John Fullerton covered a dozen wars in 38 Countries whilst working as a Reuters foreign correspondent for twenty years. His high achievements are vast, including many a discovery story about the mistakes, lies and secrets of the US military during the war in Afghanistan.
John regards a good reporter to have an extremely high level of self belief and a lot of drive. ‘Being a journalist will create insecurities, you need sharp elbows and a strong sense of self.’ In his own experience he has come across many scenarios which could have been ‘psychologically damaging’ without these traits, and he follows the motto ‘do not take yourself too seriously’ in the fear that you could lose touch with reality.
In his opinion ‘being culturally open and empathetic’ is key to being successful. He speaks of the ‘absolute ability to adapt swiftly in any circumstance’ from the extremes of culture, hygiene and indeed safety. John also deems unattributed information to be ‘dishonest’ as it can be a tactical way of influencing a reporter, by being either a false lead or providing you with a bias. ‘Discretion is essential’ tells John, and once you attain this ‘you will find accuracy.’ A good story is always honest.
By not attending university, he has learnt skills through trial and error. To ‘smile and be polite’ is stating an obvious, but it is small gestures that go the extra mile earning you up to £70,000 as a correspondent, like John. An essential to becoming a good reporter is to network and build contacts. This encourages trust, honesty and depth to your research. ‘If people know you, they believe they are in safe hands and are more likely to reveal’.
John is now freelancing and writing his seventh novel, whilst studying Buddhism at Sunderland University.
John regards a good reporter to have an extremely high level of self belief and a lot of drive. ‘Being a journalist will create insecurities, you need sharp elbows and a strong sense of self.’ In his own experience he has come across many scenarios which could have been ‘psychologically damaging’ without these traits, and he follows the motto ‘do not take yourself too seriously’ in the fear that you could lose touch with reality.
In his opinion ‘being culturally open and empathetic’ is key to being successful. He speaks of the ‘absolute ability to adapt swiftly in any circumstance’ from the extremes of culture, hygiene and indeed safety. John also deems unattributed information to be ‘dishonest’ as it can be a tactical way of influencing a reporter, by being either a false lead or providing you with a bias. ‘Discretion is essential’ tells John, and once you attain this ‘you will find accuracy.’ A good story is always honest.
By not attending university, he has learnt skills through trial and error. To ‘smile and be polite’ is stating an obvious, but it is small gestures that go the extra mile earning you up to £70,000 as a correspondent, like John. An essential to becoming a good reporter is to network and build contacts. This encourages trust, honesty and depth to your research. ‘If people know you, they believe they are in safe hands and are more likely to reveal’.
John is now freelancing and writing his seventh novel, whilst studying Buddhism at Sunderland University.
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