About
I’m Shannon Molloy, a Brisbane-based former journalist turned public relations consultant. My career has only just begun but I’ve already reached a pretty amazing place. But where did it all begin?
Background
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a writer. Short stories, novels, news – whatever it was, I wanted to be doing it. I was five when I started a neighbourhood newspaper called The Arthur Street Chronicle and I loved it so much that my career path was pretty much set then and there.
During my early teens I wrote freelance for a number of foreign publications, including American lifestyle zine Bandoppler and the popular US Music Vault. After a year-long stint as an exchange student in the United States, I came home in 2002 to find the opportunities to write in my small home town were quite limited.
That’s what led me to create Plasma Rag, an online variety magazine. At first it was just me, but it eventually grew to include two-dozen staff from around the world who wrote about music, politics, breaking news and more. We also ran a creative excellence program, which profiling up and coming artists from around the world. At the beginning of 2004, I won a place at the Childnet Academy in London to share my experiences in creating a positive online space.
University years
I moved from my home town in central Queensland to Brisbane to study journalism at the University of Queensland in 2004 and was involved in a variety of on-campus organisations, including Oxfam, Amnesty International and the United Nations Student Association. My writing was also published in several student publications, including The Independent Monthly and Semper Floreat.
During my final year of study, I was appointed to the role of president of the Journalism Students Association and helped revive participation in faculty events. The JSA organised industry events, professional seminars, training and created an employment listing service for graduating students.
brisbanetimes.com.au
At the end of 2006, I accepted a position with Fairfax Digital to work on a news website that would launch early the following year. For more than two years, I covered breaking and general news for our audience – which grew significantly each month – and also specialised in entertainment and property reporting.
I won a Queensland Media Award in 2007 for my series of stories on a tragic ferry boat accident in Sydney Harbour which claimed the lives of several people. Among them was Morgan Innes, a 14-year-old Brisbane ice skating champion. I was also highly commended for my investigative series surrounding a Gold Coast property dispute.
The job was incredibly rewarding, but in 2009 I started to yearn something more and accepted a position with Red Public Relations. This new chapter of my career is just beginning, but has already presented a number of challenges and exciting developments.
Career highlights
There have been many memorable moments in my professional life to date. You can view my resume for a career overview, including an education summary and list of awards.