Eight students from the journalism department have been nominated in the Press Gazette Student Journalism Awards.

Mark Hughes, who has just completed a BA (Hons) Journalism degree, is up for the Student News Writer of the Year and the Scoop of the Year awards and seven MA Magazine students have been nominated in the Team of the Year category for their musical magazine Showtime!

The awards are open to anyone who is or was studying to be a journalist, of any discipline, during the last 12 months. The categories have been narrowed down to five students in the News Writer and Scoop of the Year awards and seven groups in the team category.

Mark Hughes submitted his three best pieces from the last academic year to enter for News Writer of the Year and his entry for the Scoop of the Year award was an exclusive story about a former nurse who was jailed for abducting a 15-year-old girl and planned to marry her after his release from prison.

All of Markís submissions were taken from the News and Star newspaper in Carlisle where he originally worked part-time and now as a full-time reporter since finishing his degree.

Mark said: ìI sent off my entries in hope rather than anticipation so I was surprised and extremely pleased when I found out that I had made the short list in two categories.î

Outstanding

Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Delwyn Swingewood, said: ìMark was an outstanding student and has already proved himself to be an exceptionally talented and able young reporter. He’s an all-rounder who not only produces some cracking stories, but is also a dab hand at lay-out too. He’s a professional.”

Johanna Derry, Victoria Jones, Amita Mistry, Martin Pilkington, Julian Pletts, Marie Martin and Annie Makoff submitted the magazine they produced as part of their course for their nomination. Showtime! is a magazine about musicals with news and gossip, reviews, behind the scenes articles and stories on avid musical fans.

Editor Johanna said: ìWe are all really pleased to be nominated. We spent a lot of time working on the magazine and for it to be even short listed for this award is a great achievement.î

Amita Mistry, the Design editor, added: ìWe are all proud of Showtime! and it makes us feel like all of the hard work has paid off. We have already beaten off a lot of competition to be short listed so now we can be hopeful of winning.î

Thrilled

Course Leader for the MA Magazine Journalism course, Cathy Darby, said: ìShowtime! was truly a team effort, working together to develop a fantastically original magazine for lovers of musicals. From going on the road for a story to pulling in contacts in the industry for a romantic scoop, the Showtime! team of seven really put their hearts into their magazine. I am thrilled they have made the shortlist which will be a great boost for their prospective careers.î

The winners of the Student Journalism Awards will be announced at a ceremony at Reuters in London on the 6th July. Cash prizes are on offer for the winning students and all of the nominees will have the chance to network with working journalists.

More info
BA (Hons) Journalism
MA Magazine Journalism
Press Gazette Student Journalism Awards 2007
Mark Hughes first entry from the News and Star
Mark Hughes second entry from the News and Star
Mark Hughes third entry from the News and Star

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