about

I grew up in Melbourne, Australia and have spent my life traveling around the country as well as through Asia, South, North and Central America, Africa, the Middle East and Europe. I have always been a curious person. When I meet someone new I want to know everything about their life. I love giving people the space to share their stories. I always learn something, and maybe they will too. The power of storytelling can change someone’s life, it holds those in power accountable for their actions and gives us an opportunity to view the world from a different perspective. And this is what news is, storytelling. 

Over the past few years many of my family and friends have told me they’ve stopped consuming the news. It’s too depressing, too repetitive, too frustrating, too confusing. Being able to shut it out is a privilege. And, for those in a position to do so I can see why disengaging and reducing their news consumption is the path they’ve chosen. However, as a journalist this makes me feel discouraged, disappointed and to be honest a little frustrated. Which is why I created @newstoknow, a page designed to inspire readers to engage with the news without feeling overwhelmed. With each post I find the balance between a headline and a lengthy story, sharing the most important facts and information so my readers can continue scrolling feeling more informed and empowered and less overwhelmed.

Turning a blind eye to the news is often a result of fear. Fear that the world is falling apart, fear of not understanding what’s going on, fear of not being able to do anything to help. My goal as a journalist is to create space for my readers to reset and re-engage with the news, whether it's happening down the street or on the other side of the world. I want to remove that feeling of fear and help people understand why and how the outcome of global events will impact them directly, arming them with the necessary information to feel secure, make educated decisions and have informed conversations. 

My advice, take a beat and step back, focus on what you’re interested in instead of trying to absorb absolutely everything and build from there. Treat your news consumption the same way you would a fiction genre, read what you like and try something new when you’re ready. While a news article or podcast may not provoke the same feelings as a good novel, at the end of the day they are one and the same, a story.

If you have a question or there are topics you’d like to learn more about please get in touch by emailing me at alice@aliceianson.com. All stories will include a source list and links to relevant information where necessary, all opinions are my own.