Freelance Forum

Opening Address at the Spring 2025 Freelance Forum on 14 April Karlin Lillington on "Skynet for Journalism? Dealing with Artificial intelligence"

Opening remarks from Seamus Dooley, NUJ deputy general secretary, at the Spring 2025 Freelance Forum.

Freelance Forum events and podcasts update for January 2025.

Freelance Forum 91: Journalist Henry Bauress and others talk about media coverage and disinformation issues around the Irish General Election, recorded at the Punchestown Count Centre during the counts for the Kildare North and Kildare South constituencies.

This Freelancing Life NUJ life membership recipients Fr Brian D'Arcy, Peter Murtagh, and Pat Ruddy talk with Stephanie Costello, freelance journalist looking back on a career in journalism – and other careers. With an introduction by Seamus Dooley, NUJ Irish Secretary

The Editors: Pitching to The Press - Jillian Bolger, Weekend/food & travel editor, Irish Examiner and Karen Morgan, Ireland Visuals editor, The Sunday Times talk with freelance journalist Stephanie Costello about pitching in the current newspaper environment, and the art of the pitch, with particular emphasis on popular news media.

The world of publishing. Traditional print publishing, e-publishing, and independent publishing, with literary agent Jonathan Williams and writers Gerald M Kilby and Kieran Fagan

Reporting on climate change: Irish Independent environmental correspondent Caroline O'Doherty, journalist Rosalind Skillen and tv/film climate editor Elaine Walsh talking with freelance journalist Priyanka Borpujari

RTÉ broadcaster and NUJ joint vice president Fran McNulty talks about the challenges facing journalists. Also heard is NUJ Irish Secretary Seamus Dooley

Freelance Forum 85: Writer and activist Liz Carolan talks about her newsletter The Briefing, which monitors political advertising expenditure by political parties, both online and in print and other media, and dealing with disinformation online. You can subscribe to the newsletter at https://thebriefing.ie

Freelance Forum 84: the Future of Media in Ireland, and Artificial Intelligence. A Halloween Story. Check our Freelance Forum https://dublinfreelance.org/freelance-forum-autumn-2024/

Writer and journalist Joe Armstrong talks about how journalism covers religion, and why journalists need to hold on to their scepticism when reporting on religious issues. Substack: Joe the Human Substack: https://joearmstrong.substack.com Podcast: Losing My Religion: https://LosingMyReligion.Podbean.com Joe Armstrong's Memoirs: Losing Religion, Finding Myself: A Memoir Series: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0C71Q2XK7 In My Gut, I Don't Believe: A Memoir, by Joe Armstrong: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/095466101X Saved By A Woman: A Second Memoir, by Joe Armstrong: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0954661028 Joe Armstrong's website: https://JoeArmstrong.ie

Brian Greene, Outreach and Training Coordinator at Dublin Community Television, talks about the world of community television, how it can provide an outlet both for community groups and for freelance journalists, the differences between television and radio production, and plans for the future. Brian also runs the websites radio.ie and pirate.ie

Robert Dunne talks with business journalist, publisher and media trainer Frank Dillon of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland.

Freelance Forum 80: Daire Dempsey, policy officer with the Transgender Equality Network Ireland (teni.ie) talks about issues facing transgender people in Ireland, the good and the bad of media coverage, and what they would like to see improving in the future. Further resources and information at https://teni.ie Small Trans Library: https://smalltranslibrary.org/ Trans Equality Together: https://www.transequalitytogether.com/

Rónán Ó Domhnaill, media development commissioner with Coimisiún na Meán, talks about the latest work on the Courts Reporting Scheme and the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme, the timetable for rolling out the schemes, and issues in fair and balanced coverage of election and referendum campaigns in Irish news outlets. Freelance Forum is produced by Dublin Freelance NUJ and made possble by support from Coimisiún na Meán.

Fergal Crehan is a barrister, with an interest in privacy and data protection. He speaks on staying safe online as journalists, personal privacy safeguards, and protecting work and personal data and sources.

Freelance Forum 77: Newsletters. Marketing consultant Drew Sheil and Dublin Inquirer co-founder Sam Tranum discuss the use of email newsletters to report news and as a way for freelance journalists to promote their own work. The discussion is chaired by freelance journalist Stephanie Costello. Recorded live at the Spring 2024 Freelance Forum on 8 April 2024.

Freelance Forum 76: Pitching To Editors with Jo Linehan (Sunday Times Climate magazine) Charlie Taylor (Business Post, Connected) and freelance journalist Kathryn Johnston, recorded at the Spring 2024 Freelance Forum on 8 April 2024 in Dublin

Freelance Forum 75: Tim Dawson, deputy general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists and a former president of the NUJ, delivers an opening address on Journalism In Troubled Times at the Spring 2024 Freelance Forum event in Dublin on 8 April 2024.

Freelance Forum 74: From the Spring 2024 Forum, Priyanka Borpujari, James Casey [https://ilmi.ie/], Paula Fagan [https://lgbt.ie], and Aoife Kavanagh [https://www.unhcr.org/ie] discuss media diversity and issues of inclusion and equality. both in newsrooms, and in news coverage.

Journalist Walaa Sabah talks about life in Palestine, being separated from her family since last year, and the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. Walaa Sabah is the project manager of We Are Not Numbers. She previously held the position of community outreach and partnership officer. In 2022, Walaa won the UK's prestigious Chevening scholarship and earned a first-class MSC degree in business with operations management from Warwick Business School. She works as a freelance journalist. You can read her articles on the MEE, EI, Mondoweiss, and the New Arab. Contact Walaa Sabah at Walaa@wearenotnumbers.org

Freelance Forum is a regular one day event designed to keep freelance journalists up to date with the latest developments in their industry. Aimed at writers, photographers and PR practitioners, and hoping to cover print, broadcast and online media, it is organised by Dublin Freelance NUJ branch with support from Coimisiún na Meán Book now for #FreelanceForum Spring 2024 Get the lowdown on newsletters, Meet commissioning editors. personal safety briefing, diversity issues. Know a freelance journalist? Or an aspiring student or recent graduate? Tell a friend, tell a freelancer. Monday 8 April, Pearse Centre, 27 Pearse Street, Dublin 2. https://dublinfreelance.org/freelance-forum-spring-2024/

Freelance Forum 72: The future of journalism, technological challenges, and advice to freelancers with Jeff Jarvis, American journalist and the Leonard Tow Professor of Journalism Innovation and director of the Tow-Knight Center for Entrepreneurial Journalism at the City University of New York's Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism. Jeff Jarvis is the author of Geeks Bearing Gifts: Imagining New Futures for News (CUNY Journalism Press, 2014), Public Parts: How Sharing in the Digital Age Improves the Way We Work and Live (Simon & Schuster, 2011), What Would Google Do? (HarperCollins 2009), and the Kindle Single Gutenberg the Geek. He blogs about media and news at Buzzmachine.com and cohosts the podcast This Week in Google [https://twit.tv/shows/this-week-in-google]

Malachi O'Doherty is a journalist, author and broadcaster in Northern Ireland. He talks with Gerard Cunningham about Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) and the scene in Northern Ireland. Check his books on Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/MalachiOD

Roba Aldereh spoke with Shamim Malekian, Nina Mishchenko, Razan Ibrahim, Heidar Al-Hashimi, and Carmelle Keane about the experiences and observations of non-Irish journalists who have come to study and work in Ireland.

Freelance Forum 69: Hope & 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/

NUJ president Natasha Hirst talks about life as a freelance journalist and photographer, and how the NUJ can help. Recorded in Dublin at the Freelane Forum Autumn 2023 event on 16 October 2023. A PDF version of Natasha's presentation is available at https://dublinfreelance.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/FreelanceForumNatashaHirst.pdf

Freelance Forum Podcast Series Episode 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

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.

Natasha Hirst, Seamus Dooley, Harry Browne, and Stephanie Costello talk about new technological and business challenges facing freelance journalists and news outlets.

Freelance Forum 64: 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.

The Freelance Forum Autumn 2023 event takes place on Monday 16 October at the Gresham Hotel, Dublin. Reserve your place today at https://dublinfreelance.org/freelance-forum-autumn-2023/

Freelance Forum 63: 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 follow Amy Fallon at www.amyfallon.com, or X/Twitter @amyfallon, and Mastodon @amyfallon@aus.social Some links mentioned by Amy during this podcast: https://impact.substack.com https://proximities.substack.com https://soniaweiser.wordpress.com/opportunities-of-the-week-newsletter/ https://www.sianmeadeswilliams.com https://www.journoresources.org.uk

Freelance Forum 61: 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: 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 here about http://www.BelongTo.org.

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

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.

Dr Bridget Carroll from 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 56: Press Ombudsman Susan McKay talks about her career and the challenges facing journalists in Ireland at the Spring 2023 Freelance Forum. Recorded at Grangegorman TUD on 3 April 2023.

Aine O'Meara from Headline.ie talks about the Mental Health Fellowship for journalists. More information at https://headline.ie/fellowship

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/

Solicitor and writer Simon McGarr talks about using Newsletters, and what he has learned from the experience on building a subscriber base, fundraising and personal branding, the value of a wonkish niche, and Dad jokes. You can subscribe to The Gist at https://www.thegist.ie/

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: https://dankennedy.net/

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 https://headline.ie/self-care-for-journalists/ An email update is being sent to members of Dublin Freleance NUJ, but if you did not receive a copy and you would like more information to reserve a place at one of the workshops, contact Gerard Cunningham, tribunalreporter@gmail.com

Freelance Forum Autumn 2022 Episode 52: Freelance journalist and writer Kieran Fagan talks about his experience in self-publishing a non-fiction book on Amazon as a paperback and as an e-book on Kindle, and how it compares with traditional publishing. You can order "Who Killed Patricia Curran?" by Kieran Fagan at the links below: Paperback - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Who-Killed-Patricia-Curran-Vulnerable/dp/1739671902/ e-book on Kindle - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Who-Killed-Patricia-Curran-Vulnerable-ebook/dp/B0B94Q7PNV

Freelance Forum 51: Freelance journalist Kieran Fagan talks with Donal O'Donavan (Irish Independent business editor) and Liam Boyle (BAI) discuss pitching, selling ideas, and future changes to the BAI, including S+V and local reporting funds. Recorded at the Freelance Forum Autumn 2022 live event on 1 October 2022 in Grangegorman TUD.

Freelance Forum 50: Freelance journalist Stephanie Costello spoke with The Ditch editor Eoghan McNeill and Irish Secretary of the NUJ Seamus Dooley about the future of journalism and freelancing. Recorded at the Autumn 2022 Freelance Forum live event held on Saturday 1 October at the Technological University of Dublin Grangegorman campus.

Freelance Forum 49: Freelance technology journalist Karlin Lillington talks about Mastodon and what the new wave of federated social networks could mean for journalists.

Freelance Forum 48: Is Investigative Journalism Worth The Effort? Noteworthy Editor Maria Delaney, journalist Conall Ó Fátharta, and Roman Shortall (The Ditch) speak with Fiona Kenny. Recorded live on 1 October at Freelance Forum Autumn 2022 at Grangegorman TUD.