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October 2012 News

Clegg excuses local press from ‘animals’ slur

Deputy PM says comments were aimed at national papers

Students could help run local TV channel

Bid by ex-regional daily editor unsuccessful

Reporter’s notebook from 1890s discovered in office

Appeal for help in deciphering shorthand notes

Astley targets daily-turned-weekly patches for new web launches

Former editor buys-up clutch of domain names

Dyson at Large: Man bites dog-style headlines still work

Blogger praises weekly’s ‘good diet of real life stories’

Former journalist loses brain tumour battle aged 60

Son’s epic cycle ride dedicated to her memory

Prime Minister backs regional daily’s poverty campaign

Initiative now has cross-party support

Open door policy

We’ve had the saucepan fire in which the damage was confined to the contents of the pan, but that seems like Pulitzer Prize-winning stuff besides this corker from the Lake District Herald.

Liverpool titles head North West awards shortlist

Three new categories introduced this year

Free newspapers axed following Johnston Press review

Sports editor roles cut in separate restructure

Former editor bids to create ‘army of citizen journalists’

News chief launches website on old paper’s patch

Papers launch campaign to stamp out knife crime

Top politicians lend backing to initiative

Senior editors named by Northcliffe South East

Quartet of news chiefs to replace Alan Geere

Union votes to put up subscriptions by 5pc

Monthly fee is ‘price of two packets of mints’ says official

‘Grassroots journalism’ inspires Britain in Bloom prize

Editor hails culmination of four-year campaign

Scotsman raises cover price for second time in year

Flagship daily The Scotsman has increased its cover price for the second time this year. Last January the Johnston Press owned title raised its weekday price from 85p to £1. Now it has been increased again to £1.10. A story

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.