top of page
MADELEINE BALCOMBE
WORK COMPLETED FOR MA MAGAZINE JOURNALISM
PLUNGE MAGAZINE
From January - March, we created a multi-platform brand from scratch and launched a brand new magazine, titled Plunge. Plunge is your go-to place for all things cold-water wellness.
For the first six weeks, I was content editor. It was my role to commission content for publication both online and in print. I was responsible for making sure deadlines were hit, for subbing copy, and for making sure everything hit the brief. I also created and designed the Plunge newsletter in this time.
We then had an editor handover and, for the final four weeks, I became deputy social media editor. In this role, I created and published posts on Plunge's social platforms (Instagram, TikTok, Facebook), produced weekly analytic reports, and wrote articles for publication both online and in print.
IMMERSIVE SHORTHAND FEATURE
In March, I published my first immersive feature on Shorthand. For this piece, I decided to spend a week connecting with strangers on Bumble for Friends to find out whether it is an effective solution to combat the loneliness epidemic that many young adults are experiencing.
This allowed me to try a new style of feature writing and introduced me to Shorthand, a visual storytelling platform.
PLATTER AND PLONK: SUBSTACK NEWSLETTER
As part of my MA Magazine Journalism course, I have set up my own substack newsletter, called Platter and Plonk.
Every month, from December 2023 - May 2024, I will publish a new post. This newsletter is every wine and cheese lover's dream, covering everything from recommendations and recipes, to interviews with industry professionals and the history behind the pairing.
Creating my own newsletter has allowed me to gain experience using substack, an increasingly popular platform in the industry,
REPORTERS AND REPORTED PODCAST
I had the pleasure of speaking to former BBC executive, Professor Richard Sambrook, for the Reporters and Reported podcast.
We discussed the importance of impartiality, identity politics, the impact of social media, and the challenges facing public service broadcasters today. Plus, Richard shared some of his advice for those looking to break into the industry!
TALKIN' 9-5 PODCAST
My peers and I set up a new podcast. Talkin' 9-5 set out to give listeners their weekly Cardiff work life debrief.
In our first episode, we discussed the upcoming renovations that will take place in Cardiff Market. We outlined what the plans will involve, voxpopped various different market stall owners about their opinions, and interviewed Jacob Knight -- owner of Knight Vintage, a clothing stall in the market.
ALTERNATIVE CARDIFF
'If it's offbeat and in Cardiff then it's online here.'
As part of my MA Magazine Journalism course, I have written a series of news stories for Alternative Cardiff.
In the first term, I produced a series of news stories for a different category on the website: social life, work life, and public life. This allowed me to explore what's going on in the city, while speaking to various different sources and developing my news writing skills.
bottom of page