Publish your own scoop, says Murnaghan

Posted by Dave Lee on 14 April 2008 at 15:35
Tags: Student Journalism

Sky News (and Eggheads! Woo!) presenter Dermot Murnaghan writes in the Media Guardian about how it’s different — easier? — to break into journalism with all the new oppurtunities at hand:

Sure, the demands of the new forms of delivery put more pressures on journalists. But they also offer more opportunities. Look at my own feeble efforts to break into print 25 years ago - relying on a time-pressured Alan Rusbridger to take my call. There was nowhere else to publish my “scoop” (whatever it was). Now there’s nothing to prevent you breaking your story online yourself, whether it’s print or video. But to break through, those journalistic rules will always apply: the story has to be good, and well told. No one’s going to take your blog seriously if it’s a tissue of unsourced, irrelevant witterings.

What do you think?

(On a side point: is anyone else dying under a big dissertation-sized pile? It seems hard to write academically when you spend all your life writing as a reporter. Grrr.)

YouTube your way to a job with Stuff

Posted by Dave Lee on 8 April 2008 at 17:52
Tags: Student Journalism

I’m a big fan of Stuff magazine, so delighted to see this little compo they’re running. Submit a good enough video and you could find yourself with a nice six-month contract and ten grand’s worth of home entertainment goodies. Lovely.

Have a butchers at their site for more infomation on getting stuck in.

There has been a couple of submissions so far, but none quite as dainty as this effort from a chap named “y2kjon”.

Greenslade on working-class journalists

Posted by Dave Lee on 7 April 2008 at 15:53
Tags: Newspapers, Student Journalism

Here’s a debate that strikes particularly close to the bone: Can working-class school-leavers get jobs in journalism?

I’ve just finished a great placement at Sky News. Wonderful experience. But, as is so often the case with placements, expenses are not covered.

I’m lucky — my Dad works for London Underground. I get really cheap fares. My commute — from Huntingdon, near Cambridge — cost about £15 all-in by the time I’d reached the Sky News Centre in Osterley. Not a horrific amount, but that did mean £150 on travel for the length of my placement.

Imagine if I hadn’t got that cheap card? My commute would have cost a lot more. I’d have probably found somewhere to stay down there — which would have cost a great deal too.

The point is, it’s an expensive business. But, without the experience I’d stand absolutely no chance of having a career at the end of it. So it’s no wonder that so many jobs are reserved for the rich among us.

I’ve seen some journalism job websites advertising year-long internships for up to a YEAR unpaid. Incredible. I can’t afford to not work for a fortnight — let alone a year. Crazy. A friend at a local newspaper told me she worked a year for free, before finally getting a full time job. Her salary? £14,000.

Shameful. How can journalism claim to be the ‘voice of the people’ when really, when it comes down to it, the ‘people’ can’t get jobs.

Mindy McAdams: Post-grads are a waste of time

Posted by Dave Lee on 3 April 2008 at 18:34
Tags: Student Journalism

Mindy McAdams takes no prisoners with her post on the true value of post-grad courses.

I’m an under-grad, and I don’t think I’ll be doing a masters. But what do you think? Here’s some of what Mindy had to say…

“Salary-wise, that master’s degree will make absolutely no difference in any journalism job. In fact, the other 24-year-olds will be making more money than you — yes, you, the dolt who stayed in school for two extra years.”

And…

“If you want to be a lawyer, heck, sure, get out of here and go to law school. But if you want to DO JOURNALISM as your career, your calling, your mission in life — then GO GET A JOB. The sooner, the better.”

Read the rest here, if you dare.

NUJ Work experience survey

Posted by Dave Lee on 1 April 2008 at 09:00
Tags: Student Journalism

Work experience can be a big break into your dream career, or it can be a nightmare. I just got this message from the National Union of Journalists, and I urge you to fill it in for them:

The NUJ is conducting a survey on the subject of work experience and journalism.

If you have finished a journalism course in the last five years, we’d be keen to hear your views. Click here to complete the survey

It should only take a couple of minutes of your time and your responses will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.

We’ll be using the results as part of our campaign to tackle the exploitation of newly qualified and student journalists.

Many thanks for your time.
The NUJ Campaigns Team

Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us!

Posted by Dave Lee on 31 March 2008 at 09:00
Tags: Radio, Student Journalism

As student journalist Katie was preparing to do a weather report live to the studio, a few technical difficulties threw her concentration out the window. She needed Andrew. Andrew being the station controller and the man that would probably be able to solve her problems.

Unfortunately for Katie, her pleas for help weren’t heard by Andrew. Which is surprising, as they were heard by all the listeners of the station. Yes, poor Katie’s horror-story was broadcast on air.

Being a good sport, Katie has allowed me to share the clip with you all on one simple condition: If any of you are in the position to employ her, then you must erase this moment from your memory and focus on her other less gaffe-filled journalism portfolio instead. Take a listen here.

Greenslade: Hail City University’s student bloggers

Posted by Dave Lee on 27 March 2008 at 09:23
Tags: Courses, Online, Student Journalism, facebook

Guardian media commentator Roy Greenslade has been highlighting the fantastic efforts of City University’s student bloggers.

Among the posts, Matt Bolton’s interesting look into the Evening Standard’s coverage of the mayoral election raises some good points. Such a well written piece deserves plenty of publicity, so I hope readers of this blog will go and have a look at what Matt has to say.

The world of social-networking can be a bit creepy, reveals Kaya Burgess, who set up a fake Facebook account featuring an attractive female character he’d invented. A simple idea finely executed, Kaya’s article on the project reveals alot about the advancements of young men online.

Be sure to check out all the blogs Roy mentions in his post. If your’e not a blogging student already, it might just provide some inspiration.

Student journalists want what’s best for this industry, so use us!

Posted by Dave Lee on 21 March 2008 at 10:36
Tags: Student Journalism

I had an intriguing chat with a leading news reporter for the Lincolnshire Echo on Wednesday. She asked what I wanted to do with my career, and I announced, slightly embarrassed, that I wanted to be sent to some grotty horrible corner of the world to report on human suffering.

What a weird wish!

Yet, to my surprise and, ultimately, my delight, this reporter shared the very same dream. Not because we revel in human pain or discomfort, but because we both viewed this sort of journalism as the most noble form of what we do.

Yesterday, I conducted a quick poll. A quick poll consisting of one journalism-studying friend. She agreed: If the editor of her favourite news outlet (be it a newspaper, TV station or whatever) asked her to fly to, for the sake of example, Iraq, she would. Straight away, without hesistation.

How many of us would do this? So far I’ve asked two people, and both have said yes. And, if you include myself, that’s three out of three. 100%. Help me expand on this figure.

In an era of ‘churnalism’ dictating the news agenda – allegedly – is it the fault of the new breed of journalists that reporting is in such a bad state? Or are we just not given the wings to do what we dream?

It’s five years since we invaded Iraq. You already knew that. But have you seen this coverage from the New York Times? Proof, if proof were needed, that online journalism has incredible power to really tell a story — if done right. Sure, TV can provide pictures. Radio can give audio. Print can provide words and images.

Which medium can use all of those? Online. But that’s besides the point.

What I really want to stress is our challenge to the journalism industry:

Use us. We’re more than willing.

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Nouse: Counselling service admits breach of trust after releasing over 300 emails

Posted by Dave Lee on 19 March 2008 at 11:49
Tags: Student Journalism

Raf Sanchez reports on a potentially catastrophic blunder from admin staff at York University:

Minutes after the mistake was made a second email was sent out reading: “URGENT PLEASE DELETE LAST EMAIL  (Access to Counselling Building)  Information was included that should not have been sent”. Two hours later the Counselling Service sent out a ‘recall’, designed to delete emails in the recipients’ inbox. However, the recall email also included the 344 addresses in the cc field, revealing all the emails for a second time.

1 comment

Liverpool paper top story: Buy some ad space, please

Posted by Dave Lee on 19 March 2008 at 10:00
Tags: Newspapers, Online, Student Journalism

Now I may be a little old fashioned when it comes to commercial influence in newspapers, but it disheartens me to see Liverpool’s LX News running with this lead story: Advertise to over 60,000 students.

At what point does the drive for funding hamper a student newspaper’s coverage? I’d argue this example of LX News is a push too far.

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