A week behind the scenes at a newspaper can change everything, and for both of us, our time at The Portugal News did exactly that.

As students with an interest in law and the professional world, this internship gave us the opportunity not only to observe, but to actively participate in the daily life of a working newsroom. From editorial meetings to digital content creation, we were immersed in an environment where teamwork, creativity, and responsibility come together.

Sakina Costa Pereira

From my very first day, I was struck by the rhythm of the newsroom. Writing articles, working on layout, publishing online, and understanding website management, everything is interconnected, and every task plays a role in the final product.

As someone planning to study law, I was particularly interested in the legal side of journalism. During my internship, I reviewed articles from a legal perspective, looking at areas such as consumer protection, sponsored content disclosure, and the potential for content to be interpreted as legal or financial advice.

I also had the opportunity to prepare a practical legal guide for the editorial team, covering key topics such as defamation, copyright, image usage, GDPR, and how to handle complaints or takedown requests.

This experience showed me how important it is for media to balance engaging content with a clear responsibility to readers. Even small details, such as how an article is labelled or phrased, can have significant legal implications.

Beyond the work itself, what stood out most to me was the atmosphere. The team was welcoming, supportive, and genuinely passionate. I felt encouraged to share ideas, particularly around creating more content for young people, combining news with practical advice.

Ariel Van Keulen

The most important thing I learned during my time at The Portugal News was not just how to write an article, but how to work as part of a community.

Before this experience, I had never spent much time in an office environment, so being introduced to every department was incredibly eye-opening. I was able to see first-hand how each part of the organisation contributes to producing a newspaper.

As I will be studying International and European Law, I was also given the opportunity to explore the legal side of journalism. I analysed articles to identify potential legal issues and contributed to the development of a legal guide for journalists, covering areas such as defamation, copyright, image usage, and GDPR.

I also worked on creating and editing video content for the website, which was both enjoyable and rewarding, especially collaborating with Sakina and the team.

What surprised me most was the level of teamwork involved. In a world where technology and AI can generate content instantly, it was refreshing to see how much collaboration, communication, and effort goes into producing a newspaper. That sense of connection is something technology cannot replace.

A Shared Reflection

For both of us, this internship was a truly valuable experience. It allowed us to develop new skills, gain confidence, and better understand both journalism and the professional world.

Most importantly, it showed us the importance of teamwork, critical thinking, and responsibility, lessons that will stay with us as we move forward in our academic and professional journeys.

We are incredibly grateful to the entire team at The Portugal News, and especially to Lucy, for giving us this opportunity.