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June 2009 News

Treat BNP the same as other parties says union

CIoJ in call for even-handedness

100 years of newspapers digitally archived

British Library visits the days of Napoleon and slavery

Dedicated editors for West Country weeklies

Publisher bucks trend towards editors-in-chief

Not-so-hot news from Cambridge

The weekly email bulletin from the Newspaper Society provides an invaluable guide to what our leading regional press industry body is up to, and as such is a regular source of stories for HTFP and other media publications. But just

Scotsman editor unveils new top team

Editorial reshuffle continues at Johnston Press titles

Photographer's trip back in time for new exhibition

Showcase of North East town as it was and is

Award-winning editor to move on in shake-up

Four trainee roles at risk of redundancy

Leopard's lunch date pic earns worldwide bylines

Trainee snapper captures brave rat’s cat encounter

Sign up for the EDF Energy Awards today

Download entry form for London and South of England contest

Licence fee could be used to support local news

Consultation on sharing fee with local news outlets

Cards on the table time for would-be merger kings

So, what to make of the government’s Digital Britain report published yesterday, and in particular its recommendations about whether the current newspaper merger regime should be relaxed? Well, at first glance, the government appears to have managed the considerable

Columnist feels singer's wrath via medium of song

Sandi Thom vents her spleen at Evening Express writer

Digital Britain report – the key points

The main recommedations from today’s government blueprint

Government orders inquiry into council newspapers

Curbs could be placed on town hall publications

Publishers challenged to come up with merger plan

No changes needed to competition rules say ministers

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.