Joe Stashko(L) and Andy Halls

Two student journalists are launching a hyperlocal news site in Preston later this month.

 The site www.mypreston.com is brainchild of second year Andy Halls and Joseph Stashko who is in his first year.

 “It will fill the void left by shrinking budgets and journalists with limited time. As regional news feels the pressures of the recession, gaps in local news are forming.   Grassroots news is going unreported, and the accountable are being left unchallenged.

 “Local newspapers have lost touch with the audience they are writing for, and we hope to re-build these bridges, reporting the news the community want, and need to know,” said Andy.

 The duo are already recruiting students but are keen to attract outside contributors. “Anyone interested in writing about niche topics is welcome, but a keen interest in local news and telling stories in a variety of different ways is key,” said Joseph.

 The founders are adamant that www.mypreston.com won’t be another student website but will provide news reporting that anyone will want to read.

 Andy Dickinson senior lecturer in online journalism said; “This is a great idea. The future of journalism is not just about trying to understand the different ways that people will want to get their news but also the way we can get people involved and engaged. Hyperlocal sites are a great way to explore those issues.

 “Any student who gets involved with this would be adding valuable experience to their CV. There is a bright future for journalists who are passionate and engaged.”

 Further information: ajhalls@uclan.ac.uk jstashko-adamaszek@uclan.ac.uk

 Twitter: @ajhalls1/@JosephStash

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A senior national newspaper executive takes a look at chequebook journalism in the latest Harris Journalism lecture. Nicholas Pyke, associate editor of the Mail on Sunday looks behind the buy-up and kiss ‘n’ tells at 1pm Mobnday 8 March in the Foster Lecture Theatre.

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Mark chats with a Baltimore cop (Picture courtesy Gene Sweeny Jnr)

Award  winning newspaper journalism graduate Mark Hughes has been shortlisted for a national prize.

Mark who is crime reporter for The Independent exchanged places with his counterpart on the Baltimore Sun last year.

The swap gave him a chance to patrol the streets in the crime-ridden city and led to a shortlisting  for The Cudlipp Award.

The prize, sponsored by the British Journalism Review, is designed to honour the best in popular journalism in commemoration of the legendary editor Hugh Cudlipp.

“I’m really looking forward to the ceremony. Obviously I have my fingers crossed,” said Mark who was named Journalist of the Year in the 2007 Press Gazette Student Awards.

“He is an extremely talented journalist and everyone in the School of Journalism is delighted that he’s up for an award of this calibre,” said Mark’s former  tutor Delwyn Swingewood.

Mark will be facing stiff competition. Also shortlisted are The Daily Mail, The Daily Mirror, The  Sunday Mirror and The Sun.

The prize  launched a decade ago is part of the British Press Awards. The winner will be announced on Tuesday 23 March at a London ceremony hosted by TV and radio presenter John Humphrys.

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BY MARTINE BERENS

Paul Harpin (centre) and postgrad magazine students

A leading design director has given the thumbs up to magazines produced by postgraduate journalism students.

After casting a critical eye over their work Haymarket’s Paul Harpin told students “I have a feeling this is an Ivy class.”

Paul, who has worked on more than 160 titles in the UK and overseas was in Preston to give the group  an insight on images and design. 

During his talk he outlined 10 simple truths about the power of magazines including their  capacity to satisfy a mass of niche markets which even encompasses  “the strange male obsession for trains”.

“Magazines are brands, not just magazines, they are finding new outlets and are evolving,” he said.

Paul arrived at Haymarket 14 years ago and is working on 28 of the company’s portfolio of 100 titles  including award-winning publications Army Magazine  and Autocar.

He also gave  a vital tip on how designers can achieve an award winning look.  Read a wide range of titles and, for added inspiration, look at foreign magazines. He should know. Paul was once creative director of popular Singapore-based women’s magazine HerWorld.

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Evening Standard editor Geordie Greig

The  School of Journalism, Media and Communication, is holding a special week of talks by the UK’s top journalists.

Geordie Greig, editor of the London Evening Standard and former editor of  Tatler kicks of  “A future for our media” (1-4 March 2010).

 Greig, once described as the “world’s greatest networker”  started as a reporter on the South East London and Kent Messenger in Deptford. He worked for Sunday  Today and the Daily Mail before joining The Sunday Times in 1987.

He has transformed the Evening Standard since taking over a year ago and will give an insight about his work at the helm of the capital’s only evening paper next Monday .

Kim Fletcher, former editorial director of the Telegraph Media Group and chairman of the National Council for the Training of Journalists speaks about the role of PR in the industry on Tuesday.

Peter Salmon head of BBC’s new Media City operation in Salford appears on Wednesday and Stephen Mitchell  the corporation’s head of news programmes ends the series on Thursday with a look at news reporting.

The line-up has been arranged by Michael Williams, former news editor of The  Sunday Times, deputy editor of The Independent on Sunday and senior lecturer in journalism at UCLan. “The quality of speakers who come to Preston to engage with our students reflects our status as one of Britain’s most dynamic institutions teaching journalism today.”

The event, the latest in the university’s Harris Lecture series, is free and all are welcome.

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Wild agazine

An award-winning magazine created by a postgraduate  journalism student is on the newsstands.

Wild, a children’s wildlife title, is in the February 26 subscriber edition of  Dennis Publishing’s popular news magazine, The Week.

Its creator, Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, designed the brand for her MA Magazine Journalism project coursework last summer. Wild went on to win the Original Magazine Concept at October’s Periodicals Training Council awards.

It captured the attention of leading publisher Felix Dennis who announced he wanted to publish it in one of his portfolio of newsstand magazines.

A thrilled Alice, who started work as editorial assistant on Paper Craft magazine in September, is looking forward to seeing 7,000 copies of her project in print.

 She said: “I loved creating my own magazine, it was a lot of hard work, but the feeling of achievement and success when I handed it in and saw the finished product was unbelievable.”

Course leader Cathy Darby said: “This is proof that the high quality material produced by our students is not only recognised by the industry but also helps secure jobs.”

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Student days in Preston; pic courtesy Andy Hoban

A group of former newspaper journalism students plan to stage a reunion this summer.

The organisers are Sunday Express night editor Andy Hoban, Liverpool Daily Post editor Mark Thomas and former Manchester Evening News  staffer  Andrew Nott who runs his own PR and publishing outfit Clear Publications.

The trio who were on the university’s 1974-5 pre-entry journalism course hope to hold the party in June.

“A handful of us stayed in touch and were reminiscing about the fun we had together and it just started from there,” said Andy Nott whose company recently published Detonation. The book by  Ray King, another former  MEN  reporter, is regarded as the definitive account of the 1996 IRA Manchester bombing.

Other alumni include David Wooding, the News of the World’s political editor, Tony Kelly of The Press in York and Sue Crawford news editor of  Carlisle’s News & Star.

“It’s a job I’ve always loved and a core of us has remained in newspapers, some in the regions while others went on to the nationals. A lot of water has gone under the bridge in the 35 years since we were at Preston but it would be great to see everyone again,” said Sue

Anyone who would like further information can contact Andrew Nott on andy@clearpublications.co.uk

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Professor Christ Frost

An impressive line-up of speakers is exploring  contemporary ethical issues in the media with undergraduate journalism students.

Professor Chris Frost of Liverpool John Moores university kicked off the series of guest lectures. “It was good to talking to students who seemed interested and concerned about journalism ethics and standards,” said Professor Frost who is author of  the key text on the subject.

Other speakers include David Randall associate editor of  The Independent on Sunday and  author of The Universal  Journalist,  National Council for the Training of Journalists chairman Kim Fletcher

 and Ian Herbert, Northern Football Editor of The Independent.

David Hayward of the BBC College of Journalism, Catherine Pepinster editor of The Tablet, the weekly Roman Catholic newspaper, will also be visiting UCLan. Will Gore, of the Press Complaints Commission will end the series.

Michael Williams leader  of the third year  ethics and regulation module said: “It’s a reflection of the quality of the programme that so many senior figures in the industry are willing to give up their time to talk to the students.”

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Mike Green celebrating with this year's postgrad students

Broadcast journalism lecturer Mike Green has won a BBC award.

Mike, who has trained some of the industry’s leading broadcasters, received the corporation’s Connect and Create Partnership Award for Achievement.

The award is recognition of the 21 years he has devoted to UCLan where he has built the post-graduate broadcast journalism course into a centre for national excellence.

Former students who paid tribute to him included Danny Savage, BBC TV’s North of England correspondent,  Karen Allen, Southern Africa correspondent and BAFTA award winner Richard Frediani, head of news at ITV Granada.

“I’ve seen Mike mentor and guide literally hundreds of students, many of whom wouldn’t have had a career without his support. The quality of the broadcasting course at the University of Central Lancashire is in no small part due to Mike’s commitment,” said Richard

“His dry wit and insight into the baffling world of broadcast news provided an inspiration to us all,” said Karen Allen.

 “If you mention Mike Green’s name at Television Centre, Five Live, Radio 4, Sky News, ITN, CNN, BBC and commercial local radio stations across the country … heads will pop up in recognition of the man who put them where they are now,” added Phil McCann of BBC Radio Stoke

The Connect and Create Partnership was established by the BBC to cement its links with all northern universities and colleges, in preparation its move to Media City next year.

After receiving the award Mike said: I’m deeply touched by the support I have received from staff and students. The award is a reflection of the dedication and commitment of all staff I have worked alongside for many years.”

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Shorthand superstar Hannah Upton

Postgraduate journalism students at UCLan are anything but lost for words, when it comes to shorthand.

They gained the 100wpm gold standard at first attempt in this month’s NCTJ exam.  Three reached 100% accuracy.

The group which started from scratch last October are in little doubt about the driving force behind their success. Veteran shorthand tutor Pat Brand and her team.

Over the years Pat and her colleagues have introduced hundreds of journalism students to the joys of Teeline.

Postgraduate newspaper journalism student Hannah Upton paid tribute to Pat. “She works you hard, but it pays off. We’ve thoroughly enjoyed the sessions.”

“These results should be something to gladden the heart of any news editor. They demonstrate how seriously we take practical skills and demonstrate to the industry the quality of our journalism students,” said Delwyn Swingewood course leader MA/PGDip Newspaper Journalism.

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