Charis has spent her journalism and publishing career in online media, founding Banking Review Media in 2003, and later serving as editor of Business Spectator, Technology Spectator and iTnews, and Chief of Staff and Head of Digital Strategy for The Conversation.

Before starting her Monash Master of Journalism, Charis Palmer had already run her own niche publishing business. Showing characteristic ‘get up and go’, Charis had combined her interest in journalism with her background and training in business and marketing to create  Foresight Publishing, which delivers banking and finance news online.

Having diversified her business into events to keep the model viable, Charis felt she wanted to move back towards journalism. She had taken things as far as she could by herself, and she now wanted to learn the basics from the professionals, and also to be exposed to wider journalistic expertise and options.

Charis chose the Monash Master of Journalism because the teachers had the background and knowledge to take her to the next level.

“I felt the teachers at Monash Journalism were realists, but they had the balance right, they understand you need the fundamentals but they also are open to new possibilities, models and audiences”.

Pick something you’re passionate about, make your own brand

Charis has a passion for new business models for journalism, after being a pioneer herself with Foresight Publishing. The Master of Journalism staff encouraged her to build on her achievements and to seek broader industry experience.

“The staff are well connected to industry and they’re attuned to your goals, they make an effort to understand what your strengths are,” said Charis.

“They encourage you to make your own brand and to use the course as a testing ground for new ideas”.

Charis wanted to learn the basics across all media: radio, TV and print, however in the end she came back full circle to her original love of writing and editing for online, but with a new confidence in her skills and career direction.

“I felt I was in the right place, that writing and analysis was right for me”, she said.