Welcome to our first issue of the Language Exepress!

"If you talk to a man in a language he understands it goes to his head, if you talk to him in his language, it goes to his heart." Going into my interview with Channel Four journalist and former Exeter student Sarah Gough, I set my sights on bridging the gap between journalism and languages. Quite quickly it dawned on me how, in a sense, journalism is a language, a global language and here Nelson Mandela’s quote speaks true. I embarked on a quest to find out how the languages we both study have an important place in the heart of humanity. We chewed over the stats and facts of world politics, we ripped open the world of fake news, but most importantly I felt I truly got to know the life of a journalist. 

 

Two months into life in the US, fresh back from a work trip to Iowa, I broke the ice by posing a plain yet important question. What is life like over there? Anticipating some anecdote about a nightmare at US border control or fines for jaywalking, I was startled, yet not surprised to hear that Americans are less disposed to put Xs at the end of their texts. Tough love, the bridge between journalism and languages seems closer than I thought.

 

That said, despite a more direct (and perhaps blunt) approach to text communication, a more responsive attitude to questioning on behalf of members of the public certainly plays to the advantage of a journalist constantly in search of opinions. This more direct communication filters not only through public consultation, but also into the void between journalists and politicians. It astounds me to hear that as a journalist one can contact a congressperson directly without major obstruction and, on hearing Sarah’s experience of sauntering around the White House in sunglasses, I realise that beyond being a ‘bondesque’ fantasy this symbolises the real power of journalism, a language worthy of being heard at the heart of Western politics. 

 

With a slight change of tone, Sarah tells me how she and a few colleagues spent some time waiting behind the bins for Bernie Sanders, one of the Democrat Party candidates for the 2020 US presidential election, at a caucus in Iowa. Unfortunately, Bernie didn’t appear. I admit it’s more Al Pacino at the BAFTAs as opposed to sunglasses around the White House, but boy is it a story to tell. She explains to me how most of her friends are journalists and it really makes me appreciate the comradery in the world of journalism.

 

Nevertheless, for someone who has started their career at the dawn of a new wave of digital journalism, surely there must be challenges? Working for a local newspaper for a short while, I was told that the fate of print journalism was settled, period. As a result, I acquired a far more cynical view of journalism. But beyond the clickbait which Sarah “despises” and the “damaging” fake news rhetoric, people have “woken up” not just to understand the power of politics, but also that of the media. This is a fact emphasised by Channel Four’s increase in total revenue by 1.6% in 2018. What have I learned? That the broadcast media is as strong as ever amidst the hurricane rise of digital news and how jealous I am that Sarah has the privilege to work and experience it all at its political epicentre.

 

Interested in the differences in the media culture between the US and Britain, I asked Sarah about the ideological divides which separate media outlets. She explained to me how the left/right ideological rift between FOX news and CNN is comparable to the one which exists between the Daily Telegraph and The Guardian. A special relationship indeed. I can see that ‘due impartiality’ is an aspect of the media she is conscious of and as a broadcaster is keen to uphold. It brought me onto a major challenge which we have both faced, this time in the sphere of journalism, which is the emotional detachment a journalist sometimes has to uphold when content is particularly distressing to report on. She recounts a moment when she was asked to cover a story about the Rohingya genocide, it certainly lies on a different level to the issues I covered at the local newspaper, but I can imagine the feelings we felt are comparable. It reminds me of an oh-so important link between journalism and languages. In language translation one delves into the deeper aspects of a text, similarly in journalism one delves into the deeper aspects of humanity; it can be a dark world down there.

 

I tell Sarah how much I admire the way that she reports on events around the world which are less well documented, but are equally relevant. An American talk show host Geraldo Rivera once famously remarked that ‘the courage in journalism is sticking up for the unpopular not the popular’ and I feel that this quote mirrors mine and Sarah’s outlook on the importance of reporting. When I explain how a particular news article about a London-based Deliveroo driver who was fatally stabbed left me feeling shaken and when Sarah laments the loss of the Victoria Derbyshire show as a notable source of information and debate, once again the importance of journalism rings true. In the year 2020, the threats to journalism are significant. Journalism is important; it should be held dear and protected, but also allowed a berth to develop like a language. It brings me onto another link between journalism and languages. Without a language you cannot speak and without journalism you lose your voice. Voilà, the bridge is built. Language learning and journalism are both hugely important forces and we have a human duty to protect them.

 

I could have begun this article writing about all Sarah does and what her day-to-day life entails, but the issues and events, the highs and the lows, the similarities and the differences which we considered throughout this interview I hope have allowed you to see and understand more of what she encounters first-hand as a journalist. On a personal note, I have been reminded of how astounding, gripping and life-changing journalism is, feelings I want to experience when I go on my year abroad next year and ones I expect all you linguists reading to encounter in your studies.

 

This brings me nicely on to some single word answers I posed to Sarah to really sum up what I learned throughout the interview and I sincerely hope that some of you have been inspired too. 

 

One word of advice for young people interested in a career in journalism?

Persistence.

 

One word to sum up the current state of world politics?

Fascinating and troubled.

 

One word of encouragement to those considering learning a language?

Useful.

 

One word to sum up your experience as a student at Exeter University?

Brilliant.