Video sharing website YouTube is running a competition for aspiring journalists.

The website wants to hear from wannabe reporters with stories they think the world should know about.

All entries must be under three minutes long, in English and completely original.

The competition will be officially launched next month but an introductory video with further details is on YouTube now.

Former Aston Villa football legend Paul McGrath has signed up as a columnist for the Birmingham Mail.

Every Tuesday McGrath, who also played for Derby County, Manchester United and the Republic of Ireland, will write a two-page review of the weekend's Premier League action for the Trinity Mirror daily.

July was the busiest month of 2008 for the Newspaper Society's royal rota allocation scheme which gives local press and media access to Royal Family visits.

Fourteen royal visits to locations around the country were made by a member of the royal family in July, the highest number of any month this year.

The Society says it allocated passes to more than 25 local media titles in July with more than 60 titles receiving passes during 2008.

The Society of Editors is to meet with the Government next month over plans to hold military inquests behind closed doors.

The plans regard inquests involving national security, terror and military personnel.

Similar restrictions were thrown out under the Coroners Bill but now they have re-emerged under the Terrorism Act.

The Society's executive director Bob Satchwell said he was worried the powers would be abused and applied to save military embarrassment rather than just in genuine cases of protecting national security.

The Newspaper Society, which represents the regional press, is also expected to be at the meeting.

The parent company of UK regional newspaper publisher Newsquest is shedding 1,000 jobs from its local titles.

American firm Gannett, the largest newspaper publisher in the USA, said the cuts equal around 3pc of positions in its 'Community Publishing Unit'.