Taking Student Journalism Worldwide: My Experience at The Mancunion vs Woroni
By Lily Amos, Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
When I moved from Manchester to Canberra, I knew I was signing up for a new continent, a new university, and a new climate. What I didn’t quite expect was how different student journalism would feel on the other side of the world.
This year, I’ve had the very fun, very chaotic experience of taking my student journalism “career” international — from The Mancunion at the University of Manchester to Woroni at the Australian National University. It’s been eye-opening in the best way, and it’s really changed how I think about what student media can be.
I’ve spent two years at The Mancunion while studying in Manchester. In my first year, I joined as a writer, mostly dipping my toes into writing articles and getting used to deadlines and developing my style. In my second year, I stepped up as Deputy Fashion & Beauty Editor, which meant commissioning pieces, editing, and generally always having a WordPress tab open.
At Manchester, student media sits in a familiar structure: there’s a clear editorial hierarchy and usually at least one full-time staff member or coordinator overseeing things. It’s busy, intense, and incredibly rewarding, but it also relies heavily on unpaid passion, long hours, and a lot of juggling with uni, work, and life. It can also be challenging because there are managing editors, rather than a singular head editor, meaning not everything is super cohesive across the board.
That was my baseline. Then I joined ANU.
When I arrived at ANU, I knew I wanted to get involved in student journalism again, partly for continuity, partly because I genuinely love it. I applied for a print sub-editor role at Woroni, had an interview, and was lucky enough to be offered the position. Straight away, I noticed how different Woroni felt from The Mancunion; not in terms of passion (both are full of incredibly talented people), but in structure and culture.
At Woroni there isn’t just one full-time staff member “at the top”. Instead, a board of students runs the organisation. These students are compensated for their time, and not just them: honoraria are offered across the board, down to sub-editor level. I honestly thought this was brilliant. Student journalism is incredibly time-consuming; we all know the late-night edits, last-minute layout changes, emergency Teams messages, and seeing a model that actually recognises that labour felt like such a simple but powerful gesture. It doesn’t magically fix burnout, but it does send a clear message: your work has value.
Another big difference was how Woroni structured its content. There’s a really clear separation between News and Print (the Woroni magazine) . News is your hard current-affairs, campus politics, “what’s happening and why it matters” coverage. Print is a more creative space, where personal essays, culture pieces, and creative writing really shine. Being on the print side meant I got to lean into the more creative end of the spectrum, which I loved. There’s a lot of freedom to play with ideas, formats, and tone; it felt less like “fitting” into a traditional newspaper and more like crafting a magazine that reflects the campus personality.
One of my favourite Woroni moments was the magazine launch night for our Syncope issue. Instead of quietly dropping an issue on stands and posting about it online, Woroni threw an event at a bar. There were live bands, creative performances, readings, free food, and a general vibe of a supportive student community coming together to celebrate something other students had created. I had the opportunity to read my piece aloud, which was incredibly daunting but so rewarding, and definitely improved my confidence in public speaking. It was such a lovely way to make print feel alive, not just something you pick up between lectures, but something celebrated, performed, and shared as part of a creative community, as well as promoting it in a fun way.
As someone rooted in fashion and beauty journalism, I also felt a big shift in how accessible fashion coverage is across the two countries. In the UK, especially being based in Manchester, it felt much more realistic to tap into fashion weeks, PR events, and bigger brand moments, particularly with London relatively close and the industry very concentrated.
In Australia, fashion has felt less accessible, especially from Canberra. Fashion weeks are smaller, with fewer big names and a more limited schedule. Tickets go quickly, and there are simply fewer events circulating compared to the UK. It doesn’t mean there isn’t a fashion scene (there absolutely is), but it does change how you approach fashion writing as a student journalist. It becomes more about street style, independent designers, and slower, deeper features rather than constant runway coverage.
Another subtle but important difference: the office culture. At Woroni, the office didn’t just feel like a workspace. It was open, welcoming, and bright; equipped with a kitchen and sofas, making it feel like a cross between a newsroom and a common room: a genuine space to hang out, host potlucks, and exist, not just sit at a desk and edit. There’s something really powerful about a media space that encourages community, not just productivity. It made collaboration feel less transactional; more “we’re in this together” and less “we’re just here to meet a deadline”.
Spending time at Woroni has really shifted my ideas about what student journalism can look like structurally, creatively, and socially. When I come back to Manchester, I’d love to bring some of these ideas with me, especially pushing for recognition of student labour, whether that’s through funding, honoraria, or other forms of support. It would be incredible if a section could be added to embrace more of a magazine culture: a space for creative pieces, experimentation and other forms of media (such as photography and artwork) alongside news articles. Starting a standalone magazine may be something to look into for the future, too. I also hope to help build more of a communal physical space, where student media is open to everyone, and to build more of a community within the leadership team.
Ultimately, being part of both The Mancunion and Woroni has made me realise that student journalism can be a traditional newspaper, a creative magazine, a community hub, or, ideally, all three at once. I’ve had such a wonderful time this semester meeting people through Woroni, and it has helped me get involved on campus so much more. I would definitely recommend finding out if your exchange programme university offers something similar!
And honestly? Taking student journalism worldwide has just made me even more excited for the future of it.
