What makes a good reporter?

Lucy Mangan, 36, is one of the best known columnists for The Guardian, so who better to answer the much debated question of what makes a good reporter?

“As a reporter you’re producing the breaking stories so for that you definitely need great general knowledge,” said Lucy.

Lucy has worked with the Guardian for more than six years, the last five as a feature columnist, and is a natural talent in her field. She has also successfully published three books in the last few years.

“Curiosity is key,” she added when comparing herself to fellow Guardian reporter Helen Pidd, part of the Home News team. “Helen has such energy and interest, she is constantly haring off to different parts of the country to find the stories. Whereas, being a features journalist, I tend to have the news told to me and then I’ll write about it”

Lucy grew up in South London and was educated in Catford. She then spent two years training to be a solicitor at Cambridge, before switching to Journalism just after she qualified. In 2003 she started a placement with the Guardian, which lead to her being given a full time job.

“No matter how good a journalist you are, some people will always be ready to criticize,” said Lucy “Accept that you won’t get it right first time - no one does. Remember your brief, remember your audience, remember your work count, decided on your argument or forge your jokes and go for it.”

Merry Memories By Fiona Gladstone

An 84-year-old man today revealed Christmas memories of when he was young. Grandfather-of-five, Bernard Bryan said that he could recall Father Christmas visiting his primary school in Tooting some 80 years back. The incident happened close to Bournemouth beach while relaxing on a short holiday with his wife, Gail Bryan, 79.

“We were all in a big hall, which had a balcony surrounding the walls. As we watched in amazement Father Christmas appeared on the balcony and made his way down on a wooden ladder to where we were standing.” When asked how he had felt at that moment Bernard replied “I was very young, I must have only been about five years old, so you could imagine I was terribly excited.”

The news of Father Christmas’s appearance had apparently been announced around the school previously, which had caused Bernard sleepless nights. “As a young boy I still believed Father Christmas was real and that if I had misbehaved he wasn’t going to visit the school. I acted my best for days!”

Looking back Bernard agreed his parents and teachers may have played on the young children’s naivety. “We all used to be rather cheeky so it must have been very enjoyable for them, especially for my mother!”

Bernard was unable to remember what he was given by Father Christmas. “The memory has stuck with me for a long time, but not every detail!”