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January 2012 News

News editor to take to dance floor for charity challenge

Journalist aims to raise £800

Yorkshire daily aims to make job hunting easier

Scheme will benefit advertisers

Photographers from 1960s course wanted for reunion

Course was first of its kind

Former weekly journalist loses cancer battle

Journalist spent 44 years with newspaper group

Former journalist dies from heart attack aged 27

Tributes have been paid to Midlands woman

Reporter resists gagging order in cruel mum case

Woman abandoned girl for five days

Newspaper celebrates 125-year milestone

Title has reprinted first ever edition

Success for weekly’s free parking campaign

Editor had called for ‘no charges’

Take Five: Michelle Hurst

Grimsby deputy editor answers the questions

Journalists can apply for Wimbledon passes

Journalists wanting to attend Wimbledon need to apply for written press accreditation before 7 February. Editors wishing to send a journalist to cover this year’s Championships on 25 June to 8 July should write to the Newspaper Society on their newspaper’s

Leveson Inquiry: What the editors said

Round-up of inquiry evidence from regional news chiefs

‘It’s our job to talk to people': Editors hit out at police

News chiefs complain of ‘gradual closing down’ of information

Yorkshire women’s magazine sees in a decade

Funding helped launch title

Law Column: Has Leveson got the message?

Legal view on what regional editors told the press standards inquiry

Journalist quits job on weekly to set up own newspaper

Brixton weekly will be handed to commuters

North West daily relaunches as 100-page weekly

Title will contain supplements

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.