Casual work

  • 23 January 2006

My work at The Guardian is called ‘casual’. Because I don’t go there every day, or regularly. I am in the ‘Night Uploaders’ team.

We quickly proof-read the articles, which are already being printed, in case some mistake has slipped the attention of the sub-editors that are specifically employed for such mistake-spotting among other things, and then add some basic html coding and some relevant, pre-determined links. It is done every single night, and every single article published on paper is uploaded to the website, but for these stable jobs The Guardian employs casuals who can not stay employed for longer than ten months in a row to avoid having to contract us as regular employees. So in ten months time, I will need to find income somewhere else, with the option to come back after four months or so.

The Guardian

  • 16 January 2006

Very first day at The Guardian. Some kind of induction day.

A tall guy who seems that will be my supervisor spends too long explaining how the articles are classified, tagged and formatted, ready for uploading. I am also supposed to read them and pick up mistakes that may have slipped through the several layers of sub-editing. These are articles that have already been sent to the printers; any correction will only come up on the online version.

Marks

  • 20 May 2005

Got the feedback of one of my assignments, the article on squatters.I didn’t describe any particular squat and that has played well against my mark.

Underground

  • 5 May 2005

I had to get on the tube today because there was such a big jam. It may have been half a year since I last used it. For non frequent users, the first thing that strikes is the obscene amount of advertising present everywhere, at least once you pass the barrier gates.

Music Industry and Politics. I

  • 30 April 2005

I very much liked and enjoyed the talk from the lady from the music industry in this Country. From a children’s play:

– I see, I see
– what do you see?
– I see a thing
– And what thing is that?

Elections01

  • 18 April 2005

We were told on Friday that we should attend something important, a workshop, on Monday.

Blogs

  • 10 April 2005

Apparently this quote, contrary to what I was told when it was included in the Financial Crimes, is genuine:

‘One night, probably in 1880, John Swinton, then the preeminent New York journalist, was the guest of honour at a banquet given him by the leaders of his craft. Someone who knew neither the press nor Swinton offered a toast to the independent press. Swinton outraged his colleagues by replying:

“There is no such thing, at this date of the world’s history, in America, as an independent press. You know it and I know it.

More news

  • 4 April 2005

It’s getting to be a bit of a pain; all the media, tv, radio and newspapers, flooded with the death of a man who, according to one of the nuns at my catholic school, was so Christian and as catholic as I.

News

  • 2 April 2005

The Pope has died, Spanish national television announces, at 21,37 today. I look at the clock on the wall and it is 10 past 10. What have then been doing all this time then, I wonder?

Mass Media

  • 14 March 2005

The main tutor at university today confirmed what Simone had mentioned in the forum: yes, there is the desire to put as many journalists in the market as possible. Just put them there, however good, however bad, the point is, there must be many.