50 years of journalism at UCLan
Mike Ward and Richard Frediani, Head of News at ITV Granada at the event
A BAFTA-winning journalist has been reunited with former tutors and students to help celebrate 50 years of journalism at UCLan.
Richard Frediani, Head of News at ITV Granada, studied on UCLan’s Postgraduate Diploma in Radio and TV Journalism in 1989.
At a launch event, celebrating the research produced by undergraduate students Joe Cawley (history) and Louise Steggles (journalism), the Preston-born alumnus declared the exhibition open by cutting a specially prepared cake.
“It’s a great honour, as a former student and proud Prestonian, to open this exhibition,” said Richard. “The University is certainly in the premier league when it comes to journalism and I was very privileged to gain a place on the postgraduate course all those years ago.”
“Journalism has changed dramatically in the last 50 years and I hope we will still be here in 50 years time. To misquote Reggie Perrin’s boss: ‘I wouldn’t have got where I am today without UCLan’. And even now, without the current course, I wouldn’t have a source of future talent to employ on Granada Reports.
“The poly, as it was then, provided me with an excellent grounding for my career. And, being in my home town of Preston, I was able to study and enjoy the excellent amenities as well.”
Professor Geoff Timmins, who oversaw the work alongside project manager Debbie Williams, paid tribute the student team: “Both Louise and Joe have put in a remarkable amount of effort not only into the research – Louise even journeying to as far a field as Berlin – but also into attending meetings, emailing questions and mounting the exhibition.
“The project was sponsored by UCLan’s Centre for Research Informed Teaching and the key aims have been to enhance students’ research skills, as well as to inform the research process by drawing on the perspectives of different subject disciplines.”
Journalism student and co-author Louise Steggles commented: “It’s been a really fascinating piece of work and comes complete with 22 hours of testimony. Everyone has different memories and by carrying out this research we’ve uncovered the history of journalism training itself. There have been so many ‘firsts’ in the department such as first degree, first master’s course and first digital journalism course. We’ve really uncovered the tip of the iceberg. In the future we would like to develop the history further so we can produce an even more complete record.”
All research information gathered during the project, including a video of the launch event, is being loaded onto a web page here: http://historyofjournalismatuclan.pbworks.com/. Alumni are being invited to chat/upload photographs so that the journalism history can continue to evolve.
Popularity: 97% [?]
Our print and broadcast courses are accredited by the The Broadcast Journalism Training Council and the National Council for the Training of Journalists. Our MA Magazine Journalism is accredited by the Periodicals Training Council.
