Jane MacDonald

Background

About Jane MacDonald

My working life began in television journalism after graduating from university in 1978. Nothing beats the experience of actually learning on the job, but having experienced journalists such as Hugh Lunn teaching me in the politically turbulent and fascinating 70's was invaluable for understanding the essence of interviewing, news reporting and feature writing. Several years working in newspaper journalism at The Observer in Gladstone followed, where I gained knowledge and experience of a regional community going through a difficult growth period - one of many this city would face in the decades ahead. I also continued to do some freelance television work at that time covering military exercises in Central Queensland. With more than 10 years of journalistic experience behind me, I began passing on my knowledge to students at CQ University in 1989 and continued to teach part-time until 2006. During those years, I returned to do some newspaper sub-editing work and also further study, completing my Honours degree in Communications in 2002. This degree, based on coursework and a thesis, gave me the opportunity to research the Observer's newspaper coverage of the Stuart Shale Oil Project in Gladstone - a controversial period from - 2001 - marked by local community and Greenpeace led environmental protests. This interest in print media coverage of environmental issues led me onto further study in this area when I commenced PhD level research in 2004. After working with the Community Relations team at Gladstone Ports Corporation for a two month period in 2008, I returned to the organisation in February 2009 as Communications Manager. My role involved leading and developing a small Community Relations team at a time when the Corporation was beginning an enormous period of expansion.