The Derby Evening Telegraph has submitted an online petition to the Number 10 website as part of its ‘Change Track’ campaign.

The Northcliffe daily is calling on the Government to change its mind over the decision to award a £7.5bn train-building contract to a Japanese consortium ahead of Derby engineers Bombardier.

The petition was launched this week and already has approaching 200 signatures.

Visit number10.gov.uk to lend your support.

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The 17th Wills Writing Awards for equine journalism and fictional writing have received record entries this year.

Entries totalled 169 – 64 in the under-26 category, 44 in the under-19 category and 61 in the under-15 category. The previous record was 132 while last year’s tally hit 130.

The awards scheme was set up to commemorate the journalist and jockey Martin Wills who died in 1992 aged 39.

The shortlist will be revealed later this month with winners announced at Newmarket Racecourse on 15 April.

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Lancashire Telegraph crime reporter Charlotte Bradshaw has left the paper after ten years.

Charlotte started with Newsquest as an office admin assistant aged 17 before being taken on by sister title the Chorley Citizen and later working in various district offices of the Lancashire Telegraph.

She is now a media and publications officer with Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. Sally Henfield will take over the crime responsibility.

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Over 50 women attended the annual National Union of Journalists conference on women in the media.

The theme for this year was ‘Images of Women’ and looked at the portrayal of women in the media and how the NUJ could encourage more to come forward for election to union bodies.

A debate on whether media sexism had finally been eradicated came back with a firm ‘No’.

A full report on the conference can be read on the NUJ website.

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The Guardian is calling for applicants to summer placement scheme for students and graduates.

Successful applicants will learn about different aspects of the profession, gaining an insight into the workings of the news and features departments and its website.

There are 12 two-week placements up for grabs. The Positive Action Scheme is aimed at candidates from ethnic minorities.

For more information visit gnmcareers.co.uk using reference JW259. Deadline is 26 March.

Comments

NORTHCLIFFER (05/03/2009 12:02:53)
Never mind all that. Why have you banned comments on the Northclife pay freeze story?
Could it be because Northcliffe told you to?
How can this website have any credibility at all when it behaves in this way.

HoldtheFrontPage (05/03/2009 12:38:56)
Comments on the Northcliffe story are currently open. Comments on some stories are closed overnight due to previous abuse of the comments facility outside normal office hours when we are not always around to ensure they stay within the constraints of media law. Northcliffe has not at any point “told” us to disable comments on this or any other story.