- Name: William Brederode
- Age: 25
- Title: Technology journalist
- Section:News24 Business
The purpose of my role in the newsroom is: To tell the truth, try to answer important questions and approach every day with intensity and integrity.
Why choose journalism as opposed to any other career? On a personal level, I find the work unbelievably stimulating. My whole world is alive with possible stories, and I can’t help but think that way every time I leave the house.
To be a young journalist in 2026 feels like: A massive opportunity to apply the time-tested principles and values that are espoused in the Press Code to new mediums. We need more people who know why it is important to [give] a right of reply, for example, when making social media videos.
I want to be remembered for: No need. I am motivated by producing good work.
The hardest part of your job is: I try not to think about things that way. The hard parts of the job are often what make it so rewarding.
The best part of your job is: Filing a story and knowing that you did the best job you could have under the constraints you were operating under.
The most misunderstood thing about your job is: Some people assume that our independence can be bought. I am happy to say that mine cannot. If I didn’t trust that my colleagues at News24 felt the same, I would leave.
Something that a colleague told you that has shifted your thinking: It wasn’t necessarily something that he said, but Jeff Wicks imparted a value of “nothing good comes easy” to me.
Working in journalism can sometimes feel bleak. How do you stop the news from breaking you? It is very rare that I feel bleak. There are so many brilliant and resilient people in this country.
What’s an underrated feature that you enjoy from your News24 subscription? Sharing five subscriber articles with others every month.
Young people get info for free on the web; why should they pay? If you open News24 on any given day and at any given time and stay for longer than a minute, you will close the app better informed about the country. You should take that opportunity.
When you’re not scrolling News24, where do you get/consume your news? The New York Times sets the global standard for reporting in my opinion. My subscription is worth every cent.
