How can I become a war journalist?

Question

I'd really love to do this job, especially so I could go and talk to both sides of a conflict.

But how do you become a war reporter? I mean, sports journalists might be former athletes, food and drink writers might have done a college course in catering, but a war reporter?

Any serious help welcome, thanks!

I'm a 22yr old male, no previous experience in journalism (but I am well-travelled through the Middle East and north Africa) and I hail from Dorset, England.

Answer 1

It's dead man's shoes, I'm afraid....

When can you start?

Sorry, you asked for serious help.  

Here is an account by a War Journalist about his job, which may inspire you (or put you off for good) http://www.digitaljournalist.org/issue03...

Start here: http://www.nujtraining.org.uk/show_title...

Also, the previous answerer is right about shorthand; though Pitman is just as good; you can't rely on technology to record your news in a war zone.  You also need t good international knowledge, and some skill with languages (or at least communicating), as wars pop up all over the place.

You might also want to spend some time talking with the Army (careful - they may try to recruit you) and write to one or two known war journalists.  Martin Bell MP was a foreign correspondent you might want to contact: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/corre...

Answer 2

I am a student Journalist in Scotland. Firstly, get the relevant qualifications. Nothing pines me more than people who put in 3 or 4 years studying or training in order to get a better job then someone with no training or qualification gets in.

Being a war correspondent is a specialist reporting job. Firstly you would have to do the mundane stuff like reporting from home. Also, to have any chance of a journalists career you have to learn Teeline shorthand and be above 100 words per minute.

Hope this helps.