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January 2008 News

Winners named in 2007 EDF Energy East of England Media Awards

Triple victory for East Anglian Daily Times as print and broadcast journalists celebrate their success

Council identifies new role after reporter breaks exclusive on underage drinking

FoI probe at local hospital revealed shocking figures for teenage drink and drug abuse

Inaccurate article complaint after cyclist dies

Guardian apologises for family’s distress – plus more complaints resolved by the Press Complaints Commission

Reporter wins court battle to name teenage vandal

Gazette news man backed by council and police as paper exposes graffiti yob

News agency chief drops in to address journalism students

Award-winning press man discusses his experiences at his old training centre

Who's the tearaway where you work?

Police nationwide are to target known young tearaways to stop them turning into habitual offenders. If this is so, then there must be local projects run by police on your patch. Could it be funding for a new youth centre

Eurovision-crazy chief reporter gets set to be big in Baku

Journalist admits he’s “hopelessly captivated” as he prepares for Azerbaijan trip

Kent Messenger claims world scoop with £53m robbery accused

Canteen coffee secures “first interview” with cleared defendant

Mail users to set the agenda and provide content for regional news website

New online relationship between the Hull Daily Mail and its readers could be rolled out across whole Northcliffe group

Long-serving Advertiser man steps down after 31 years as editor

Journalist began his career as a cub reporter in 1969 and saw the paper through major technological change

Reporter will battle bulge to lose 56lbs before wedding day

Trainee sets his sights on looking his best for nuptial photos

Newspaper business team hits the airwaves on new radio show

Daily Post reporters sign up to 24-hour talk station for business programme

Setting up a wildlife garden

Local Wildlife Trusts across the country are falling over themselves to help people set up their own wildlife gardens at home. They have all the information, tips and challenges to help turn gardens, or a corner of one, into a

Pets' workout

Is your pooch or puss piling on the pounds? Were they on the receiving end of sweets, turkey and tit-bits over Christmas? Now’s the time to get them some specialist help with vets, pet food makers and animal experts all

Do high flyers work for charity?

More and more charities are being run like big business concerns, employing more professionals to do jobs that used to be done out of duty. But do higher wages need to be paid to attract the right sort of people?

Early sign language

Did you know that children as young as seven months can learn sign language and start to communicate with you, even though they are not ready to talk at that stage? Find out more and check here for contacts.

Tips on choosing a journalism course

Emma Clark, former marketing and communications manager for the National Council for the Training of Journalists, offers her advice on choosing between journalism courses.
Recently I've attended numerous careers fairs around the country, meeting students of all ages keen to break into journalism - whether that be in newspapers, television, radio or magazines. And of course, all students want to know which journalism course they should go on and whether they need NCTJ qualifications.

A quick look at the trainee job ads on HTFP demonstrates the importance of gaining the NCTJ Diploma in Journalism. Many adverts require candidates to have, or be awaiting results for, their NCTJ Diploma.

Trying to break into the industry without it makes a tough task almost impossible. With the rise in tuition fees, choosing the right journalism course is even more important than ever and students need to be sure they are learning the vocational skills required by employers, enabling them to hit the ground running when they enter the newsroom.

Employers know that an NCTJ-trained applicant will be able to find and construct stories, understand media law and ethics and be able to take down an accurate shorthand note when required. And contrary to popular belief it is not just the regional press looking for these skills, but nationals, online and broadcast too. Recent Sky Sports News schemes, for example, have been looking for practical skills including a minimum of 100wpm shorthand.

Student journalists can complete their NCTJ training in a number of ways - FE colleges and independent centres offer the Diploma in Journalism as fast-track and academic year courses, while universities offer it as part of undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. All of these journalism courses lead to the same NCTJ qualifications and meet the same standard, allowing students to pick the one that's best for them.

It's no secret that the NCTJ has an exacting standard, and this applies not just to the qualifications but also to the course provider. All NCTJ-accredited courses have to work incredibly hard to meet the requirements in the same way that students have to work incredibly hard to achieve the gold standard. This ensures the NCTJ logo acts as a meaningful kitemark for quality journalism training.