Are you up to it?

Posted by Dave Lee on 21 May 2008 at 01:16
Tags: Newspapers, Online, Student Journalism

If you can pull yourself away from staring at Roger Black’s beautiful blog design long enough to read his post, it raises some very good points indeed.

Newspapers have about a year to get rid of all the people who can’t pull their own weight and to redeploy all the smart energetic journalists who can find the great stories and push them out to print, web and video. Some papers still have lots of talent, but they must push it to the front so readers can find it and find that they like it. Papers which continue to bury the smart people (or have already driven them away) will not make the cut. With the current recession, if newspapers don’t move quickly, the market will crush them.

How true is this of our newspapers? It can only be a good thing for student journalists. But do we have the skills necessary to make full use of this unique opportunity to capitalise on the mass exodus of deadwood journalists?

[via Fleet Street Blues which, if you're job-hunting, is a great resource]

Channel 4 search the social-networks, and so should you!

Posted by Dave Lee on 11 May 2008 at 15:04
Tags: Online, Student Journalism, Television, facebook

A little while ago I joined a very important cause. Yup, the ‘Put Dr Pepper in all UK McDonalds‘ campaign is one I feel very strongly about. I, along with (at last count) 976 others, are pressuring McDonald’s relentlessly to give in to our demands.

Anyway, I’m not here to promote the group — JOIN IT! — but it just goes to show how Facebook, with all its faults, can be a great source for journalists.

Take Cathy, for example. She works for Channel 4. Or rather she works for a company that has been contracted by Channel 4 to make a documentary. One of their classics, no doubt, with those really horrid Ronseal-ish titles like “The man with ten arms and a head that is swollen a bit”.

The documentary is about fast food, and people who love it. But, rather than spend ages dragging herself to every grease-factory in Britain, Cathy has gone for the jugular: our Dr Pepper group. Right now she is doing the rounds on Facebook with this message:

“Hi everyone, I’ve joined this group as perhaps some of you will be interested in a documentary we are making for Channel 4. It’s a film about people who are obsessed with fast food! I am looking for people who LOVE fast food.

We’re talking true love here - Perhaps you need your McMuffin fix to get going in the morning? Or you are planning to have your wedding reception at Pizza Hut? Or have you only eaten at KFC for the past two years?

The programme will take a light-hearted look at how fast food has won a place in the hearts of the nation, and reveal this affection through the eyes of the people who love it the most!

If you are passionate about KFC, McDonalds, Burger King or Pizza Hut, or have any other fast food obsessions, get in touch and I can tell you a bit more about it. If you send me a message I can reply, or if you want to leave your phone number I’ll give you a call.

Thankyou!
Cathyx”

I’m sure Dickens* would spin in his grave at the method, but it’s hard to deny its usefulness.

Students are Facebook professionals. Student journalists, then, should be all over the social-networks like wasps on your Cornetto. Any other examples of the mainstream media embracing the power of new media to get to the people?

(* Did you know he was a journalist too? I didn’t until this week. Interesting stuff!)

Shortchanged without shorthand?

Posted by Dave Lee on 9 May 2008 at 12:02
Tags: Courses, NCTJ, Newspapers, Student Journalism

It may look like dribbly scribble on scrappy bits of notepad, but shorthand has long been a skill that journalists have come to rely on to report accurately.

Over on our sister blog, The Wire, they’re discussing whether journalists need shorthand anymore. This is in response to a post from Charlie Beckett from Polis suggesting that it’s a handy skill rather than an essential tool.

Comments have been coming in on both posts, and while I’d love to agree with the ‘ditch it’ camp (I can’t do shorthand), I have to concede that I think it is definitely vital to a journalist.

I can cite a very memorable example of when it would have been useful. So far, we’ve heard the strong argument of court reporting needing shorthand. Yes, it does, and to send a non-shorthand-trained journalist to court is a legal battle waiting to happen.

But my experiences of feeling at a loss without shorthand come in less-likely situations.

On one of my first ever stories, I was sent to interview a lovely old lady who would turn 100. A nice, simple local press story; one that I should have been able to tie up and spit out 500 words with no hassle.

I took my dictaphone and notepad to do the interview. The idea would be to chat to this lady as naturally as possible, making it seem like a casual discussion and not an interview. Of course, all interviews should be like this, but in this case it was especially important. If she saw me scribbling away furiously as she spoke I’m certain she would have gone shy on me.

By popping my dictaphone on the table I could not worry about notes.

“What’s that?” she asked. Gulp. I didn’t for a moment think that this bit of technology would make her so uneasy. But it did. She wasn’t happy doing the interview with the dictaphone, for reasons I do not know. Generational, perhaps, which meant I had to rely on notes. If I could pull out shorthand in this situation I would have been fine, noting down each phrase she came up with.

It was a great interview. She told me of how she drove an ambulance in London during the Second World War, dodging the onslaught of the Blitz as she went about her business. But, sadly, I don’t feel I caught the drama as well as I would have done with verbatim quotes. A big shame.

Another, more recent example, came from a task that involved transcribing a speech by Nicolas Sarkozy. There was no time to set up my dictaphone, or to get at a computer to get typing. Nope, good old pen and paper was all I had.

No matter how advanced the technology gets, it’ll still, every so often, come down to that. Learn shorthand.

In this week’s Press Gazette

Posted by Dave Lee on 8 May 2008 at 11:35
Tags: Student Journalism

Don’t forget to grab a copy of this week’s Press Gazette, there’s a cracking 16-page guide to journalism training stuffed into the middle of it. Perfect for all of us, I’d say!

Student Journalism Awards 2008

Posted by Dave Lee on 7 May 2008 at 16:06
Tags: Student Journalism

Exciting news everyone! The Press Gazette Student Journalism Awards for 2008 are now open, so it’s time to be getting in all your nominations. Good luck!

The Student Journalism Awards celebrate the work of the next generation of stars in this exciting and challenging profession.

The awards are open to all students who were enrolled on journalism courses between 22 June 2007 and 22 June 2008.

The course can be of any length between three weeks and three years and of any academic standing – entries are encouraged from students on HND, GNVQ, postgraduate, undergraduate or private diploma courses.

There is no restriction on age for entrants but please state your age on the entry form.

This entry form should be completed by the students themselves where possible, but tutors are also invited to enter on behalf of those who have already finished their studies.

From our panel of industry heavyweights, two in the relevant fields will judge two categories each, and the shortlist will be announced on our website and in the Press Gazette on Thursday 12th June.

All shortlisted candidates will be invited to a lunchtime ceremony at Haberdashers’ Hall in the heart of the city of London on Friday 27 June 2008, where the winners will be announced. The day will be a great opportunity to mix with other students as well as working journalists and editors from your chosen field.

There are CASH prizes for each winning student, and key figures from the world of journalism will be there to witness the proceedings.

Previous winners are making waves in national and regional newsrooms up and down the country. If you want to join them, getting this entry form in could be the best career move you make.

Deadline for entries is Monday 19 May. More information on how to nominate here can be found by clicking here!

Making the best of J-school

Posted by Dave Lee on 2 May 2008 at 15:12
Tags: Online, Student Journalism

Dinsa Sachan has just posted this question on Journobiz. I thought I’d share it and, hopefully, find her an answer:

I see lots of “I am quitting the print media.” posts, not to mention the rants about the deteriorating state of journalists. It can be a bit daunting for someone who’s starting j-school this year. Even then, I believe there are people out there who are having one heck of a time and earning a pretty penny as journos.

My question: How do I get there? What skills do I need to develop and what knowledge do I need to internalize between this time and my first job interview that’s going to be get me right up there? I’m not expecting you to dish out some magic potion here. I’m specifically interested to know what distinguishes a good journo (or j-student) from a not-so-good one?

Additionally, what pitfalls do I need to avoid?

Over to you…

The Guardian’s Siobhain Butterworth offers her advice to student journos

Posted by Dave Lee on 2 May 2008 at 09:30
Tags: Student Journalism

Contributed by Ricki Dewsbury

Siobhain Butterworth triple checks her work - and so should student journalists.

That was her message during a guest lecture at the University of Central Lancashire on her role as the Guardian readers’ editor.

Every year she deals with some 25,000 letters, emails and calls about stories. Eighteen thousand corrections are printed.

Speaking to student journalists could be one way to encourage fact checking before we start employment. I spoke with her afterwards about it.

Siobhain: “Lecturing to students of journalism was something my predecessor Ian
Mayes did and I decided to carry on for three reasons:

1) It’s important that journalism students understand what my role is about, why it was introduced and what the Guardian’s values are, because they may be writing for or about the paper in the future. 

2) I think that, from an ethical point of view, journalists should be honest and open about their mistakes and willing to correct them. Students need to know that when you do this the sky doesn’t fall in and all the signs are that it improves the relationship of trust with readers. 

3) Journalists are readers, or potential readers, so it fulfils my brief to open channels of communication with readers.”

How important will it be for us to correct mistakes when we get a job?

Siobhain: “From a practical point of view it depends, to some extent, on who you work for and what kind of journalism you do. From an ethical point of view I think its incredibly important:  readers understand that journalism is a fallible thing and that truth sometimes emerges incrementally. It’s futile for journalists to pretend otherwise and acknowledging mistakes will gain you the respect of your readers and audiences.”

How to use Google to run your student newspaper

Posted by Dave Lee on 30 April 2008 at 09:30
Tags: Newspapers, Online, Student Journalism, The Linc

I once read a student newspaper which listed Mr G Oogle as their pictures researcher. A bit cheeky, yes, but it now seems Mr Oogle could in fact pay a huge part in making our student newspapers better.

One of the challenges student newspapers face is the lack of communication between staff. We don’t have the luxury of news meetings every morning. Heck, some of us don’t even have the luxury of a room to do it in. Many a student paper — and indeed, many a ‘real’ newspaper — will have to rely on frantic emails, text messages and phone calls to get copy in and ready to be printed.

But you can make it easier on yourself. It’s not tough, it’s not complicated and it’s not expensive. It’s free!

How to use Google to run your student newspaper

Recently, I was wowed by the internal software used by a big media company here in the UK. It was their own little world — news would come in from various wires, internal messages and memos would fire back and forth and boy… the shared contacts directory was really something to behold. The whole set up will have cost them thousands.

But wait! Look at what you can do with Google:

1. Email. Ok, that’s obvious. But if you have your own webspace (i.e. you host a website for your publicatin) then you can install email inboxes for all your team, using a you@yourpublication.com style email address. What’s great about it is that the software used is the same as Gmail. In other words, it’s very, very good. What’s especially handy is the way you can customise it. Below is a screenshot of our inboxes. Note our logo (pointless, but pretty…), and more importantly, notice the quick contacts down the left hand side. Each member of the team can be messaged with a simple click. If they happen to be online at the same time as you, you can even send them an instant message, msn-style.

The popular Gmail interface can be customised to match your newspaper’s style.

2. Calendar. You’ve seen one calendar and you think you’ve seen them all. Wrong. Take all those email accounts you’ve just set up after step one. Then imagine that each of those log ins can contribute to one mass calendar, with everyone’s entries appearing in a different colour so you know what’s what. You’ll never miss a diary-event ever again. At a glance, you can see who’s covering what and when. Not only this, but you can view the calendar, and edit it, using your mobile phone. If you’re the editor… how great would it be to be able to automatically email your entire team an hour before your editorial meeting? Bliss.

3. Documents. Now this is the best part. Using Google Docs, you can upload all your copy into one place. Your subs can access it and edit it in real time. You don’t even have to be in the same room. Using spreadsheets, why not make an online contact directory, just as we did below. Like the calendar, all your team can access and edit this. An invaluable tool. Just think of all the people you speak to in a year, and imagine how useful a printable, searchable copy of them all will be.

Names are added in the same way as in an Excel spreadsheet. Also, note the tabs at the bottom for different type of contacts.

More information about how to install and use the Google software package can be found here. Good luck!

Who’s using Dreamweaver then?

Posted by Dave Lee on 24 April 2008 at 18:14
Tags: Courses, Newspapers, Online, Student Journalism

Here’s a good interview in the New York Times for the web buffs among us, but it also has some interest for those who aren’t so tech-savvy.

The interview chats to Mr Khoi Vinh, design director of NYTimes.com, and is about how they came to build the New York Times website.

I’m basing this on little more on my own opinion, but I can safely say the New York Times website is the best newspaper site in the world. It’s incredible. Spend a few moments surfing around their multimedia and admire how great it is. It’s a style of publishing that journalism students everywhere should be learning to emulate.

Dug within the interview lies yet another comment which substansiates the claim that Dreamweaver is a tool that, really, shouldn’t be taught in our online classes.

Vinh says:

“It’s our preference to use a text editor, like HomeSite, TextPad or TextMate, to “hand code” everything, rather than to use a wysiwyg (what you see is what you get) HTML and CSS authoring program, like Dreamweaver. We just find it yields better and faster results.”

So, in summary, web designers aren’t using Dreamweaver. Web journalists aren’t using Dreamweaver. Indeed it seems nobody in the industry is using it. Which begs the question, why do so many journo-institutions insist on teaching it? I’m truly baffled.

Your experiences of work experience

Posted by Dave Lee on 21 April 2008 at 09:55
Tags: Student Journalism, nuj

It’s widely accepted that as inexperienced journalists we need to put up with the less glamorous of tasks until we get ‘real’ (sorry!) jobs. But at what point does it become exploitation? When does work experience just become work?

The National Union of Journalists has recently compiled a survey of newly qualified journalists who have undertaken placements in the industry.

The results are very worrying. It seems some media companies are, for want of a better phrase, taking the mick.

The NUJ have threatened to ‘out’ the certain media companies that were singled out in the survey.

What are your thoughts?

My longest stint has been two weeks. Although, at a push, I would probably be able to work a month unpaid. But some places are offering internships of six months or more. I can’t think of another industry which requires prospective employees to work for free for so long.

Should we be paid? If we insist on payment for placements from now on, do we risk making media companies ditch placement schemes altogether?