The Exclusives in a programme that started last week on ITV2, which follows six hopeful journalists on a journey of tasks and lessons as one hopeful winner will land a deal with a national magazine and become a journalist.

Sounds good doesn’t it? A new reality talent show for the budding journalist. Well here’s the thing, I don’t like it. I don’t like the idea, the concept or even the show! I always think of Journalism as a skill, almost a trade, where you have to work and chisel away at your style in order to perfect it, but this show seems set on dragging down the name of the journalist to the level of an X-Factor contestant, and making its viewers believe this is ‘cool’! I can understand it more with things like the X-Factor and The Voice, as these are more talent based shows, but journalism is something that is taught surely? I have never met a journalist that has had no training and absolutely no input, but yet is still amazing.

Pardon me if I sound bitter or jealous, I really don’t mean to be, but doesn’t this type of process, as I’m sure people trying to make it in the business world think of The Apprentice, question all the hard work and hours people have had to put in to get themselves noticed, but more importantly question the integrity of the title ‘Journalist’? Tell me if I’m wrong but this show just opens up another career route to the mass millions, by having a group of good looking, fun-to-be-around guys who everyone and their dog will want to be like, it becomes more about the people and less about the work, which in my eyes invalidates the show as just more garbage TV.

Look at the way it is branded and advertised, and the channel it is on says a lot for the type of audience the top dogs are looking for. The website goes for a trashy, celeb magazine look that appeals to the same audience who watch shows such as ‘The Only Way Is Essex’, coincidental? I think not. It strikes me as trying to be the Apprentice for the younger, slightly less informed audience that seems to be clinging to their TV’s recently.

As you can tell I do not have time for this type of programme, and will always believe hard work and commitment will reap the rewards you desire. The answer is not to launch another competition process in order to find the best in six weeks. This industry just doesn’t fit those criteria, in my eyes. As I stated earlier, feel free to call me bitter an jealous, but I think anyone who values good journalism will understand it’s not as easy as The Exclusives suggests.

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