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June 2009 News

Political reporter lands another big scoop

Exclusive interview broadcast on BBC and Sky

Wrong Lewis

Northern Echo editor Peter Barron announces on his blog the arrival of new columnist Martin Lewis , who has recently made a name for himself dispensing money-saving tips on GMTV. I have to confess I initially thought he meant Martyn

Readers asked to post pics for new project

Title to showcase best of ‘citizen photojournalism’

Ex Cabinet ministers tell all to MEN

One of the most enduring frustrations during my time as a regional lobby journalist was the way in which the New Labour spin machine systematically cut the regional press out of the loop when it came to the dissemination of

Eleven jobs and five newspaper offices under threat

Trinity Mirror announces plans for Scottish division

Mercury bids farewell to newspaper stalwart

Assistant MD oversaw redevelopment of paper’s HQ

London and South of England awards set to launch

Check your cuttings for latest EDF Energy contest

Wedding bells will chime – one day

A couple in Gloucestershire had to cancel their wedding at the same venue because it went bust twice. The venue went into administration before they could get hitched first time round and then they lost their £1,500 deposit after it

Press and Media Events Diary

Press and media events happen across the UK throughout the year. Whether they are award ceremonies, important conferences or political meetings, we strive to cover them all on HoldtheFrontPage. Please keep checking back as we continually update the listings and

New reasons not to nod off

It doesn’t take much to disturb a night’s sleep and it seems the recession is now affecting our slumber. New research suggests a third of Britons are losing sleep, while nearly half of those surveyed said they had moved a

Pampering the pooch

A dog rescue centre in Kent is taking the phrase “pampered pooch” to a whole new level. An anonymous donor left the shelter £50,000 which staff used to pay for underfloor heating and soothing music. Do your readers have a

Make way for the mayor…..and her child consort

Some kids get a paper round, others pick potatoes for the local farmer. Not many become a mayor’s consort!! Keeley Allin, 12, is supporting her mum Sue Mills in her role as the new mayor of Great Torrington, Devon. Speak

Paying the rent with rent

The property market will always provide a good source of news and it would appear it’s taken another twist. Latest stats for May 2009 show the number of new properties available to let nearly halved: 34,088 in May compared with

1959 is the new 2009

Children of the noughties would scoff if you suggested they tried knitting, cake baking classes or some rock ‘n’ roll sessions down the local dance hall. But it appears good old-fashioned entertainment which typified the 1950s is making a comeback.

Please bee careful

The Royal National Lifeboat Institution attended, perhaps, the weirdest shout imaginable. A couple had to be rescued off the Cornwall coast after their yacht was attacked by a swarm of bees – read about it here. We often hear tales

Publishers launch more hyperlocal websites

YEP and KM Group reach out to local communities

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.