Experience:
May 2013- present
- Freelance journalist writing articles, columns and filming videos for Al Jazeera English, Al Jazeera America, Al Jazeera Balkans, AJ+, Canadian Dimension, CBC, Deutsche Welle, Middle East Eye and Muftah.
Nov 2013- April 2014
- Multimedia Reporter for the Devon Dispatch in Devon, Alberta (articles also published in the Leduc Representative and La Nouvelle Beaumont News)
Tasks: writing 8-10 articles per week on local politics such as a feature with former environment minister Diana McQueen on environmental monitoring agencies, current affairs, opinion pieces, arts and sports occurring in Devon, Leduc County and Parkland County; photographing, editing photos on Adobe Photoshop; laying out pages on Adobe InDesign; uploading articles to website; connecting with public and providing live updates through Facebook and Twitter
Nov 2012-April 2012
- Researcher for “Lady Cadets of Pakistan“, a Canadian documentary on female combatants in Pakistan’s military
Oct 2012- April 2013
- Editorial Assistant at CBC News Network, Toronto
Tasks: monitoring news lineup and scripts for live show, rolling teleprompter for news anchors for live broadcasts, searching and editing visuals to be used as clips and b-rolls for news stories, chasing guests to be interviewed live on show, pre-interviewing, forming questions and providing interview information for news anchor
Sept- Dec 2011
• Co-founder and writer for Eject Magazine
Tasks: brainstorming magazine concept and story ideas with team, interviewing interesting subjects such as book burners and street poets, writing feature articles, taking photos, laying out designs on Adobe InDesign, producing magazine from start to finish
- Reporter for Toronto Observer TV News
Tasks: writing scripts and presenting news stories for live TV show (news, entertainment and commentary), filming and reporting news stories (some of my TV stories include U of T’s Lip Dub event, Occupy Toronto and Toronto’s Spontaneous Prose Store), editing footage on Final Cut Pro
Jan- Dec 2011
- Reporter for Toronto Observer newspaper
Tasks: pitching story ideas, editing copy, interviewing (city officials, politicians, humanitarians, artists, victims of assault, etc.), writing articles (400-750 words for sections such as News, Arts & Life, Sports and Commentary), laying out page designs on Adobe InDesign, photographing and editing photos on Adobe Photoshop
Jan- May 2011
- Reporter for Toronto Observer Radio News
Tasks: creating radio news stories and editing on Adobe Audition; writing scripts; summarizing news, entertainment and sports stories for live radio show; covering events such as the mayoral elections and interviewing Mississauga Mayor Hazel McCallion
February 2010
· CTV Live Event Monitor for 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver
Tasks: Providing online content for CTV’s website- adding ad insertions and live commentaries during broadcasting of games, editing and subclipping video clips, translating from English to French
Sept 2009- April 2010
· Sports/Health Editor for University of Toronto’s student newspaper The Underground
Tasks: pitching story ideas relating to sports and health, editing copy
Sept 2008- April 2009
- Videographer for Varsity Blues Women’s Volleyball Team
Tasks: filming volleyball games, editing on imovie, creating films for the team to watch
- Writer for Varsity Blues Website
Tasks: attending sports games, writing articles on sport competitions for website
Sept 2008- 2012
- Reporter for student newspapers The Underground and The Varsity
Tasks: writing articles for News, Arts & Life, Sports and Commentary sections (300 to 800 words)
Skills and Awards Summary
- Fluent in English, French, Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian
- Basic knowledge of Turkish and Arabic
- Computer/Design Skills: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Audition, Final Cut Pro, iNews, DTV, VizRT, Garage Band
- Participant in Fraser Institute’s Economics for Journalists conference 2014 in Vancouver, Canada
- First place winner in Centennial College’s Photography Competition 2011
- Recipient of Women in Leadership Scholarship 2009
- Recipient of University of Toronto Entrance Scholarship 2008
- Honours student at Silverthorn Collegiate Institute
Education
2015-2016 University of Bologna and University of Sarajevo (European Regional MA joint program):
MA Democracy and Human Rights in Southeast Europe
2008- 2012 University of Toronto: BA Honours specialization in journalism and major in French
Jan-June 2012 Université Jean Moulin in Lyon, France
Summer 2011 Université Laval, Québec, Québec
Summer 2010 Université du Québec à Trois Rivières, Québec
Online
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mersiha
Insta: mersihagadzo
