Week in pictures
Simba Martens (b. 1997) studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at VU Amsterdam and completed master’s degrees in Economics and Political Science at UvA. He now works on the international news desk at RTL Nieuws. Simba produces news stories for both TV and online and regularly writes articles for the website. He focuses on international stories of all kinds: from the US to the Middle East, from Brussels to Beijing. It is a role that requires broad knowledge.
Mon What’s in the news?
In the dynamic world of news media, every day starts differently. Are we going to be talking about Trump and the war? Or are we reporting on other countries considering a social media ban? And can’t we include a human-interest story too? My colleagues and I make these kinds of decisions every day on the foreign news desk. The day starts with a quick meeting on the sofa – because we don’t have time for long, stuffy discussions in ‘meeting rooms’.
Tue Just the essentials
As soon as I have a topic, I get to work. That means getting the facts straight first. On the foreign news desk, we get our information and footage from our correspondents, press agencies and by making calls ourselves, among other sources. Next, it’s a matter of identifying the essence of the story so I can write a good script for the TV piece. It has to be short – often you only have one or two minutes per item. But it also has to be interesting, factual and human. We try to reach the audience in both their heads and their hearts, because ultimately, the news is about people.
Wed Out and about
For international stories, it’s usually our correspondents who go out to interview people. But even if you work at the desk, you sometimes head out into the field. I often go to speak to an expert for a background story. Then I set off with a cameraman and we gather quotes ourselves for a TV story. A contribution from an energy expert or geopolitical analyst is often an important addition to our stories.
Thu A picture is worth a thousand words
Alongside the facts, visuals are our most important narrative tool. Visuals can often say more than words, so being able to edit reasonably well is part of the job. It’s not just a matter of writing a script and adding some video afterwards. From the moment I start writing the script, I have already looked at the footage to see how images and words can reinforce each other. I enjoy that, because it also gives me room to be creative. And once you see your script and video on TV, the satisfaction is complete.
Fri The art of writing
In news, you do something different every day. You have varied working hours and different shifts. So sometimes I also write articles for the website. Often, this allows me to write a slightly more in-depth story or produce a piece without much visual material. Just like on TV, you also have scope to come up with your own ideas. I’ll then call experts or people from relevant organisations, or ordinary people affected by a particular development. In writing, you have more space to explain things, but the same rule applies here: don’t make it too long and keep it interesting, factual and human.
Sat Run, Simba, run!
Work hard and play hard. As well as all the fun things I do in my personal life, we also organise various activities with colleagues, such as drinks and the Dam tot Damloop. Running 16.1 kilometres in 1 hour and 25 minutes – I needed a moment to recover from that, I must say!
Sun Lights, camera, action!
Once you work at a TV station, you also get the chance to have a look behind the scenes at other TV programmes. I’ve already been in the audience for Lubach and the RTL election debate. It really does feel different to experience something like that live. Definitely recommended!
magazine for social sciences and humanities alumni june 2026