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New direction predicted for journalism exams

The way journalism exams are run could change as the industry moves into a new era of reporting.

David Rowell, a member of the NCTJ’s Journalism Qualification Board, believes as journalists’ skills converge via multimedia so the way their work is assessed must also change.

Mr Rowell, also group editorial development executive with Johnston Press, was addressing delegates at the Journalism Skills Conference, in Manchester.

The event was the first of its kind run by the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

He told delegates: “Storytelling has not changed dramatically. The difference is now we have many different tools to tell that story.

“The skills are really converging in every way – how does the NCTJ exams process move with the times?

“Regarding shorthand, we have to have a standard and a way of assessing it.

“Students are taking down every word in a speech but they are not listening to what is said. We need to think how we approach that.

“Shorthand won’t be compromised but perhaps the way we examine it will be.”

The full findings of the NCTJ’s Journalism Skills Survey were also presented to the conference.

Mr Rowell said these findings would form the basis of recommendations to be published early next year by the Journalism Qualification Board.

He added: “One of our roles is going to be to identify the things in the survey that are absolutely critical.

“We will be looking at the integration of multi-platform journalism skills.

“There’s going to be some involvement with trainees and going through the National Certificate Examination process and ask them what they believe the core skills are.”

Comments

Chris Gaynor (08/12/2008 08:32:52)
Why so much fuss over this? We know that journalism is changing due to online platforms. I think the NCTJ should teach blogging as another skill – or is that beneath the newspaper industry….?
As for shorthand, make it relevant to the real world. In the real world, you dont write down every word that someone says, unless it is in parliament or in court….

Tim Gopsill (08/12/2008 12:33:31)
Intrigued by Chris Gaynor’s comment – you don’t write down every word someone says -so what DO you write down? Every other word, or one in 3 perhaps? Or just the verbs, or adverbs? shorthand is no less useful than ever – looks to me like just another excuse by someone who can’t be arsed to learn it.