Taylor Thompson-Fuller
Journalist, composer, radio producer
Bachelor of Communication (Sound and Music Design) / Bachelor of Arts in International Studies
Empathy is the most important skill in a journalist’s arsenal, but it can’t be taught on the job or in the classroom, only learned through lived experience. My time in Germany forced me into negotiating situations where empathy was not only required, but demanded.
Taylor Fuller-Thompson is a freelance journalist, radio producer and composer. He has reported for The Guardian and the Community Radio Network’s flagship current affairs program The Wire, and for the Australian Associated Press (AAP) Newswire and FactCheck service.
Taylor started a Communications (Information and Media) degree at UTS, and then returned for a double degree in Sound and Music design and International studies (Germany). He started working for 2SER and Guardian Australia while he was studying and his work with others on the podcast series “The death of David Dungay” was a finalist in the 2018 Walkley Awards in the “Coverage of a Major News Event or Issue (Radio)” category.
Despite being currently slammed with work fact-checking COVID-19 mis/disinformation, Taylor took time to share some wisdom for new students and graduates.
Where are you right now?
At home in the Inner West of Sydney.
What are you focusing on?
Fact checking mis/disinformation about COVID-19.
Who are you working for?
Currently I work as part of the Australian Associated Press’ FactCheck team. We fact check mis/disinformation from politicians and on Facebook. Since January we’ve covered the various waves of inaccurate or false information surrounding COVID-19.
What has the experience been like so far? Would you recommend it to other students/grads?
I would highly recommend working as a journalist for the Australian Associated Press - if we weren’t shutting down on June 26th…
What has your life been like during COVID shutdown?
It’s been fine so far. I am currently working at home, which suits the FactCheck team fine as most of our work is done online anyway. What I have noticed though is that we are getting bombarded with mis/disinformation about COVID-19, which is becoming tiresome.
So why did you choose the Comms degree, then come back and do the Sound/Music and International Studies course?
I always had a keen interest in music and podcast producing. I saw the pure Communications degree as something that didn’t exactly fit my interests, with the comms subjects in the Sound and Music program enough to sate my interests.
Why did you choose Germany for International Studies?
A lot of people have asked me this question. Germany is possibly the most influential country in the EU and has an established, thriving, music culture that I am really interested in. Also German as a language was a challenge and a bit out of the norm.
Was your time in Germany useful in your work as a journalist?
Empathy is the most important skill in a journalist’s arsenal, but it can’t be taught on the job or in the classroom, only learned through lived experience. My time in Germany forced me into negotiating situations where empathy was not only required, but demanded.
Was your degree overall what you expected?
Absolutely. The Sound and Music Design aspect of my degree gave me lots of hands on experience, while the International Studies aspect gave me a valuable grounding in theory.
Best elements, worst elements, most valuable subjects/experiences?
The best elements of the International Studies component was the opportunity to experience another country for an entire year, it felt like an immersion, not an excursion. To add to that, the in-country language classes were amazing and pushed my German from basic to - on the precipice of being - advanced.
Highlights?
The biggest highlights of my time at UTS include finishing off my final capstone project for the Sound and Music Design aspect of my degree. Also the “Sex, Race, Empire” subjects, they literally changed my worldview.
Did UTS help prepare you for your career?
UTS taught me how to think critically, how to process information thoroughly and how to address sources of information. My tertiary education has helped me a lot in my role as a fact checker.
Do you have a long-term career plan?
My long term career plan is to stick with journalism. Despite the fact that the industry is almost in its death throes and at times the high pressure environment of the job.
How did you land a job at the Guardian?
Just for the record, I was freelancing for Guardian Australia. I worked on a story for two years, building contacts and material then proposed the Breathless: The Death of David Dungay podcast series.
What are some pieces of work you’ve done since graduating that you are most proud of?
Definitely Breathless: The Death of David Dungay podcast series. You can see some of my other work on the FactCheck page at AAP.com.au.
What was your biggest takeaway from your time at UTS generally, and doing your degrees specifically?
My biggest takeaway was that despite what field you may be studying in most of the skills you learn in a comms degree are transferable. It’s more about developing a way of thinking as well as hands on skills.
Who are your heroes?
Andy Weatherall, recently passed pioneer of dance and punk music. His ubiquity and uniqueness is unparalleled. Seymour Hersch, the American investigative journalist who broke the My Lai massacre story.
What are you listening to?
Italian group Plus Two’s classic single “Stop Fantasy”.
What’s something I should ask you?
How much my outstanding fines are at the UTS Library… You don’t want to know.
