It’s the job of a journalist to bring light to stories and people, but it’s not often they are in the spotlight.

At PritchittBland Communications we’ve kicked off a special blog series where we put the spotlight on Australian financial journalists and dig a little deeper to find out where they’ve come from and what drives a good story.

See it from their perspective and read the interview with our next guest, Annette Samspon.

Why did you decide to go into journalism?

It seemed a natural fit for my interests. I loved writing, hearing and telling stories, and having grown up in a small country town, I was curious about what was happening in the wider world.

Finance journalism was a more unexpected twist. But I started in journalism during the Hawke/Keating era when big financial reforms were happening. (Now that’s dating me!) Suddenly finance was of interest to a wider market and there was a thirst for information on the impact of the changes. It was an exciting time for financial markets and after initial doubts that I knew little about the subject, I discovered that this was new ground for many finance experts as well. I also learned that asking questions of people who did know more than I did was a great way of expanding my own knowledge and that of readers.

What about the finance industry interests you the most?

In many ways finance comes down to human emotions. Fear, greed, the desire for security, protecting family, improving your life…. It is what makes financial markets operate.

I started off writing about broader business issues but gravitated towards personal finance because it involves the needs and wants of real people. I actually got my first role as a personal finance writer just before the 1987 share market crash (more dating!) which was a whirlwind experience for reporters. I was hooked.

That period also involved writing about a lot of personal finance failures which showed me how important it was for financial consumers to have the media investigating potential scams and championing their interests.

What are you looking forward to seeing happen in the financial landscape in the next 5 years?

No more stories on changes to superannuation?

I’m really interested in seeing how technology and improved knowledge can be harnessed to make investing less volatile for personal investors.

If you look at what’s happening out there, there is upheaval in so many areas: the battle for geo-political dominance between the West and countries like China and Russia, the fact that climate change is here and likely to be more dramatic than expected, and the rise of the middle class in countries like China and India. Not to mention the possibility of another Trump presidency!

It all makes for great stories but the challenge for people trying to invest for their future is the accompanying volatility and uncertainty. How will the finance industry help them make the most of the incredible opportunities that will arise while minimising the inevitable downsides?

What makes a good story?

It’s a bit flippant, but news is something that is new to your audience. The ideal story for a journalist is uncovering a secret that someone didn’t want known, but in a broader sense it’s also about telling readers about new events or developments or communicating fresh perspectives and insights.

In finance, it also needs to be something that our readers can use. I had an editor once who said every story had to have one thing in it that would help readers make money or avoid losing money. It’s still a good starting point.

What advice would you give to executives when they are talking to the media?

Number one: don’t lie. At some stage in most executives’ careers they are going to be asked questions they find uncomfortable. But the response to those questions will be reported and inevitably come back to bite them if they fudge the facts. Try to be as upfront as possible, and if you’re not sure, make a commitment to come back with an answer as soon as possible. If you can’t answer the question, it’s better to say so than to try to talk around the issue.

Bear in mind that most journalists are talking to an audience that may not be as well-versed in your area of expertise as you are. That’s why you’re being called upon! Plain English is better than industry jargon and keep in mind the interests of the end-consumer rather than what your peers might want to hear.

Being timely is also critical. Much of my work these days is for publications with long lead times, but all journalists work under time constraints. If you can’t return a call, arrange a time when you can talk. A good public relations company can be a help here by liaising with the journalist to help you respond quickly, but they shouldn’t act as a barrier to communication.

Being timely also matters with things like press releases. If an event happens that you feel you’d like to comment on, try to get it out before the news is stale. If you can’t respond immediately, try to offer a deeper insight or a fresh angle that hasn’t already been covered by the media rather than just issuing a me-too press release.

A bit more on Annette Sampson

Annette has been a financial journalist for more than 35 years. These days she freelances and writes a regular column for Money magazine. She is a former personal finance editor of The Sydney Morning Herald and columnist for the Herald and The Age and has edited the Money, Weekend Money and Small Business sections of the SMH. She has also edited the newspaper sections and magazines focusing on marketing and media. She has won several awards for excellence in finance journalism, has written extensively for publications in Australia and overseas and appeared regularly on radio and TV to talk about money. She is also the author of several personal finance books.

Catch Annette on LinkedIn