News
Friday 10th, October, 2014
Yvonne Kinsella Interview
Yvonne Kinsella started her career in the media 16 years ago as a journalist in The Tallaght Echo newspaper. She then worked for the Sunday Tribune, the Sunday World and the Irish Mirror and freelanced for newspapers and magazines such as Woman’s Way and The Herald.
In 2003 she started as a TV Researcher with Tyrone Productions and has worked her way up to Producer level. Some of the programmes she has worked on include RTE and TV 3 favourites such as The Big Bite, DIY Dads, Seoige & O’Shea, Operation Transformation, Living with Murder, Shakedown the Town, The Estate and Prison Families, amongst others.
She also worked as the reporter on the Tom Dunne Show on Newstalk in 2013, travelling around the country reporting on issues of the day, and on air with the presenter three or four times a week. Over the years she has written or ghost written six books, published worldwide by leading publishers such as Random House, Hachette, Poolbeg. The last book (which she ghost wrote called Stolen, Escape from Syria) is currently being developed for film.
Yvonne has also worked as a literary agent, securing deals for writers at book fairs worldwide. To date she is working full time as a TV Producer and writing books.
When and why you decided to take up your chosen career?
When I left school I went straight into shop work and only went back to college when I was 30. I had been working at Intel and they paid for me to do a journalism/tv diploma at Tallaght IT. I loved it so much that I decided to ask for work experience at the Sunday Tribune and went straight from there to The Echo in Tallaght then the Sunday World and the Mirror before going into TV over ten years ago. I have also dabbled in radio reporting which I loved, written or ghost written six books to date all with major publishers worldwide and for a time ran a literary agency.
Did you find it difficult to break into this industry, what tips would you give to any young person trying to break into your industry?
I did the course and then approached the newspaper asking for work experience and everything fell into place for me from there. I would say never be afraid to ask for work experience or a job. And never feel that any job in your chosen industry is beneath you. I know of one multimillionaire who started work as a runner in RTE. We all have to start somewhere and we can climb that ladder to success along the way.
Who is your greatest influence regarding your chosen career?
I never think .. God I would love to be like her or him... I just love what I am doing and feel that once I am happy in my own work then that's fine. I don't believe that we should all have someone we aspire to be. In my mind loving your work and doing the best you can makes you feel good and that is better than always hoping that you will be like someone else. As the old saying goes... The grass isn't always greener on the other side. Be happy in yourself. That is all that matters.
What is the most challenging project you have ever worked on?
The most challenging project I ever worked on, or the most challenging thing I have ever done, was having to constantly knock on the doors of people who would have lost a loved one tragically on the very day, or within 24 hours of them dying, to write up an article. It had to be done when you are a journalist who writes 'news' but it is always very hard to do, because I always think that I would hate to be the person opening that door. But once it is done with dignity and you are apologetic and offer your condolences most people understand why you are there and why you have to do that. It is a hard job, but unfortunately it IS your job as a news reporter.
What is the best piece of professional advice you have ever received?
There is a saying ... Always treat people well on your way up.. as you never know when you will meet them on your way down. And I always treat young people coming in on work experience as part of the team, because it is a really stressful thing for any young person to do, coming into an office to try to get experience and a feel for the industry when they know no one the and everyone deserves to be treated with respect. And of course 20 years down the line I may have to go in front of them begging for a job in their own company 
Noise Careers: "Careers in Radio, Television & Journalism" takes place in Tallaght Library from 5.30 to 7pm on Monday 13th October. To book a free place please contact Tallaght Library at talib@sdublincoco.ie or on (01) 4620073.