In this episode, Uzair talks to Mahim Maher about her career in journalism and digital media, what she found covering the problems of Karachi, and things that aspiring and young journalists should focus on.

Mahim most recently served as a digital editor at Aaj and has several years of experience across multiple news organizations in Pakistan.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

1:50 Mahim’s career trajectory

11:43 What ails Karachi?

32:04 State of digital media in Pakistan

48:40 Advice for aspiring journalists

Reading Recommendations:

For giving yourself permission to write detail:

White Noise by Don Delillo

A Sport and Pastime by James Salter Anything by Ian McEwan

For the nuts and bolts of journalism:

Breaking News: The Remaking of Journalism and Why it Matters Now by Alan Rusbridger who oversaw The Guardian’s digital transformation

Editor: An Inside Story of Newspapers by Max Hastings for what to look for in an editor or how to mould one’s principles to become one

For deeper study of writing and editing:

Storycraft: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction by Jack Hart for an advanced study of how to approach longform in a sophisticated way

The Accidental Life: An Editor’s Notes on Writing and Writers by Terry McDonell for behind the scenes wisdom on editing writers