On field Interview-based Feature

Course Code and Name: MSJ 3151 News Sourcing and Gathering

Project Name: On-field interview-based feature story

Project Date: Summer 2023

Project Description:The final assignment for the News Sourcing and Gathering course involved conducting on-field interviews within a chosen community or with a specific personality to create a comprehensive feature story.

I had to gather firsthand information by engaging with individuals within a particular setting, in this case, the coastal fisherfolk, to bring their experiences and challenges to light.

The project aimed to hone students’ skills in sourcing news directly from communities or personalities and transforming those insights into a compelling narrative for a feature story.

Project Justification:  This article delves into the struggles faced by fisherfolk along Bangladesh’s Southern coast. Conducted on-field interviews with several fisherfolk to bring their challenges to light with a feature story. This article explores issues of debt cycles, environmental concerns, and foreign incursions impacting their livelihoods. It also has the potential to raise awareness and prompt action for policy interventions and equitable opportunities to uplift these communities.

Disclaimer: A modified version of the article done for course assignment purposes was later published in The Business Standard, where I now work.

Link: https://www.tbsnews.net/features/panorama/endless-cycle-poverty-and-struggle-along-shore-734594

---

Learnings and Outcomes (Self-reflection):

• Enhanced how to write a feature story properly
• Developed interviewing skills to capture compelling narratives.
• Gained first-hand insight into the struggles of coastal fishermen.
• Developed empathy and understanding for marginalized communities.
• Acquired deeper knowledge about economic challenges and debt cycles.
• Developed a better understanding of the environmental issues impacting livelihoods.
• Sharpened storytelling abilities in translating interviews into a feature story.
• Realized the importance of amplifying unheard voices through journalism.

Â