Yula Rocha de Castro

Photo of Yula Rocha de Castro

US Correspondent | SBT Brazilian TV Network

International Journalism (Broadcast) MA- 2005

The most valuable thing about my course was sharing experiences with journalists from all over the world. 

What are you doing now?

I am the US correspondent for the second largest TV network in Brazil, based in New York since 2005. I am responsible for producing and reporting news from the United States, such as hard news and feature stories. I have covered three presidential elections and other major news stories that break in the US and around the world.

 

What did you find most valuable about your course at Westminster? How did the skills you learnt during your degree help you to shape your career?

The most valuable thing about my course was sharing experiences with journalists from all over the world. I have 21 years of experience as a journalist and London opened my mind forever – both personally and professionally.

 

What was the best thing about being a student in London?

Being exposed to the world and other cultures in a cosmopolitan city. I was in London when 7/7 terrorist attack happened and I covered the events for a major Brazilian TV network and a national newspaper. On the same day, I was invited to work as the US correspondent in New York. So I guess, from a journalistic perspective, I was in the right place at a right time.

 

What extra-curricular activities did you participate in that enhanced your time at the University?

While in London, working on a documentary about politics for the University of Westminster, I met my husband, a British journalist who worked at the BBC at that time. We moved together to New York and we have two beautiful sons.

 

What advice would you give to someone thinking of pursuing a similar career?

Be informed. Be curious. Explore the world. Meet people. Find nice stories and write well. Journalism is going throughout a huge transformation in the digital era, where anyone could be a journalist. But I still believe and have high hopes that a good professional will always have space in the serious and most traditional industry. At the end of the day, we are here to tell good stories.