Laura Wild

Third year newspaper journalism student Laura Wild is taking a big leap, literally.

Daredevil Laura will be doing a tandem skydive for the Springhill Hospice in Rochdale in March.

 Laura decided to take the plunge after being given a news release about the charity’s fundraiser when she was on work placement at Rochdale Online.

 “My mum works at the hospice and did the skydive last year. I thought at the time I would love to do it too.

 “It’s the perfect charity to raise money for and fulfill the scary experience of jumping out of a plane,” said the plucky Rochdale lass who’ll be writing up her experience for the website.

 The UCLan student who’s also been working for the website at weekends is no stranger to action reporting. She recently covered a Mud Machines tournament on a quad bike.

 Third year newspaper journalism tutor Delwyn Swingewood, said: “ If the BBC needs a replacement for Jeremy Clarkson then Laura’s the obvious choice.”

 Laura needs to raise £395. She’s off to a great start but would like to get more for such a wonderful cause.

 If you want to be a sponsor go to: http://www.everydayhero.co.uk/laura_wild

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UCLan postgrads at the Daily Telegraph

BY STEWART McCULLOUGH

Postgraduate newspaper journalism students spent a day visiting the newsrooms of national dailies The Daily Telegraph and Independent.

Veteran journalist and Independent on Sunday assistant editor David Randall told visitors  that reporting was still one of the best jobs in the world. 

The author of the best selling text book The Universal Journalist said that as well as a love of the written word and a desire to develop their own style reporters had to keep abreast of what’s happening.  “And the only way to do that is read, read, read,” he said.

Independent editor Roger Alton also offered his views on modern journalism, investigative reporting and how to succeed in this tough industry.

The Independent has recruited several former UCLan graduates including crime correspondent Mark Hughes and most recently Kevin Rawlinson.

“It was great meeting and talking to Roger and David  who gave us a real insight of what it takes to become successful reporters,” said diploma student Hannah Upton.  

Fellow student Michael Hill said the trip “really helped us understand what it takes to get into the industry. It was great to be in Roger Alton’s office just before the evening news conference.”

At the Telegraph the group had a lightning tour of the paper’s hub and spoke newsroom and met former head of digital development, Greg Hadfield.

The London trip, which has become a regular for UCLan newspaper journalism  postgrads, was organised by another Fleet Street veteran and senior lecturer in journalism Michael Williams.

“It was a great experience for the students and will help them in their development as future journalists. They also made some very useful contacts,” said Delwyn Swingewood course leader MA/PG Dip Newspaper Journalism.

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Eileen Devaney and Tom Best of the UK Coalition Against Poverty

BY HANNAH UPTON

Postgraduate journalism students have been asked to consider how they should tackle reporting poverty.

Eileen Devaney and Tom Best from the UK Coalition Against Poverty told a group of UCLan students the media often distorts and sensationalises the issue.

Eileen said tabloid newspapers frequently imply that benefit claimants are lazy or lead a luxurious lifestyle. 

“Portrayals of ‘benefit fiddlers’ and ‘scroungers’ in soaps and television programmes like the Jeremy Kyle Show and Shameless do not help either ,” she said

Such stereotyping was one reason why the poor are often reluctant to speak to journalists which results in one-sided reporting.

More objective reporting would give the poor a voice and help fight the social stigma surrounding the issue, said Tom. He pointed out that one fifth of the UK population live in poverty and Britain’s child poverty record is the worst in Europe.

Postgraduate newspaper journalism student Adam Lord said: “Poverty makes you think of Third World countries and how fashionable it has become for celebrities to adopt children and front charity campaigns.  You don’t think about people in this country.”

“How we report is an important question and ties in with our ethics workshops,” said Delwyn Swingewood course leader MA/PG Dip Newspaper Journalism.

The UK Coalition Against Poverty has been speaking to working reporters and student journalists around the country. The coalition’s work is backed by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, The Media Trust and the Society of Editors.

Reporting povery in the UK: A practical guide for journalists by veteran journalist David Seymour can be downloaded from www.jrf.org.uk/reporting-poverty

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Postgrad newspaper journalism students L-R Adam Lord, Hannah Upton and Rhianne Pope

Postgraduate and undergraduate journalism students have been praised by Lancashire County Council for their help with a two-day emergency exercise.

The broadcast and journalism students took part in Operation Heron designed to test how police, fire, ambulance, environmental , health and  other services would cope with a nuclear accident.

“It’s recognised that the media play an important part in major incidents and it is critical that we reflect that in such exercises,” said  Bernard Kershaw, emergency planning officer for Lancashire.

“The involvement and commitment of the students was invaluable. They were very keen and enthusiastic and helped bring realism to the event. I’m very grateful for their time and energy.”

Thirty UClan students were involved. They attended news conferences and conducted one-to-interviews with key personnel. Broadcast students produced live radio and TV news reports while their print colleagues produced special crisis editions of Greenbank News.

“We found it extremely rewarding covering a live news story. It was also a great challenge working to live deadlines,” said postgraduate newspaper journalism student Adam Lord.

Postgrad newspaper journalism student Hannah Upton said: “Operation Heron was a brilliant exercise because it allowed us to put theory into practice. It proved that good team work is vital.” 

“Our students really rose to the occasion,” said Delwyn Swingewood  course leader for postgraduate newspaper journalism. “It was a great educational experience.”

More than 100 people took part in the major exercise which centred on a radiation leak at the Springields nuclear plant near Preston.

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Front row of the grid: Jonathan Legard meets Sports Journalism students

BBC television’s Formula One commentator Jonathan Legard made a pitstop at UCLan to meet students on the university’s Sports Journalism course.

Jonathan explained what his job involves and let his audience in on some of the secrets of the commentary box.

He also had words of advice and encouragement for young people breaking into the ultra-competitive world of sports journalism.

“It can be very disheartening if you are applying for jobs and feel you are getting nowhere,” he said. “I was unemployed for six months before I got my break, so I know the feeling. Be determined, persistent, willing and obliging. Offer yourself for all sorts of things and always do your best – you never know who might take notice.”

A former sports correspondent and commentator for BBC Radio,  Jonathan is about to embark on his second season behind the mic for BBCTV. The F1 campaign begains on March 14 in Bahrain.

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Scoops and Scams

By ALASTAIR TURNER

UCLan’s series of Harris Lectures continued with the visit of investigative journalist Andrew Jennings.  Students from across the university’s wide range of journalism courses  were treated to an animated and lively talk about what it takes to be an investigative journalist.

Andrew drew on his years of experience to guide students through the challenges that journalists face to bring in a good story, and the pitfalls which await those who do not try to achieve these goals. He challenged students to ‘have the courage to have an attitude’ and encouraged them to go out and find stories by looking where others are not.

With a wealth of knowledge at his disposal Andrew covered many of the bigger issues in today’s media including the devastation in Haiti and the media reaction. He also went into detail on some of his more famous campaigns including the work he did to unearth  corruption and greed in major sporting institutions such as FIFA and the IOC, showing the students some of the techniques he used to ‘doorstop’ those involved.

Andrew also used the time to tell students about alternative press and the difference between the public face and private reality of major organisations. As well as providing a highly entertaining and insightful lecture Andrew  stayed behind to talk to a group of students who grilled him on such subjects as blood doping in athletics and the sensationalism of modern media.

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by NICK SHELTON

The chief football writer for the Lancashire Evening Post, Dave Seddon, paid a visit to first year journalism and sports journalism students.

Dave’s previous jobs include being a court reporter for the Barnes press agency in Wigan before making the switch to sport, covering Wigan Athletic before moving to the Lancashire Evening Post.

Dave was especially busy over the festive period due to the sacking of Preston North End manager Alan Irvine, who was replaced by former Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson.

He gave students the inside track on managers he has worked with, including David Moyes, Steve Bruce and Paul Jewell. “Most football managers like working with the media,” he said. Topping the list of media-friendly managers was former Wigan boss Steve Bruce who bought Dave a bottle of champagne on hearing the news that his wife had given birth.

Dave also discussed the future of print journalism. Regarding the LEP itself, Dave said: “There will always be a newspaper,” but he also predicted that other local newspapers will change to become internet only publications in the near future.

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David Conn with students on UCLan's Sports Journalism course

David Conn, the Guardian’s leading writer on the business and finance of sport, visited the university to speak to students on the Sports Journalism course.

David has established a glowing reputation as a questioning observer of the sporting scene. A former lawyer, he uses his legal instincts to identify stories which he explores with immense attention to detail.

He encouraged the students to look beyond the conventional back-page coverage of sport and ask why people in positions of power made their decisions. He gave examples of how information can be obtained and checked, quoting his reports this year on the business affairs of Leeds United, Chester City and the progress of the London Olympic stadium.

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Mark Hughes chats to a Baltimore cop. (Pic courtesy Gene Sweeny Jnr)

Mark Hughes crime correspondent for The Independent newspaper  spent a week reporting from the streets of Baltimore.

He swapped places with Justin Fenton his counterpart on The Baltimore Sun to find out if the Shadow Home Secretary’s claims were true.  Last August  Christopher Grayling said Britain’s streets were as bad as those portrayed in the US TV series The Wire.

Mark, found himself at the scene of a shooting within minutes of stepping off the train at Baltimore’s Penn station. He says the US city’s violent reputation is justified. But adds there are some nice parts too.

“I love The Wire so it was a great thrill for me to get out there,” he says.

On his return the 23-year-old and Justin were interviewd by Evan Davis on BBC Radio Four’s flagship Today programme.

Mark who graduated in 2007 also won Press Gazette’s Student Journalist of the Year award.  He was quickly snapped up by The Independent, initially as their Manchester-based  northern correspondent before moving to London to cover crime.

“ Mark was an outstanding student who had great maturity and insight. He is one the great young reporters of his generation,” said former tutor Delwyn Swingewood

To read Mark’s account of his visit visit: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/mark-hughes-in-baltimore-just-minutes-after-i-arrived-i-was-at-the-scene–of-a-shooting-1816584.html

Listen to the interview at:  http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/listen_again/default.stm

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Sadhbh (third from left) calling the shots in UCLan's TV gallery

Sports Journalism graduate Sadhbh O’Shea is off to Madrid after winning a place on Eurosport’s Multimedia Masters prograduate programme. 

Sadhbh will spend six months studying in the Spanish capital before undertaking three months on placement in one of the Eurosport offices. 

She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire this summer.

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