Trade With Style

So being quite new to the world of trade journalism - I didn't know what to expect. I found it highly specialist, news-heavy and quite hard work. I have a great deal of respect for the people of The Stage newspaper - and that is not because they have given me some freelancing to do - it is because they really are experts in their field and the total authority in theatrical industry.

In only my short time with them in the office, I already feel like what I thought was a broad knowledge of theatre has widened and deepened dramatically ('scuse the pun). Ballet press conferences, the industry's richest and Oxford Playhouse folklore are now all part of the grey matter I am forced to call my brain.

Trade journalism may not be as glamorous as consumer but it is just as thorough and interesting - and fully ahead of its own game every step of the way. I also think it is amazing how the broadsheets pick up stories from the trade publications and run with them like they have never been printed. Last week for instance, Alistair Smith, the news editor, broke this story and it was covered the following week by all the newspapers and television news. He was invited to speak on both Sky News and Channel Five news and off he went to be their specialist spokesperson.

I am liking this increasing blurring of print and broadcast boundaries. Being an expert on TV sounds good to me. In fact just being an expert sounds really appealing.

Off to a press conference tomorrow on digital archiving. Tres excited and looking forward to reporting back. I just hope the tasty snacks on offer are as delicious as the pastries I devoured at today's conference.