AddThis SmartLayers

March 2013 News

Funnies File: Could this be this year’s custard shortage story?

An early contender for the ‘Whitstable custard shortage’ award for non-story of the year has emerged in the shape of this strange tale from the South Wales Evening Post. The one-line brief reveals that Llwchwr Town Council “has decided to

Industry bosses back PM in press law showdown

MPs head for crunch vote on Leveson

Kate baby rumours squashed by daily’s exclusive video

Clip has already been viewed more than 70,000 times

New site for daily as network overhaul continues

Stoke-on-Trent regional daily the Sentinel has unveiled its new-look website, which has been upgraded as part of an overhaul of the thisis… network. The new homepage has been designed to complement the mobile-friendly version of the site which launched in

Trinity Mirror profits up 2.5pc despite falling revenues

Chief executive admits company was not playing to strengths

Editor defends video of schoolgirl’s road collision

Paper criticised by readers for showing footage of crash

Thousands raised in daily’s war memorial appeal

Campaign total to be boosted as war veterans to sell off silver

Successful hyperlocal site expands with new launch

New online magazine for south of capital created

City MP quizzes Trinity Mirror boss over job cuts

Fears raised about impact on city’s titles

Jobs to go as publisher announces production shake-up

Company places 24 editorial roles at risk of redundancy

Ofcom launches next phase of local TV for 30 areas

Potential operators of new local TV channels for 30 locations around the UK are being invited to submit expressions of interest. Ofcom is launching the second phase of its licensing scheme for local TV channels after previously awarding 19 licences

Johnston Press creates new editorial board

Sheffield editor Clifford to chair new body

Scotsman ‘goes regional’ for circulation figures

Scottish daily The Scotsman has opted to be classed as a regional newspaper for its circulation figures. The title and its sister paper Scotland on Sunday have previously been classified as national papers by the Audit Bureau of Circulation but

Regional daily journalist hit by fresh Twitter ban

Move at tribunal comes after title launches Right to Tweet campaign

Weekly hits £750,000 appeal target within months

Hospital buys new MRI scanner after success of fundraising drive

Regional publisher launches online TV for weeklies

Channel features videos by journalists at newspaper series

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.