Journalism

Paparazzi party

Technological developments and changes in the management of publishing and broadcasting organisations are rapidly transforming journalism. Many newspaper journalists now design and lay out their own pages; radio reporters contribute to online news services and television reporters film and edit their own stories. To survive and succeed, the journalist of the future will need to know how and where to find stories and how to produce and present them for newspapers, magazines, radio, television and the internet.

Traditionally, journalists had a good command of English and knowledge of at least one specialist subject. They didn't train for their profession until after they graduated from university or finished their college studies. Media organisations preferred to recruit knowledgeable all-rounders who could be taught broadcasting or writing skills in a professional environment.

But times have changed. Media managers now seek multimedia journalists: knowledgeable, multi-skilled all-rounders who can do it all before they turn professional ­ research, write, record, edit, handle modern video, sound and lighting equipment and produce information that can be used across a range of outlets.

Making the headlines

You might think that with so much to learn before they go to work, would-be journalists aren't prepared to put in the hours required to make it in the profession. Instead, journalism is one of the most competitive and demanding career areas and it is becoming increasingly important for anyone wishing to be successful to earn an honours degree and even study for a postgraduate diploma or Masters degree ­ particularly if you hear the call of radio and television.

Media studies are taught at countless universities and colleges throughout the UK, and these courses tend to centre on theory rather than practice. For an interactive, hands-on experience, something that may give you an edge over all the other wannabe BBC and ITV correspondents, other programmes concentrate on "true" Multimedia Journalism. A quick search of the UCAS database reveals over 332 course options at 53 institutions, from Bournemouth to Stirling. Many of these options concentrate on Creative Writing and may be mixed with other subjects such as E-commerce or Information Systems. Cardiff University boasts the UK's only Centre for Journalism Studies, with a reputation for pioneering the country's first university courses in journalism over 30 years ago. Journalism at the University of Central Lancashire has a national reputation for providing employable graduates. The present editors of The Independent and Sunday Mirror learnt their journalism in Preston. So did presenters of Sports Report and the Radio 5 breakfast programme.

The Skillset standard

The media industry is fully aware of the need to maintain the professional standard of graduates emerging from these courses. The government-backed Skillset initiative, chaired by Roger Laughton, Head of the Bournemouth Media School, aims to develop closer links between colleges, universities and the profession to promote vocational centres of excellence. These centres will, it is hoped, generate reliable and accessible advice and training for careers in the audio-visual industries, making it possible for people to continue to learn new skills throughout their working lives at a cost they can afford.

Hack away!

But before you go ploughing through a master list of course titles and other possibilities, consider your future career. Employers appreciate and seek people with professional skills. They also value the intellectual grounding offered by some traditional academic university courses. Concentrate on finding a multimedia journalism programme that seeks to develop both intellectual depth and practical versatility by combining theory with hands-on experience.

You should also think about the direction in which you see your career as a journalist heading. The more practical skills you can develop, the more versatile you will become. If you concentrate on your writing skills, and angle towards a print-based career in newspapers and magazines, you may not find that opportunities to branch out into radio or television work come forward later in life.

The three-year multimedia journalism degree at Bournemouth University is a good example of a programme that develops both print-based and broadcast skills for all its students. The BA honours degree is the only undergraduate programme in the UK to gain full recognition from the three main training bodies associated with the profession ­ the Broadcast Journalism Training Council, the National Council for the Training of Journalists and the Periodicals Training Council. The coursework is demanding but Bournemouth graduates are multi-skilled practitioners who are able to compete for the top jobs at newspapers, magazines and in broadcasting, with an emerging number who take their skills online.

The programme is largely project-based, with students writing newspaper and magazine copy and producing radio and television bulletins to industry standards ­ and deadlines! A professional working environment is simulated in dedicated newsrooms and digitally equipped studios.

Guidance is provided by lecturers who have "been there, done that" by working at all levels of the media ­ from local newspapers to international broadcasters. Guest lecturers include former ITN correspondent Michael Brunson, Fleet Street editor Eve Pollard (now a Visiting Fellow) and Greg Dyke, Director General of the BBC.

Tomorrow's headlines

Bournemouth students, like many others, also spend time during the summer on (unpaid) professional placement with any number of newspapers, radio stations and internet news services providing local, regional, national and international coverage of events, gaining more grounding
before graduation.

Career prospects for graduating journalists are varied and global. About 40 per cent of journalists still begin their careers as trainees on local newspapers. In magazines, the most common starting job is sub-editor, which involves editing articles, writing headlines and proof-reading. In radio and television, you could end up as a trainee or junior reporter, covering lesser-known events for a period of time as you "pay your dues" in anticipation of the big break later on.

The future tense

Countless students applying for places on journalism degrees in the UK don't have any previous experience but hope to gain some once they get to university. Believe it or not, it may be too late. If your application for university is made with good intentions but no experience to back you up, you may have to rethink your plans.

It is never too early to make a start. Writing for school magazines or volunteering to help in hospital or local radio or local newspapers will give you a taste of the career you crave. Even keeping a journalist's diary of your own life, recording exciting events you attend such as pop concerts or football matches, interesting people you meet, observations you make, all helps to keep you well practised in describing to an audience what you experience.

In terms of the personal qualities required to make it, remember that good journalists are able to draw on all the knowledge and skills they acquire. According to the National Council for the Training of Journalists, editors and producers look for a number of traits including:

• An interest in current affairs at all levels
• A lively interest in people, places and events
• An ability to communicate in a style which is easy to understand
• Good spelling, grammar and punctuation
• A willingness to accept irregular hours
• An ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines
• Determination and persistence

Highlighting some of these same qualities to university course tutors and administrators as part of your application may influence their decision as to whether or not you get into their study programme.

Perhaps the most important quality for any would-be journalist is perseverance and determination. Don't be afraid to knock on doors and ask for work experience or simply the chance to look around a studio or newsroom. Most media organisations are far less intimidating than they appear ­ and always remember that everyone is on the look out for talent.