Imogen Blake
About me
Award-winning food journalist for MailOnline, the most read news website in the world. Has
the skill to file accurate and compelling content quickly. An enthusiastic team player and
former education editor, news reporter and features writer, with editing and management experience.
Employment history
Aug 2016 - Present: Food Journalist - MailOnline
- Pitches five ideas to editor everyday
- Fast turnover of copy
- Articles have been picked up by Mail on Sunday and Daily Mail newspapers
- Stories often featured on homepage, with several chosen for prestigious slot near the 'splash'
- Stories achieve between 40,000 and 190,000 hits a day on average
June 2016 - Aug 2016: Education Editor - Ham&High series, Islington Gazette, Hackney
Gazette and Brent&Kilburn Times
- Edited 68-page, 60-page, and 44-page glossy education magazines for north London, Essex and Kent
- Wrote education features for glossy magazines
- Wrote education news items for all north London papers
- Co-ordinated coverage of results days
- Assisted with launch of education supplements
- Built up contacts in north London education field
Mar 2016–June 2016 Senior Features Writer - Ham&High series, Islington
Gazette, Hackney Gazette and Brent&Kilburn Times
- Used large network of contacts to secure interviews with high profile figures. Interviewees included Jude Law’s ex Sadie Frost, Peaky Blinders star Helen McCrory and director David Farr, who adapted The Night Manager
- Had responsibility for editing features section of Gazettes, drawing up weekly content plan and sending instructions to designers
- Sub-edited own work and content from freelancers, incl. re-phrasing clunky sentences, checking for accuracy and writing headlines
- Experience in writing all styles of feature, from double page interviews spreads, to Q&As and in-brief items
- Managed the entertainment sections of each newspaper’s website: posting content online, writing SEO-optimised web headlines and promoting content on social media platforms.
- Held status in newsroom as the ‘go-to’ for legal checks after winning award for highest-scoring media law exam paper in 2015
- Deputised for the features editor in her absence
- Wrote features for and liaised with commercial colleagues for Archant north London’s education magazine
May 2013–Mar 2016 Senior News Reporter - Ham&High
- Education correspondent, and reporter for one of paper’s core patches: Highgate
- Confident in interviewing public figures (eg Ed Miliband)
- Covered for news editors in their absence, managing a newsdesk team of up to four people.
- Articles regularly picked up by national outlets, including The Times and The Daily Mail.
- Sub-edited all own work
- Successfully pitched at least five stories to news editor daily
Awards
Aug 2015 Midland News Association’s Ted Bottomley Award
Achieved best result in the country in the media law and practice exam paper for the National Qualification in Journalism (NQJ). Was featured as award-winner on trade press website Hold the Front Page and on the NCTJ’s website.
Training
Aug 2015 National Qualification in Journalism (NQJ)Achieved senior status within one year of taking the NCTJ’s Diploma in Journalism as a distance learner. Was then asked to write blog for Hold the Front Page on tips for distance learners.
Nov 2014 NCTJ Diploma in Journalism: ‘Gold standard’
Studied for and passed Diploma in Journalism as distance learner while working full-time as trainee reporter. Achieved “gold standard”.
2012-2013 MA in Newspaper Journalism from City University, London: Merit
Taught by acclaimed journalists including award-winning Sunday Times features writer Ann McFerran.
Education
2009 – 2012 University of Exeter BA English Literature: 2:1 (hons).1999 – 2009 Ipswich High School
A-levels: AAB in English Literature, history,
and French. B in Spanish AS.
GCSEs: 11 A*-B
GCSEs: 11 A*-B
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