Of Becoming an Enterprise Storyteller and One Other Thing, by Muheeb Mashood

By Muheeb Mashood

Enterprise journalism is original, in-depth reporting rather than routine news events, press releases, or press conferences. An enterprise reporter is someone who does these activities.

In March, I received an email from the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID). I was notified that I qualified to apply for the platform-facilitated internship programme at New York Amsterdam News, one of the most enduring and leading media organisations in the United States.

At that moment, I knew too well that the opportunity was everything an aspiring journalist like myself could pray for and would never afford to miss. I poured my heart into the application, then waited in curiosity to receive the next update. But that only came after three months of anticipation, hope, and contemplation. Contemplation? Contemplating whether the programme has proceeded with the selected candidates. 

Right now, I’m navigating the last circle of the three-month internship programme since commencement in June. And every experience has never fallen below the anticipated standard. So far, the journey has been covered by a web of testimonies from a campus journalist becoming a stronger storyteller. 

Follow the lead with me. I will tell you how.

Mastering the Art of AP Writing Style 

Just like any other campus journalist, I gained the larger part of my journalism skills through direct interactions and engagements with editors. That comes through practical experiences, mostly unconsciously.

“Ask yourself, ‘What’s the strongest thing this person said?’ Keep the most memorable quotes and summarise the rest. Remember, you wanna quote emotion and summarise information,” said Josh Barker, Digital/Special Section Editor, Amsterdam News.

The above powerful words from the editor have stuck with me since the second day of July, when we had our first weekly meeting for the month. It’s not because I have not been applying the words to my stories too often, but it is certain that I’m hearing the words directly from an editor for the very first time.

No doubt, the majority of the audience consuming my stories published with Amsterdam News are from the platform’s operational location. Therefore, mastering how to write for US readers is never a choice. For the first time, that was how I gained another experience of writing for a targeted audience. I approached this more consciously and with true intentionality. And that comes through the mastery of Associated Press (AP) Essential style, a global writing guide for writers, specifically for journalists producing work for US audiences. 

While I’m very familiar with the majority of the tips provided by the code, the guides come with a little but pulsating flair. 

But what could be more important than the flow chart? A pilot that drives every one of my stories throughout my time with AmNews. In New York City, Amsterdam News is known as AmNews. 

The flow chart is a simple structure that organises every story into a purpose. The order is: lead, nut graph, background, main reporting, supporting and expert voices, challenges, and conclusion. I would later explain this in detail, and you would get the full gist only if you desired.

My second month as an intern at New York Amsterdam News started and concluded on a positive note. It was six days into Jul,y and I debuted my first story on an international platform. 

What followed was a defining turn of events: pitching story ideas, submission of work, rigorous mastery of storytelling techniques, and weekly meetings. I published three stories within a matter of four weeks.

But nothing could have been possible if not for the efforts of an editor who placed everything into order behind the scenes. If I’m asked to describe Editor Josh in one sentence, I will say he is a “teacher every reporter deserves to learn from, especially emerging journalists just like myself.”

Mr Josh has been instrumental since the beginning of our internship, and I always feel very personal about that. From hosting weekly meetings with us to engaging us individually, those conversations have polished me into a stronger storyteller, I beseech. 

Beyond that, he created a room where we felt totally received and enjoyed a transformational experience. 

Sometimes, it doesn’t end in securing an opportunity. The attitude in the room determines how far the opportunity will become beneficial to you. When you feel received and constantly reminded that your voice matters, that sounds like additional motivation to do more. And this is everything I could say about what serving as an intern with AmNews means to me, courtesy of the CJID. I’m rounding up my internship programme in a matter of days, and I must admit, I’m enjoying every bit of it. 

“My goal is never to change your voice or your perspective. My role is to help your reporting connect with readers as clearly and effectively as possible,” Mr Josh emphasised.

And One Other Thing 

Before going to Amsterdam News as an intern, I was a student leader who coordinated and managed campus journalists in my university. Until 19th July, I was the President of the National Association of Campus Journalists, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (NACJ-UDUS). 

In recent times, UDUS campus journalism has been reputed as the finest across Nigeria. And that makes the role more challenging. You work round the clock to raise the bar higher for the association. You collaborate with independent media organisations, engage seasoned journalists, and secure meaningful interactions with professional media practitioners in an effort to drive beneficial opportunities to the members of NACJ-UDUS.

The task becomes more demanding as we prepare for our Northern Nigeria Campus Journalism Conference (NNCJC) 2026. We have expectations from many sources, and we reached out to many hands, but few supported us. Despite efforts to raise funds for the event, we are short of funds to meet some important parts of our budget. 

Then the intervention comes in at the last minute. That was the last Wednesday before the event, organised on Sunday, 19th July. Although I have thought about turning to Amsterdam News to support the conference over and over again. I can’t stop holding it back because I don’t want to overburden the platform with my responsibility.

But sometimes, you have to make decisions because you have no choice at that moment. And that was exactly my fate when I brought our plan for the conference to the notice of Mr Josh after the weekly meeting that fateful Wednesday. 

Although the editor couldn’t give me perfect assurance that day, his response sounded so positive that I felt total relief that the remaining part of our budget had been sorted out.

And eventually, the platform supported us with a whopping amount of $100 (N135,000) — a support that brought NNCJC’26 to a meaningful wrap.

We are now in the last week of the internship placement. Receiving the notification awakened mixed reactions in me because I’m feeling as if the program is just getting started. In between, it’s been such a great experience so far. And I look forward to the remaining days, including what lies ahead.