Somaiyah Hafeez, one of this year's finalists for Thomson's Young Journalist of the Year Award, had a transformative visit to London. As the only finalist able to travel to Britain, she participated in a mobile journalism course, visited renowned newsrooms including the BBC and The Guardian, and attended the Foreign Press Association Media Awards, where she was recognised as one of the runners-up. Here, Somaiyah, who's from Balochistan in Pakistan and currently studying for a masters in data journalism at Columbia Journalism School, reflects on her experience.
What was it like visiting leading UK newsrooms? Going to all these newsrooms like the BBC, The Guardian, Financial Times, and Channel 4 was one of the most exciting parts of this trip because these are news outlets that every journalist dreams to work for. So, when you get the opportunity to go and meet the editors and form those connections and see the insides of a newsroom and how they work, its like a dream come true. And especially for me, as a freelance journalist who has never really been a staffer for any news outlet, to know how a newsroom works made me wonder what it could it be like to work in one. It was a really exciting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for an early-career journalist.
Somaiyah with Channel 4 project manager Ziad Al-Hasso
Tell us about your experience with mobile journalism training. In my career, I have been focussing on longform feature journalism, and Ive never had experiences with audio or video journalism. I got to learn a lot about mobile journalism and about how you can shoot a film or shoot a report using just your mobile phone. I feel like I learned an incredible amount in a very short time. I didnt think that I would really love doing video journalism, but after the session, I came out with this kind of love for it. And I want to go out and address those skills that I learned.
Mobile Journalism workshop with Cassius Rayner
Why is international media coverage of Balochistan important? I think that Balochistan as a region is very important to be covered in international media because thats the only way that important stories, like the political resistance movement that Baloch women are leading right now, is going to be written down in history. And the national media in Pakistan does not really pay that much attention to Balochistan because thats a part of the states narrative in how its dealing with the conflict in Balochistan, making it into an information blackhole where no news can come out from. Hence, it becomes very crucial that its given coverage in the international media.
What inspired your focus on data journalism? The idea of doing my masters in data journalism came from one of my submissions for the award, which was this data-driven story that I did for Kontinentalist on enforced disappearances in Balochistan. When that story came out, the way that it was received by people who were reading it made me realise that data journalism is indeed the future. Because the issue of enforced disappearances in Balochistan was something that I had covered previously as well in multimedia platforms in the form of photographs and interviews in a written article. But nobody had ever covered the story from a data aspect. And when that was done, the story was able to paint the picture of how grave an issue this is, in a sort of a way that present-day media requires, which is to have a lot of visualisations and a lot of data analysis so that it speaks even louder to the audience.
Somaiyah receives her runners-up certificate from Thomsons Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Lord Chandos.
What does being a finalist for this award mean to you? Being a finalist for this award is a privilege. Im really glad that the stories that resulted in my nomination for this award are stories that are very important, stories that I always wanted to tell as a journalist. And because of this award, and because I was selected as a finalist, these stories are once again being talked about and being shared. So that I feel like is the most important part about this entire experience, which I am so grateful for. Obviously coming to London and getting to meet all these editors, going to all these newsrooms has enhanced my confidence as a young journalist. I feel like it has given me a really great networking experience.
What advice would you give to young journalists? One advice that I would give to young journalists is to never doubt themselves. Because I think, especially as a young journalist, when youre starting off, you constantly doubt yourself. So I would say try not to do that,' at least, because its impossible not to. Also, put your work out there, especially if you are a freelance journalist or if you are very shy about your work, or if you're constantly questioning whether you're doing a good job or not. Just put your work out there, because if you do not, nobodys going to know the incredible job that youre doing. Find stories that youre passionate about and follow them. And just be fearless.
More on the Young Journalist Award
Afghan Reporter Wins Young Journalist of the Year 2024
Meet the Young Journalist Finalists 2024
Shortlist Young Journalist Award 2024
-- Explore our projects across the globe
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
14/11/2026
Longtime MLB Network employee David Maybrown passed away Thursday at the age of 57. David joined MLB Network in 2009 shortly after its launch, beginning as an i...
14/11/2026
Modular innovators introduce two guitar-based products
ADDAC System's recently introduced Four String Series makes it possible to integrate physical str...
14/11/2026
Marcelo Dai's Live Session Captured with URSA Cine Immersive
Brie Clayton November 14, 2026
0 Comments
Artist takes viewers on an immersive journe...
14/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
14/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
14/11/2026
Newest Lenses, Horizon Anamorphic Seminar & Guided Lens Character Experience Highlight Creative Possibilities
At the 2026 Toru CAMERIMAGE Film Festival, ZEISS...
14/11/2026
Sonnet Announces Black Friday Sale on Select Products
Brie Clayton November 14, 2026
0 Comments
WHAT: Sonnet Technologies is having a sale on a select...
14/11/2026
Berklee Alumni Shine at the 2026 Latin Grammy Awards This year's winners included songwriters, engineers, and performers who contributed to acclaimed reco...
13/11/2026
The UIM E1 Series wraps its third season this week with the Bombay Sapphire E1 Miami GP, Nov. 11-14, on Biscayne Bay at the Miami Seaplane Base on Watson Island...
13/11/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
13/11/2026
Singer-songwriter Benson Boone will headline entertainment for the Discover NHL Winter Classic between the Utah Mammoth and Colorado Avalanche at Rice-Eccles St...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design has announced the Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone, a 7th order ambisonic microphone array that captures spatial audio for immersive video prod...
13/11/2026
SMPTE has announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infrastructure and communications technology for the Solutions Hub at t...
13/11/2026
The Hollywood Professional Association (HPA) has announced the theme and program focus for the 2027 HPA Tech Retreat, which takes place Feb. 14-18, 2027, in La ...
13/11/2026
Football Manager 27 Touch is available on Apple Arcade starting today. The game ...
13/11/2026
MotoGP has announced a two-year media rights agreement with ESPN covering the Un...
13/11/2026
Apple Sports, the free iPhone app, has added the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) to its lineup of supported sports, in time for Saturday's UFC 334. The...
13/11/2026
The NBA and Fanatics Studios, the joint venture between Fanatics and entertainme...
13/11/2026
ESPN held its annual EDGE Innovation Conference last night and offered up an ove...
13/11/2026
Regional sports network gives Ithaca College, SUNY Cortland students a platform to thrive
One of the biggest games in Division III college football will be pla...
13/11/2026
Studer-inspired 500-series PWM compressor unveiled
The HLabs range already includes a couple of Studer-inspired offerings in the form of the PRE169 and EQ16...
13/11/2026
Download Now!
To view the white paper, please enter the following details:
--
First Name* First Name
Company*
Country* Please select your countryA...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Blue Lucy, the workflow orchestration and integration platform for broadcasters, rights owners and localisation companies, today announced an integration with c...
13/11/2026
Krotos announces Black Friday offers on Studio Pro and Studio Max
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
First-year annual plans start at US$195.99...
13/11/2026
Blackmagic Design Announces Blackmagic Ambisonic Microphone
Brie Clayton November 12, 2026
0 Comments
New 7th order ambisonic microphone with 108 MEMS...
13/11/2026
Meet the Berklee Student Setting Planetary Motion to Music With his compositional platform SoniKosmos, Javier Roqueni aims to make the universe the ultimate i...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , er...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Share
{alert(Link copied)}).catch(err => {console.error(Failed to copy: , err)}) data-platform=copy_link data-action= class=font-ui-heading py-2 text-sm tex...
13/11/2026
Amagi, the media industry cloud company, today announced a partnership with Golden Times Media Technology (stock code 920021.BJ), a Beijing-based media and tech...
13/11/2026
CGI (TSX: GIB.A) (NYSE: GIB), one of the largest independent IT and business consulting services firms in the world, together with its Malaysian partner, Cedar ...
13/11/2026
SMPTE, the home for media professionals, technologists and engineers, today announced that The Studio B&H and Riedel Communications will provide the video infra...
13/11/2026
iWedia, a global leader in connected TV software solutions, will present its software-first approach to DRAM optimization at Android TV APAC Summit 2026 in Bang...
13/11/2026
Beginning today, November 13, Apple HomeView is available for purchase at Apple Store locations, on the Apple Store online, and in the Apple Store app in select...
13/11/2026
From pediatric research to smart hospitals, AI is helping care teams spend less time on routine tasks and more time with patients.
Health systems and startups...
12/11/2026
Industry leaders examine how Dynamic Media Facility, Media eXchange Layer, and c...
12/11/2026
The junior Tar Heel is embracing the technical and creative challenges of live production while emerging as a leader and mentor in the control room...
12/11/2026
Gracenote, Nielsen's content intelligence business, has released its fifth a...
Somaiyah Hafeez, one of this year's finalists for Thomson's Young Journalist of the Year Award, had a transformative visit to London. As the only finalist able to travel to Britain, she participated in a mobile journalism course, visited renowned newsrooms including the BBC and The Guardian, and attended the Foreign Press Association Media Awards, where she was recognised as one of the runners-up. Here, Somaiyah, who's from Balochistan in Pakistan and currently studying for a masters in data journalism at Columbia Journalism School, reflects on her experience.
