Dorcas Marfo: 2022 CJF-CTV Black Journalism Fellow
Being a part of the 2022 roster for the CJF Black Fellowship was a dream come true. I received acceptance when I was eight months into my internship at the Toronto Star. I was thrilled to be transiting from digital and print to broadcast and improving my journalistic skills in this industry among gifted anchors, reporters, producers, writers and more who I’ve followed during j-school.
My fellowship started at CTV Toronto, where I worked closely with investigative reporter Jon Woodward, who taught me how to produce and report in-depth stories for the big screen. I pitched several stories and saw some come to life. My favourite of the stories I worked on were accounts of the increasing numbers of Ontario nurses flocking to the U.S. as a result of to the ongoing health crisis and a report on a city-accredited vehicle-for-hire training course, AMB Driving, failing to ensure security regulations for their online-only courses. The result was a 3-minute broadcast segment, but a lot goes on behind the scenes. Hats off to all those involved in the process! I’ve also had the wonderful opportunity to work and shadow talented reporters on stories for the six o’clock segment.
The last half of my fellowship finished off with CP24’s Digital team. Working with a small team of web writers has been great. I’m impressed each day after witnessing the large pool of city stories that are shuffled out daily. I worked on several story assignments weekly. The breaking news cycle can be tiring, but CP24’s coverage keeps it relevant. I enjoy working in both digital and print journalism. Hence, I felt excited to join this team and use the skills from previous placements and courses to amplify the stories I’m passionate about.
One thing to note is the newsroom culture that I missed out on at the Star owing to remote work. Being in a filled newsroom and seeing first-hand the teamwork that depends on an all-hands-on-deck approach has made me appreciate all roles in the newsroom. I have a newfound appreciation for chase producers, assignment editors, meteorologists, camera operators and more! I’ve greatly benefited from this experience, and I’m walking away more confident in my journalistic skill set.
Starting with CTV Toronto and continuing my journey as a freelance web writer for CTVnews.ca is a full-circle moment for me. I’m eternally grateful to all the amazing folks at CJF for their continuous support!
