Mpho Gaboeme Tlale Interview

Please tell us about yourself

I am a 25 year old soul  who is  passionate about travel.It doesn’t really matter where the destination is but as long as I get to travel and get out of my comfort zone then I am content.I am currently working as an Arts writer for Mmegi newspaper.I am a media studies graduate from the University of Botswana class of 2011.To date I have travelled to India,Kenya,South Africa,Swaziland,Namibia and to Trinidad & Tobago recently on vacation.Although most of my trips have been work related  some have been personal because I can not always rely on my job to take me somewhere.I also have places I want to see on my own and that serves as motivation.I am generally motivated by women who push everyday and strive to be the best that they can be so as to beat stereotypes that limit women and believe that they can not go far.

How long have you been a journalist?

I started writing in 2009 as an intern for Mmegi and have been writing ever since.At some point in time I was a correspondent at Weekend Post and Sunday Standard before finally moving back to Mmegi where I got to be hired on a full time basis in July 2012.

How many stories have you written so far?

Woow,I have written so many stories I have actually lost count.I cant even estimate the number .

What does your typical day at the office look like?

My day starts off with the daily planning meeting where we pitch our stories for the day.From the meeting then comes looking at the stories I have in hand and trying to see how I can structure them so that when I contact my sources I already know what I want from them.I can either call them and  do a phone interview or they can come to my office so that we do a one on one interview rather.There is also the option of  going to  sources directly to do the interview.Generally if I am not doing interviews or typing an article,I usually surf social networking sites to see what I can get that is newsworthy  in relation to my beat.

What do you love most about your job and what do you hate about it?

I love traveling the most.Whenever a chance comes for me to travel I always get overly excited because traveling entails new experiences from meeting new people and making friends to  partying in different locations  having a taste of new cuisines and just a feel of an environment that I am not familiar to.On my travels (Whether personal or work related)  I always hit two birds with one stone because I have fun and I also get to write about that fun so it’s a two in one deal really.My job always gives me the chance to meet new people on a daily basis and that is quite refreshing because every new person has a different personality hence why I have learnt to be patient and accomodating of different characters.However I hate the working hours.Although ideally I should  work from 8 to 5 but that is not the case because journalism really has no working hours.Sometimes I have to get in very early for morning assignments or knock off quite late if I have evening assignments so the working schedule really revolves around that.

When did you know you wanted to be a journalist?

From a young age.That might sound unbelivable but its true.My dad is a retired journalist and I have always been daddy’s girl.So I used to follow his job with an interest and during his days as a journalist I was always  fascinated by his job,mostly because he would travel to different places.He worked for the governemnt media so he would either write for the newspaper or be on radio and to a little girl that was very interesting enough to settle on as a career choice.So my dad was my major influence though I have to give the South African TV Magazine show Top Billing some credit as well.I used to watch it religiously and the destinations they showed made me want to become a journalist but a travel journalist in particular so as to get the chance to travel the world.

What are your career goals for the next 5 years?

I see myself doing humanatarian work in the next few years,I think then I would be fulfilled and content because I love to be more practical and hands on.The United Nations has many  portals which can give me that  chance so I am pushing for that.In doing that work I can always write articles to share the stories of the communities that I will be working with because a journalist will always be a journalist.I know I will not be able to resist the urge to write.One other character I have is that I am very excellent in front of the camera so the aim is to make a pit stop at CNN or BBC on my way to do doing that humanitarian work.

Is there anything else you’re doing besides working for Mmegi?

The only thing I am currently doing outside Mmegi is writing.I have always been a literature person so I am putting that to use by writing short stories which I hope to share with the world when I am ready and they done.I am also considering doing voluntary work,especially in line with abused women.As a young woman I have always been an advocate for women’s rights but I believe its high time I do more and get actively involved rather than just post  a status on Facebook or just talk about that with my friends,that really is not enough.

What are your thoughts about journalism in Botswana?

Journalism in Botswana has grown a lot.We have seen the emergence of two papers ,Weekend Post and The Patriot over the last two years which is proof enough.The working conditions of journalists has also evolved with time as compared to back in the days when telephones and the internet was a luxury.However the internet has taken over and its killing the traditional form of journalism because when something happens it is always broke on social media so when the paper eventually comes out people see that as old news.Although the media can never say its entirely free,I believe in Botswana as compared to most media houses and journalists around Africa and the world at large,we are free.The government can talk back and rebute articles and reports but it has not resorted to violence on journalists and that is good.

What advice can you give other young people out there who are interested in being journalists?

I would tell them to do journalism because they love it.Journalism can be a rewarding job if you love it because truthfully speaking there is no money in journalism unless you are editor or hold a senior position so they don’t want to get stuck in a job that they hate and doesn’t pay at the same time.That would be very bad.Either the money or the job satisfaction has to constitute for the other.