Behind the scenes of journalism: Recognising unsung heroes

Hilary Gavin

OVER the past decade or so, during my self-imposed early retirement, I enjoyed going to the movies with a friend who would insist on sitting through the credits at the end of a film.

Of course, this was an alien concept to me and to our fellow filmgoers at our New Park picture-drome in Chichester, West Sussex, who would get up and leave as soon as the starring actors had finished playing their last scene onscreen.

Naturally, I asked my friend why she sat through the credits and she would tell me (and I am paraphrasing here): “So many backscreen stagehands help to make a movie. It’s important to recognise them.”

As a former journalist (sub-editor), her words struck a chord with me at the time because I knew only too well that it wasn’t just the venerated, or despised, editors, commentators, correspondents (foreign and domestic), showbiz, sports and news reporters who help to sell a national and local newspaper.

Just like any other business in any industry, it’s the unsung “backstage heroes” who make the magic happen, so to speak, and who often save the day when things unexpectedly go awry.

And this is why I love the 2012 film Quartet, directed by Dustin Hoffman, and starring a quintet of my favourite actors, the now late Maggie Smith, Pauline Collins, alongside Billy Connolly, Tom Courtenay and the gruff-voiced Michael Gambon.

Now, I’m not going to write a synopsis of the movie here but it’s a gentle and tender film about four old opera singers who meet up again when they are put out for pasture and are forced to rub along together in a retirement home for old luvvies.

Saying that – and given my preceding paragraphs – it is only apt that give credit where credit is due by mentioning the late British/South African-born playwright Sir Ronald Harwood (ne Horwitz).

And if you want to find out more about Sir Ronald, who penned the West End play, research it at Quartet (2012 film) – Wikipedia

If you’ve been reading my blogs here at my WordPress site hilarygavin.blog , you’ll know that – although I worked in journalism – I wasn’t lauded by my industry or the public at large.

In reality, I spent most of my time as a jobbing sub-editor beavering away behind the scenes with my fellow production staff in an unglamorous role that meant working anti-social hours.

And like any other office job, you often ran the gauntlet of office politics with its clash of personalities, petty jealousies, and festering resentments when others garnered praise from bosses whilst you, and your fellow talented, hard-working colleagues went unnoticed.

Of course, this lack of recognition preyed on my mind during my working life as a sub-editor at the Sun Online and The Irish Sun in Wapping and later as a lowly casual sub-editor in London.

And I’m not sure if you can find my bylines as a local reporter at the Farnborough and Camberley News on the British Newspaper (BNA) Archive online because I don’t subscribe to it.

Over the years I somehow lost my cuttings scrapbook showcasing articles written by me during my NCTJ studies at Highbury College, Cosham in 1995 and my front-pages as a rookie reporter.

Some of my Sun World press trip cuttings during my time as a sub-editor on The Sun Online and Irish Sun

Yesterday, my lodger told me that I could look my online profile up at ChatGPT so, being a naturally curious person, I took a quick glance at myself and was, on the whole, pleasantly surprised.

Saying that, I felt disheartened when ChatGPT warned readers that AI could only take my word for my online CV because it didn’t have access to News International’s historic HR personnel files.

Sub-editors at The Sun don’t make the headlines and are – in my experience – more often than not shy, quiet and bookish people who shun the limelight and enjoy working behind the scenes.

However, if you take a look at our industry’s Press Gazette publication, you’ll soon realise that on the whole reporters venerate The Sun’s sub-editors because they make their copy sing!

I should say that I’ve few regrets in my life, but – if you pushed me to list them – I’d say I was upset that I’d not realised my potential playing golf and in my career as a journalist.

Of course, I’ve always known my limitations in life so I’m well aware that I could never have reached the dizzy heights as a pro golfer like my contemporary Laura Davies, or as a tabloid splash sub-editor on The Sun like Chris Hockley (Research him at ChatGPT).

So, all I have to show for my career as a journalist is temporary membership of my fabulous NUJ union, and a few press cuttings of the press trips The Sun’s Travel Editor Lisa Minot assigned me.

Oh, and not forgetting the few bylines I’ve kept from my brief stint as a freelance reporter for the Staines & Ashford News in Surrey.

During those few months in 20I0, I wrote stories about everyday heroes such as the late Stanwell teenager and trainee mechanic Ian Coy, who drowned trying save a friend and his dog in the River Thames.

As the headline on the front page of the edition of the Staines News on October 28th, 2010, said: “Ian died because ‘his heart ruled his head’.” One of life’s true heroes who should not be forgotten.

See cuttings below:

Ian Coy, the Stanwell teenager who drowned in The Thames trying to save his friend and his dog. He was aged 19.

Hilary Gavin

A freelance journalist who wants to see a return to public accountability in the local press

Hilary Gavin

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Hilary Gavin

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