Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond said the nation’s political parties were watching the newspaper industry with concern.

Speaking at a Journalists’ Charity’s lunch in Glasgow, Mr Salmond said the Scottish Government was ready to play a constructive role, reports The Herald.

“All of us understand that a strong and creative media in Scotland is absolutely vital for the democratic health of the country,” he said.

“Politicians of all parties, at various times looking at all kinds of newspapers in different ways, maybe don’t always feel that way. But nonetheless in our saner and quieter moments we recognise that without democratic scrutiny you can’t have an effective and proper democracy.”

A Manchester Evening News campaign to recoup £6.5m lost by Christie Hospital in the Icelandic bank collapse has hit Downing Street.

The Cash Back for Christie appeal is trying to recover some or all of the money lost when the Kaupthing Singer and Friedlander bank went into administration last October.

Since its launch in March nearly 100,000 people have signed a petition calling on the Government to help ensure the money is returned.

Fundraisers travelled to London yesterday to deliver the petition to Downing Street as part of a direct appeal to Gordon Brown to intervene.

The National Union of Journalists is hosting a feature writing workshop at its offices in Manchester on 6 June.

Manchester branch member and trainer Judi Goodwin will be running the one-day course which includes: writing styles of news and features; what editors are looking for; different types of features and structuring your writing.

It is suitable for beginners or experienced writers who want to enhance their skills.

The course runs from 9.30am to 5pm and the fee includes lunch. For information and to book e-mail [email protected] or call 01625 439000.

A higher education forum to discuss the postgraduate journalism provision is being held on 19 June at Bloomberg, London.

Among the topics on the agenda are syllabus development, multi-platform news writing, magazine, sports and video journalism and the development of practical journalism tuition.

The forum is designed for either heads of journalism at universities and course leaders.

For more information visit the NCTJ website.

Western Mail editor Alan Edmunds has hosted a ‘Question Time’ event with Welsh Assembly First Minister Rhodri Morgan. The event took place yesterday and was being held to mark the tenth anniversary of the National Assembly for Wales.

A Welsh language community newspaper is celebrating is 30th anniversary.

Papur Fama was launched in April 1979 and its sports column was written by Alun Ffred Jones – now the Welsh Assembly’s culture minister. Mr Jones visited Mold last week to take part in a anniversary celebration.