Ruth Lucas

MA Newspaper Journalism, City University London -

2023-24

Developed a personal portfolio reflecting key skills in interviewing, and diverse news reporting and court reporting; learning editorial production for social and digital (WordPress), video (Premiere Pro), and print (InDesign). Also receiving UK Media law training and developing ethical journalism practice. 

Specialised in Political reporting in my second term and developed a portfolio of features on a range of topics. I was chosen as editor during our assessed production days, where we produced a print version of the Hackney Post, as well as web and social content.  


Bsc Politics and International Relations, UCL

2020-2023, First Class Honours

I specialised during my final year of studies in British Politics and Parliamentary Affairs to further develop my knowledge on British political systems. My Dissertation, titled A Feminised Style of Politics? A Content Analysis of Theresa May and Liz Truss' Gendered Leadership Traits, Communication Style and Policy Focus, examined the gendered style of female Prime Ministers in the context of a growing 'feminised' style of Politics in the UK. 

June 2024 - Present - Reading Chronicle, Local Democracy Reporter

Covering local democracy issues that matter to people in Bracknell and
Wokingham, ranging from council finances, special educational needs
investigations, regeneration and housing developments and social
housing failures.
I covered the results of the general election in Bracknell less than a
month into my role, interviewing candidates for a live blog viewed by
thousands of local voters.
I have gained excellent contacts with local MPs, leaders of Bracknell and
Wokingham councils and communication teams, building trust and
rapport.
I can produce agenda-setting stories that convey the wider impact of
council decisions on communities. My stories are regularly picked up by
the BBC, with others covered on BBC South Today and the Jeremy Vine
Show and picked up by national outlets including the Daily Mail, The
Times, The Telegraph and GB News.
I have an excellent understanding of using SEO and social media to drive
interest in stories.

May - June 2024 - Bucks Radio, Freelance Reporter

Freelance shifts for a local radio company, writing stories for the website
as well as news bulletins for the radio.

May 2024 - Press Association, Elections Team Member

Working as part of Press Association’s local election team coverage by
communicating with local correspondents and inputting results used by
nationwide news outlets. This required an in-depth knowledge of local
council, mayoral and PCC electoral systems.

May 2024 - Prospect Magazine, Work Experience

A two week placement editing copy and fact checking as well as helping
with the production of the Media Confidential podcast.

December 2023-March 2024- Subeditor, The Daily Mirror 

A weekly placement on the production team of Britain’s leading national left-leaning tabloid newspaper. Exposure to national newsroom has allowed a deep understanding of catering to reader’s interests and telling stories effectively. As a subeditor, I have developed a critical eye for sharp copy, headlines and captions and a good understanding of the flow of a story. 

November 2022 - News Associates Student Editorial Leadership Programme

In November 2022 I took part in a four-week long course with News Associates, the top NCTJ accredited journalism school. Over the four weeks I met and networked with other student journalists from across the country. The programme gave incredible insight into the workings of the UK media and the IPSO code. We heard from journalists from the Financial Times and Metro, learning of how they first got into the industry and what guidance they would have for student journalists. I have taken many lessons from the course into how I conduct my work as a Deputy Editor and writer.

November 2022 - UCL Pi Media

In November 2022 I became a contributing writer to UCL's largest and oldest student publication, Pi Media. I worked with opinion editors on my article 'Why I'm not Proud of the UK's Female Prime Ministers'.

January 2022-Present - The International Public Policy Review

In January 2022 I became the Deputy Editor of UCL's International Public Policy Review, a politics and international affairs-intensive student publication and academic journal. I have also written my own articles for the website. As Deputy Editor, I work with individual writers on their articles, from it's first draft to its publication. I have learnt how to create engaging, eye-catching and informative articles as an editor. I have also learnt skills of responsibility, organisation and communication by being the first point of contact with writers.

January-May 2021 - The Meridian Magazine

Between January to May 2021 I worked as a contributing writer to student online publication The Meridian Magazine. I wrote articles on political and social issues such as COVID-19 and European Populism, Celebrity Campaigns through the pandemic, and the moral paradox of Depop. These articles have since been removed due to the publication losing it's online domain, but have been included in the 'personal blog' articles section on my homepage.

July 2019 - Global Radio

In July 2019 I completed a short work experience placement at Global Radio, working closely with the website team for LBC. I was tasked with listening to the call-in show with London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and writing an article for the website and social media. This placement introduced me to the fast-paced environment of the newsroom, and how important it is to engage audiences across different multimedia platforms. Working across the different radio stations, I learnt how news content was produced in order to engage the station's different audiences.