« Back | Home » At work with Diane Coetzer: Music Journalist

There are many different types of journalists. From News Journalists to Photojournalists, these terms may sound familiar to us. But what exactly is a Music Journalist?  Do these journalists earn more for their savings accounts and other banking solutions than other journalists? Well, you'll just have to read this interview to find out more.

Meet Diane Coetzer: Music Journalist

CP: What is your job/position?
DC: Freelance journalist, writer and editor – specialising in music journalism through positions as South African correspondent for Billboard magazine in America and as Editor of EntertainmentAfrica.co.za

CP:  What do you LOVE most about your job?
DC: It’s dynamic! Each day brings something different – I could be doing an in-depth article on the need for an official music chart in South Africa or a review of the latest Lil’ Wayne album. It’s often exciting – for instance doing reviews of great live concerts – and it brings together my love of writing and passion for music of all different genres. You also never stop learning because the longer you have been a writer for, the more skills you can pick up like editing and sub-editing.

CP:  When you were at school, what type of career did you think you would follow?
DC: My Dad was a journalist and I loved creative writing at school so always knew that I would be a writer of sorts. I did harbour some ideas of being a politician post the apartheid era but that had more to do with my involvement in anti-apartheid organisations.

CP:  When, where & what did you study?
DC: I studied a general BA at the University of Natal – now the University of Kwa-Zulu Natal – in Durban from 1983, majoring in Political Science and Economic History. I followed that with an Honours degree at the same university in Economic History.

DC: How long was it before you found employment in the field that you studied for?
DC: As soon as I had completed my Honours degree I found work with a news agency based in Durban that supplied several “struggle” newspapers in Joburg and Cape Town. I had worked on various newspapers during my University holidays to gain experience.

CP:  What other jobs have you had?
DC: I worked throughout my University career and whilst at school – helping out at a chemist, and as a cashier at a restaurant. I did work for a time in a below-the-line advertising agency writing copy. Although at the time I was frustrated by not doing “real” journalism, I kept my hand in by freelancing. In retrospect, I believe my time at the agency gave me the ability to be very versatile in my writing and until today enables me to supplement my journalistic income with corporate writing. I find that now I have a family, the income from freelance feature writing is insufficient for my monthly needs. However, if you are a good writer you are able to earn extra, and often well paid, income by doing content writing for companies (for example newsletters, press releases and more).

CP: Where are you currently employed? 
DC: I am self-employed. I have my own cc which I have run my work through since 1999.

CP: How long have you been self-employed?
DC: I have been a freelancer since 1999.

CP:  What do you like most about freelance working?
DC: I am my own boss! I am very flexible and if I have something urgent to attend to in the day, I simply wake up at the crack of dawn the next day to catch up or work in the evening.

CP:  What does a typical working day look like? 
DC: I work on multiple writing projects in any given day. I edit a website – entertainmentafrica.co.za – so that entails overseeing what the fulltime writers are producing, including guiding them on features and ideas as well as editing all the editorial on the website. In addition I write features for this website so may write a review or do an interview for it during the day.

I also regularly send stories to London for Billboard and so could be working on a feature for them that entails interviewing key individuals in the music industry which I would either do by phone or in person (less frequently by email – I find it too impersonal and a great deal of this line of work is knowing people).

I may also write a press release for a publicity company that I regularly write for – I was the publicity writer for ‘So You Think You can Dance’ and that was a weekly commitment (plus I got to go to the live shows with my 10-year-old daughter which she loved!).

I may also do an interview for an artist’s biography – I do a great deal of these which come under what I call corporate work. A record label may ask me to write a biography and press release for an artist releasing an album – for instance in the past few weeks I have done biographies and press releases for artists as diverse as Lira to Steve Hofmeyr and Zebra & Giraffe.

CP:  What are the main 'tools of your trade?
DC: My MacBook! I receive and send may emails during the day – using this as a way to set up interviews and more. I also do quite a lot of research on the internet for stories.
As I work remotely from home for EntertainmentAfrica.co.za I work through Yahoo Instant Messenger, keeping in touch with the team during the day and use the internet to edit in the Content Management System. I use the cell phone quite a bit although it can be disruptive to writing so I often let it take messages and return these once I have a chance.

CP:  Have you ever job shadowed? 
DC: Yes. During my years at University I helped out on a newspaper – The Argus in Cape Town – shadowing the Woman’s Editor who gave me real inspiration to push forward with my desire to get into journalism even though I was unable to take the B Journ degree at Rhodes that I wanted to (for financial reasons).

CP:  Have you ever done any volunteer work to gain experience?
DC:  Yes - I put in time on a newspaper to gain a foot in the door.

CP:  What made you decide to choose the career that you have?
DC: I have always been passionate about reading and writing – and also wanted to use my writing to change people’s opinions for the better. I started off in political journalism during the anti apartheid struggle and used my writing to expose what was going on. This happens less in music and other journalism these days but I have done some more heavyweight articles recently that take me back to that.

CP:  Does your job involve managing other people?
DC: Somewhat – I manage the editorial team at EntertainmentAfrica.co.za

CP:  What, if anything, is the downside of your job?
DC: Often I take on too much. I have a big family and this entails keeping my income flowing so even though I am exhausted and overstretched I may take on an offer of work because the money is needed.

CP:  Do you work office hours or flexi-time?
DC: Flexi-time.

CP: Do you work in a relaxed or a formal environment?

DC: Relaxed – although I sometimes get stressed! But I listen to music while I work and get to go to album launches and meet musicians which is pretty relaxed.

CP: What can one expect to earn in this career?
DC: R7 000 (starting) to R25 000 (experienced)

CP:  Does your job include travelling?
DC: Yes! I am off to Nigeria to report on the first ever MTV Africa Music Awards for Billboard and EntertainmentAfrica! This is, however, infrequent and usually your are very much located in the city you live and work in.