development for journalists. Find out more about Amy’s work at www.amyfallon.com and www.amyfallon.com/media-and-communications-work/
You can also follow Amy Fallon at X/Twitter @amyfallon, and Mastodon @amyfallon@aus.social
Freelance Forum 61: Media Development
As Coimisiún na Meán prepares for the future, Media Development Commissioner Rónán Ó Domhnaill talks about plans for the development of the Sound+Vision and other funds inherited from the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, new funding for democracy funds covering Courts Reporting and Local Democracy, and the roles of the different Commissioners.
Freelance Forum 60: LGBTQ+ Pride
For Pride Month, Gerard Cunningham spoke with activist Stephen Spillane and with Sinead Keane, director of communications and advocacy with BeLonG To about the issues and challenges in reporting on LGBTQ+ people and issues.
Find out more about http://www.BelongTo.org.
Freelance Forum podcast episode 59: Pitching for Popular Press
Irish Daily Mail Editor Eddie Coffey and Irish Daily Star Sports Editor David Coughlan speak with freelance journalist Stephanie Costello, about pitching to the popular press
Recorded at the Spring 2023 Freelance Forum held at the Technological University of Dublin Grangegorman campus on 3 April 2023.
Freelance Forum podcast episode 58: Freedom of Information
RTÉ freedom of information deciding officer Richard Dowling, Niall Sargent, an investigative reporter with Noteworthy, and freelance journalist Robert Dunne speak about freedom of information legislation and access to environmental information regulations can work for freelance journalism.
Recorded at the Spring 2023 Freelance Forum held at the Technological University of Dublin Grangegorman campus on 3 April 2023.
Freelance Forum podcast episode 57: Co-operatives for Journalists
Freelance Forum 57: Dr Bridget Carroll from the Centre for Co-operative Studies, University College Cork and Darragh Walshe from the Irish Co-operative Organisation Society speak about how co-co-operative models can work for freelance journalism. Chaired by Berni Dwan, from the Spring 2023 Freelance Forum at Grangegorman TUD on 3 April 2023
Freelance Forum podcast episode 56: Press ombudsman Susan McKay
Freelance Forum 56: Press Ombudsman Susan McKay talks about her career and the challenges facing journalists in Ireland and the Press Council of Ireland at the Spring 2023 Freelance Forum. Recorded at Grangegorman TUD on 3 April 2023.
Freelance Forum Extra 2
Aine O’Meara from Headline.ie talks about the Mental Health Fellowship for journalists.
More information at https://headline.ie/fellowship
Freelance Forum Extra 1:
Yuk Lan Wong talks about the Local Media for Democracy fund from the European Federation of Journalists.
You can find out more at https://europeanjournalists.org/local-media-for-democracy
Freelance Forum podcast episode 55: Simon McGarr on Newsletters
Solicitor Simon McGarr @Tupp_Ed talks about his experience with newsletters, and how they can be used in promotion, branding, and building a subscriber base for news outlets and freelance journalists. You can subscribe to The Gist here.
Freelance Forum podcast episode 54: Dan Kennedy on Local News
Gerard Cunningham talks with Dan Kennedy, professor of Journalism at Northeastern University about the state of modern journalism, the future of local news, serving local communities, social media and journalism, and the possible impacts of “artificial intelligence” on newsrooms.
You can follow Dan Kennedy on his blog, Media Nation.
Freelance Forum podcast episode 53: February 2023
In the first part of this podcast, Gerard Cunningham spoke with Zlatina Siderova about the IJ4EU Freelancer Support Scheme.
You can find more information about the scheme at https://www.investigativejournalismforeu.net/grants/freelancer-support-scheme/.
The Freelancer Support Scheme is managed by the European Journalism Centre. The European Journalism Centre (EJC) is an international non-profit headquartered in the Netherlands, working to support, strengthen and develop journalism.
And in the same podcast, Áine O’Meara talks about mental health in the workplace, a series of workshops for freelance journalists.
You can read about self care for journalists at headline.ie/self-care-for-journalists
Photo by israel palacio on Unsplash