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October 2012 News

Housing association confirms deal to save weekly

Title will return to publication next week

Newsquest journalists in further industrial action today

Mandatory chapel meeting being held

Move to relax rules on local media mergers

Proposal means publishers could find it easier to buy rival titles

Weekly launches new edition for seaside towns

Move aims to increase readers

Hyperlocal news site relaunches after receiving grant

A hyperlocal news site has relaunched with a new responsive mobile site after receiving a funding grant. Daily online magazine Kentishtowner was one of ten hyperlocal projects to be awarded funding of up to £50,000 from innovation foundation Nesta to develop

Entries open for Highlands media awards

An annual media awards which aims to recognise the best journalism in the most northerly parts of Scotland has opened for entries. The Highlands and Islands Media Awards is inviting entries from journalists in 13 categories, which include the best

New paper launched after town’s long-standing title suspended

Non-journalists produced publication in two weeks

Union survey finds high stress levels among journalists

Members at two regional publishers questioned

Tributes to Yorkshire showbiz reporting ‘legend’

Writer who offended Max Bygraves dies aged 70

Reporter tries hypnotherapy in bid to stop smoking

Weekly journalist attempts to kick habit for Stoptober

Newspaper publisher honours top-performing journalists

The Midland News Association has handed out its annual awards to top-performing company staff. Twenty one awards, covering all departments, were presented to employees at an event attended by 440 guests at Telford International Centre last week. Among the winners

Weekly forced to backtrack over ‘gypsies’ claim

Plus: Full round-up of recent PCC cases affecting the regional press

Former weekly editor joins regional daily as reporter

A former weekly newspaper editor has returned to his North East roots with a role as a reporter for a regional daily. Stuart Laundy, who is originally from County Durham, has been appointed Teesdale reporter at The Northern Echo. He

The changing state of the journalism workplace: NCTJ launches major survey

HTFP readers urged to take part in NCTJ research

PM leads tributes to newspaper reporter turned MP

74-year-old lost battle with cancer

‘Newspaper saved our lives’ say hospital patients

Lifesaving operations carried out after regional daily stepped in

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.