Journalism training leaders have defended a regional publisher’s scheme which charges students to see their work appear online.
The National Union of Journalists condemned the £120 fee charged by Newsquest South London’s Young Reporter programme, which sees students write one bylined story per month for the company’s online operation over an eight month period.
The university or college is expected to pay £100 and the student a £20 registration fee to take part in the scheme, with those who complete it receiving a letter of recognition from the editor and their names printed in Newsquest South London’s awards ceremony brochure.
Newsquest has run the scheme in schools in London for seven years and is extending it to universities and colleges for 2015.
The company says the fees are purely in place to cover the costs of running the programme, which includes an awards ceremony at the end of the year.
Dan Townend, associate professor of journalism at Kingston University, said: “The Newsquest school journalism scheme has been a tremendous effort to get youngsters involved in the industry and develop their skills and writing ability.
“I saw some of the winners last year when we ran a press day with them and the enthusiasm and excitement of the young writers was brilliant.
“Newsquest don’t make money out of the scheme and do it as a service to the community and to show how good journalism is as a career.”
Careers advisor Anthony Fitzgerald, who has been involved since the scheme launched, said: “This is an excellent scheme that I have run with students in three schools where I have worked.
“It teaches students about meeting deadlines, creativity and builds confidence. It is often difficult for students to find placements with magazines and newspapers when they are of school age.
“At a time when the Government is encouraging employers to inspire young people about different career areas this scheme gives them both an insight into journalism and builds important employability skills.
“There is inevitably a cost involved in running a scheme such as this and we believe it is value for money.”
But Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, pictured above left, believes the scheme lacks intergrity and claimed Newsquest is using students to do shifts at its subbing hub in Newport.
She said: “While Newsquest is sacking professional staff on its titles, it is charging journalist students for writing articles for them.
“The unpaid intern has become the scourge of the media profession – now Newsquest is asking for journalist students to actually pay for a by-line. The company’s cynicism beggars belief, and preys on young people desperate to get a break in a competitive industry.
“College lecturers tell me they are outraged and they are quite right to be. We also know that Newsquest is using students to do shifts at its subbing hub in Newport, after sacking sub-editors on its newspapers across the land.
“Newsquest and other newspaper groups have been upfront about saying they intend to increase the amount of free copy and photographs they use supplied by readers – clearly part of their strategy in delivering this is to expect aspiring journalists to pay for the privilege.
“Where is the integrity in this? Where is the commitment to quality journalism? They should be providing journalist students with a meaningful work experience and if their articles are good enough to be published, they are good enough to be paid for.”
Gary Kendall, managing director of Newsquest South London said: “The recent NUJ article about Newsquest South London’s pioneering Young Reporter Scheme is inaccurate and misleading.
“The scheme has been running for seven years with local schools. Each education establishment pays a single fee of £100, and each student wishing to take part contributes £20. These fees purely cover the costs of running the scheme, including an awards ceremony at the end of the year, and for 2015 we have opened it up to colleges and universities.
“This is a community-focused project that offers young people who might wish to enter the media an opportunity to get a taste of journalism and experience involvement with a real newsroom. To suggest that this is in any way an attempt to replace professional journalists is nonsense.
“We have had nothing but praise from the education establishments involved – with many of those taking part inspired to go on to study journalism.”
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But see also negative opinions – aired on The Media Blog – by Jo Wiltshire, who teaches journalism students at the University of Hertfordshire: “Asking for charges and fees just to build a portfolio is sending out a message that the work of journalists and writers is worth less than nothing.
“In-demand industries such as the media have long been in a position where they can hold inexperienced young people to ransom. By pushing that even further, asking for charges and fees just to build a portfolio, it is turning a dynamic and proud career choice into a vanity project for those whose families can bankroll it.”
And Beth Brewster, head of journalism at Kingston University, commented: “I advise my journalism students not to give away their skill, creativity and labour for free. Asking them to pay for bylines is outrageous. Newsquest should be paying the student writers. I can’t believe anyone ever thought this plan was a good idea.”
A third journalism lecturer told The Media Blog she is “fuming” at Newsquest’s plans which she described as “unbelievable”.
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Sadly, it’s in line with how those still clinging on in the industry are already made to feel. Creativity and quality is valued no higher than free copy submitted by readers. Time was when you had to work your way up to becoming a sub – now it seems part of pre-employment training
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Charging fees for student journalists to submit work is indefensible. Newsquest – already notorious for penny-pinching – says the charges are there to cover costs. The company makes millions. It should be subsidising programmes like this by paying the next generation of journalists a decent rate for the job. That would be truly encouraging.
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Unfortunately Roy, your attack and many of the other negative views on Young Reporter are based on misinformation stemming from the inaccurate and twisted interpretation of the scheme by the NUJ.
Some of the things stated as facts are simply not correct. That must be terribly inconvenient for you.
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This only goes to underline the message that journalism is no longer a decent career. If students and current trainees have any sense they will get out now.
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What is inconvenient, Simon Bull, is Newsquest’s silence – time after time – when contacted by journalists. I sought clarification on the NUJ version of events and, as per usual, no reply. As I’ve written many times, it is not merely ironic that a publisher refuses to speak to journalists, but counter-productive. On this occasion, many hours after my initial attempt at a contact, Mr Kendall did email at 9.18pm. Even so, as I state on my updated blogpost, there is a worlkd of difference between offering schoolchildren a chance to write articles and journalism students.
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In a world of best dream wonder and hopes it would be good if all journos boycotted working for Newsquest! They’re a mean clinical lot….
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Sorry Roy, can only guess the Greenslade Hotline was down when you first called. We’ll have it looked at.
It’s good your updated blogpost is based more on fact than NUJ fiction, but personally I think you’re still wrong and don’t see a problem with offering Young Reporter to older students who are still in education and still on the “ladder towards employment” as you say.
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Capt Starlight, are you just bitter towards Newsquest because they called you out on your inability to write a coherent sentence?
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