The Mirror Magazine catches up with a young Australian reporter with Sri Lankan roots-by Duvindi Illankoon
Source:Sundaytimes
Born in Australia to a Sri Lankan mother and Maltese father, young reporter Sharnelle Vella, says her Sri Lankan roots were very much a part of her growing up.
“My link to Sri Lanka was strongly instilled in me from a young age,” she explains over an email interview. Sharnelle currently works as a reporter for Australia’s Ten Eyewitness News programme, broadcast by Channel Ten. It has been a long, hard road to get to where she is now, she says while sharing her experience with the Mirror Magazine
“I first visited Sri Lanka when I was just five years old and have made frequent trips since. I do still have family that live there and the times I spent in Sri Lanka especially as a child are some of my fondest memories of growing up. I’ve always been surrounded by Sri Lankan food and music in Melbourne. It’s a big part of our family gatherings!”
She finished her high school education in 2005 and took some time to travel in Europe, working full time before returning to Australia to study Media and Communications at Deakin University. Sharnelle passed this degree with distinction, and went on to complete an honours degree in journalism for which she obtained first class honours. “While I studied for my honours I began to think about what kind of journalism I wanted to do but soon realised it didn’t matter- I just wanted to tell stories and tell them well,” she says.
Sharnelle’s honours thesis was based on citizen journalism in Sri Lanka, and the challenges faced by journalists in the country. She feels strongly about media censorship, pointing out that it’s easy to forget about the vital role played by a journalist disseminating information in every corner of the world.
Following graduation, Sharnelle secured a cadetship at a local news radio station called Melbourne Talk Radio where she “learnt the tricks of the trade”. When the station went off air Sharnelle “hounded and harassed” television networks for work experience until she found herself in the Channel 10 newsroom. Following a week’s work experience she was hired as a production assistant which involved anything from checking the spelling in introductions to rolling autocues for the news anchor. “It was a tough two year slog behind the scenes but after some time I guess I proved myself,” she shares. “I could be thrown into interviews and was willing to do whatever it took.” Her hard work paid off-she was called into the news director’s office one day to be told that she would be going out on the road as a journalist. “It was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had.”
Doing what she loves means her day whizzes past her. Sharnelle will start work between 6am and 8am every day, reading the newspapers and listening to the radio. Once she reports to her chief of staff she’ll be assigned her story for the day, although this could change in a minute- just like her day. As a general news reporter she’ll cover many genres of news, from murders to shootings, fire zones in regional areas, drug raids, Anzac Day at the Shrine- where 60000 Victorians stood in silence to remember their fallen troops-and yes, the occasional zoo story about a baby elephant or leopard getting its teeth cleaned! “I mostly enjoy covering crime or police stories,” she says. “There’s a bit of thrill in being sent to a crime scene, talking to detectives and watching the story unfold as they piece it together.”
Her work day can easily last for 10-12 hours, and although it can get pretty tiring “the pay-off is in following a story from start to finish and the ability to inform thousands of people,” she enthuses. If she gets to do what she’s doing now in 20 years she’d be very happy, she says. “I’m not sure exactly what my goals are beyond journalism because for a long time doing what I’m doing now was the goal. I would like to work overseas one day as a correspondent. That would be a big dream but it is one of the amazing things about working with words and journalism – it can travel borders and still be recognized for what it is – Storytelling.”
Her advice to young people in the media – “always say yes-to the hard work, the hours and the assignments. Do the hard yards – there is no other way to earn the respect of your managers or your peers. Also always remember journalism is not a 9 to 5 job. There is no end time to your day. Stories are everywhere and you have to be able to recognize them. So if you don’t plan on working long hours and always being ‘on’ it may not be the job for you!”
