NCTJ: Week ?????????????

Hiya readers,

OK, right, I *think* I've just finished week 15. What have I been doing since my last post? Have I been in some NCTJ induced coma that has stopped me from blogging about my exploits? Not quite. Instead of not blogging completely, I've sort of made the choice to leave it aside (for admittedly, a long time) and instead I've been focussing on interviewing, building my portfolio, exams and having a merry ole time with coursemates on the occassional night out (which is usually rounded off by a large McNugget meal from the Mecca that is McDonalds).

Since my last post though, I can say that I've grown so much in confidence as a journalist. Last time, I was talking about time management and my new role as a Bootle Community Reporter for the Liverpool Echo. The fact that I was struggling to find stories. At the beginning it was slow and I had to persevere before I got anything newsworthy. It involved exploring my local area and phoning places like schools, shopping centres, charities for anything that was going on at the time. I even went down to interview my local MP, Joe Benton. More for the experience than anything, I quizzed him about his role and issues affecting the area. I was quite nervous but he turned out to be really nice. I left my contact details with him, so hopefully he will get in touch with any stories he may want covering. And not forgetting to make the most out of social media, like Facebook and Twitter. I've had stories published in the Merseymart and Bootle Star supplements, which include a local fitness company running outdoor exercise classes in a Bootle based park. As well as an interview with a band, Tres, who had made it to the regional finals (now grand finals!) of Open Mic UK. I've been proud of the work that I've managed to produce as my skills have developed over the past few months. And I can't stress how important it to use your initiative when on such placements, as that is really important for you as a journo and for future employers to see that you are capable of producing high quality stories that you have sourced yourself.  Always be enthusiastic and don't give up, even if you feel disheartened, because eventually it will be worth it.

I had my first two exams in November. Shorthand at 60wpm (LOLZ) and Media Law. I can admit, I didn't feel comfortable with shorthand at all. I knew it wasn't going to go well. I think I'd built this negative attitude based on experiences of it I had in the past. Afterwards I felt pretty fustrated and upset with myself, but then thought I needed to give it another go. I spoke to my tutor and decided that I had to try and get something, even if it was to show that I knew the theory. So I took my 40wpm this week and smashed it. Yes, it is pretty slow but I think I'm going to work to 60wpm now. And then, who knows? ;) Next was our law exam. Due to illness, we haven't had a law teacher in the lead up to exams. However, we were taught topics and given a booklet with past papers to help with our revision. Along with the booklet and our trusty team NCTJ group on Facebook. OMFG. DOES ANYONE KNOW THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION? IS IT QUALIFIED PRIVILEDGE? HAVIN' A BREAKDOWN. In the end though, managed a shiny A. Really pleased with that.

Over Christmas, I'll be revising for my remaining exams. And expect to hear more of me as I reach the final hurdles of this course. No, really, I'll be blogging more, I promise!

I'd like to wish all my readers a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

S xxx

NCTJ: Week 3, 4 and 5

Hello readers,

Let me begin with a discussion. A discussion of a concept, a concept  known as 'free time'. You know, it basically involves 'time' which is 'free' that you can do stuff in when you haven't got more important stuff to be getting on with, like your job or an NCTJ Diploma. 'Free time' may involve enagaging in things like socialising, reading or watching something known as 'television'. Now that I'm a few weeks into this Diploma, I have realised that I am doing very little of the aforementioned activities, which in truth, has been a difficult adjustment for me. WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD, STEPH. I know, I know. This is what it will be like when I get an actual job, so I have to get used to it. And to be honest, I think I've settled into a routine quite well now.

I think one of the major factors when you are doing a course like this is time management. With so much to learn in such a short space of time, I've had do work even when I get home from college after a long day (news writing, shorthand and like). I'm a pretty motivated person, but sometimes, if I have Media Law revision and a new episode of 'The Great British Bake Off' to watch, then I'm going to have to go with the cake based food porn.

When finding stories, it's not normally a case of 'news only happens during the week', so that means I've had to go out interviewing during weekends, sacrificing the 'free time' I would've normally had. You see, journalism is a 24/7 job. You need to keep yourself on the pulse all of the time. Just like with this course and the work you need to do for it. Try to plan your time wisely and keep on top of everything that you are doing. It's quite easy (and tempting!) to lag behind  but it's best not to, if you can help it. After all, having good time management and keeping to deadlines are both essential requirements in a job like this, so it is defintely worthwhile to get ahead while you can. Of course, you can still have your 'free time', you just need to weave it into your schedule  and make sure you catch up on what you have planned as soon as possible.

As part of the course, I'm on placement with the Liverpool Echo and have been made their Community Reporter for Bootle. It is a great way to get experience but so far I'm struggling to find stories. I've been in touch with local schools and been out and about exploring where I live and have a few stories for next month but not many for the coming weeks. I think I need to go and investigate my patch further, something which I hope to do next week. I do have my first community story coming up next Wednesday and I have a meeting with a headteacher for a local high school on Tuesday, so fingers crossed I find out about some events coming up there soon. I think though, that some people have been luckier with their patches than others, as some of my coursemates have manged to get pieces published already. I'm sure it will pick up though.

Anyway, I'm off to do some Media Law revision now. Looking forward to the 'GBBO' repeat and 'Homeland' tonight. I can't wait for Claire Danes' 'Cry Face' to get back on my tv screen. HOORAH.

NCTJ: Week two

Two weeks have passed and it really does feel like a month  (or two). We're starting to settle into the course now. We know what to expect. Four hours of shorthand in one day, things like that. By the end, I can tell that we are all questioning our sanity/ will to live. Actually, both of these.  I'm getting the hang of it now though. I'm quicker at reading sentences and pretty accurate with the occasional lapse. On Friday morning, I read an outline as 'Peeling balls' instead of 'Peeling bells'. It was pretty hilarious. And proof that you can actually have fun with shorthand, even though it has the capability to destroy your soul.

For me, I'd really like to see if I can pass the 60wpm exam that we have in early November and work from there. With my previous experience, I know that shorthand at speed is a real issue for me and it isn't made any easier by physical limitations. Last time I sat a dictation exam, the speed only at 40wpm. So, if I pass this 60wpm, I'll see whether I can do a faster speed but if I'm unable to it's not something I can really do much about. In interviews, I use a Dictaphone to record and then transcribe afterwards. I've been practising whenever I have the time to learn the theory. I will just have to see how it goes. However, unlike the rest of my class, I'm not too concerned about getting the industry standard of 100wpm. Whatever I can get, will, I'm sure, be useful to me.

Our second exam in November is for media law and this week we have already started to look at past papers, to get an idea of  style  and what type of things they will ask. Our tutor told us the NCTJ only have a limited number of questions to ask in certain ways. Considering that we have only learnt about defamation and contempt of court so far, we were able to attempt the paper and give informed answers. Basically, it will just be a case of memorising the laws and regurgitating them in the exam much like with Public Affairs (this week, we looked at the council and constitution) and Court Reporting. I'm going to start revising the things that we've learnt so far, to make it easier for when my exams come around.

This weekend, I went out interviewing for my first news story of the course about Heritage Month in Liverpool. I focused on the Bluecoat, an arts centre, on School Lane. They have an entire weekend full of activities exploring the building's heritage. I had to do a vox pop, which is always joyful. Approaching people and asking for their opinions is always nerve wracking, especially when some people aren't willing to give you a quote. I managed to get a few quotes from the public, as well as the Artistic Director of the Bluecoat. Quite alright, since I haven't interviewed in a while. Will write it up today.

Until next week

S.

NCTJ: Week one

The first week of my NCTJ course is offically over! And what a week it has been. I enrolled on Monday and started the following day, 9-5pm. If that was the course trying to ease us in gently, then it didn't really work, I was knackered and my brain was struggling to function by 5pm. If it wasn't, then, fair do's.

And since then, it has been quite impressive how much I've learnt in practically four days. This 'fast track' Diploma in Journalism has certainly lived up to its name (and my expectations) as like I have mentioned previously, it's only 18 weeks meaning that because we finish at the end of January, we need to learn everything for our exams in the shortest possible time, which as you can imagine will be delightful.

For those reading this blog who are considering an NCTJ course, I thought that this would be an ideal oppportunity to explain in detail who the NCTJ are and what they offer:

The NCTJ or National Council for Journalists is a body that provides recognised journalism qualifications through universities, colleges and training centres. Most importantly, a course that is accredited by the NCTJ means that your qualification will be recognised within the media industry. So, if you are thinking about a course like this, please make sure that where you do it has accredition, otherwise it will be a waste of time and money, as you would have to pay extra to take these exams. And I'm sure this is something which you would rather avoid.

That said, what route you choose is up to you, some might go for a MA (which usually lasts a year) and others go for a 'fast track' course. Personally, the reason I chose this course was I discovered through doing a year of journalism undergraduate, that you don't need to spend so much time learning the material. Even though it is much more intense, you learn what you need to pass the exams with a as it filters out anything unecessary. Also, I've been told that it is best to stay out of the industry for the shortest possible time which  means that you have a better chance when you enter the job market. Really good advice and definitely something worth thinking about when you are choosing which you want to do.

You can find out more about the NCTJ including which courses are accredited, here:

http://www.nctj.com/

Every course should have the same elements, which are:

-News Reporting

-Public Affairs

-Shorthand

-Media Law

- Options: Sub-Editing or Sports Reporting.

News Reporting is pretty simply learning how to write news stories. What is newsworthy? What is the best angle? How do you structure a story? This exam is notoriously tricky and there is a portfolio you need to submit which includes ten of your best stories.

Public Affairs includes matters of government, the monarchy and public services like education and the NHS.

Media Law explores key aspects that journalists need to know when they writing stories so that you don't end up in court. The court system, parliamentary acts and laws and such are covered here.

Shorthand is a fundmental skill that the NCTJ and employers really expect journalists to have and it is a necessity for when apply for your first job (and beyond). The industry standard is 100 words per minute and it is what we study most on my course because it is such an essential and desired requirement. I have had experience with it before on my undergrad. It's basically a form of text speak based on the alphabet and represented by symbols. I think the hit by Peaches and Herb 'Reunited' best describes how I feel about it, take a listen:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1uvmh75xxs

HAHAHA. I'M JOKING. Of course, it doesn't. I'm not very happy to reunited with shorthand even though I'm picking up a little quicker from my previous experience. It's frying everyone's brain a little ( a lot) and rightly so. It's difficult. And the key is that you need to build speed which takes practice and doing a little everyday. Our first exam is in November at 60wpm. The thought, already, is filling me with so much joy.

Sub-Editing involves not only editing copy (stories) but producing headlines too.  We need to use a program called Quark, which we are still trying to get our heads around, but the editing itself is pretty straight forward.

And finally, Sports Reporting, the exam is optional but the classes are complusory. This means learning how to write match reports and watching football matches (Oh dear!) But we have been told that it will help build our reporting skills, which is always a good thing.

So, there we have it. I hope that was enjoyable and useful. I'm practising shorthand and catching up on my media law today (Defamation! Hoorah!).

Until next week

S.

An update...

So.. these past few months have been pretty darn busy for me, to say the least. I finished my degree and got my results in early June. After three years of blood, sweat and a whole lotta books, I got, wait for it...

A FIRST!

In that moment, boy, was I happy. So happy that I gave my cat, Dee-Dee, the biggest hug possible (after my dad, of course). I think she was pleased for me, although I couldn't really tell because she had that face of a cat which is like: WTF/CBA.  My cat went for the former expression. Actually, thinking about it, I may have cut off her ability to breathe for a few seconds, she wasn't cool with that. Or maybe she was just really confused because she is, after all, an animal.

But yes, anyway, I got what I worked very hard for and it was such a wonderful feeling. I graduated in July and it was a lovely day. Scorching hot, but one that I'll remember despite that because it was such a great celebration of everybody's achievement.

Went to Glasgow for a week's holiday to visit my sister. Really enjoyed myself.

And now? Well, I'm gearing up to start my NCTJ Diploma in Journalism, which I'm looking forward to and which I start next week. Recently, I've been thinking that my blog needs a bit of a shake up, a change of direction, if you will. So, I've decided that while I still want to write about entertainment, I'd also like to blog about my experience on my NCTJ course. This is going to be an intense 18 weeks and who better than to share it with you? I want to give you a taste of what doing one is really like. Also, I hope that I can help people who are thinking about this as a potential path to get into the field, make a decision as to whether it is sutiable for them.  Alternatively, if you are on a course like this (or something similar) you can hopefully be assured by reading my blog that there are other trainee journalists who are going through what you are. I'll be there, to praise, to comfort you, as a shoulder to cry on etc.

Of course, my humour will be here. Healthy doses of that. To make it is more bearable for both you and me. And talk of my disability, will feature when I think it'll be necessary, really. I'll give you my insight into how I'm progressing with my course and how I hope to develop myself as a journalist whilst also taking the whole 'wheelie woman' thing into account.

And the best thing about all of this? It will be weekly. HOORAH.

Oh, and if you have been rather perceptive whilst reading, you'll see that I've added a function that allows you to subscribe to this blog, so that you will get updates. HOORAH x 2.  Don't forget, if you have anything to say about my posts, drop me a comment or even an email!

S.

Katy Perry: 'Roar' (Single review)

Katy Perry's new pop offering 'Roar' has dropped. This is the first single from her third album Prism due for release in October. She has given fans clips that have hinted the track would mark a new era, one seemingly more mature and darker than the candy coated days of Teenage Dream (As we saw her lay down her TD persona to rest in its own funeral). Now that its offically out, does the song live up to the hype and expectation?

Sort of.

'Roar' does signal a change in musical direction for Perry, someone who previously released 'California Gurls'.  I mean, really? She was trying to be 'edgy' by being all grammatically incorrect on us. And then 'Last Friday Night (TGIF)' which was song about getting shitfaced and having threesomes. So, yes, this song is indeed one which shows growth. Perry sings about finding a strength in who she is after being submissive for a long time. A self- empowerment anthem, one could say.

I got the eye of the tiger/ The fire/ Dancing through the fire/Cos I am a champion/ You're gonna hear me roar

She goes on to proclaim that she's louder than a lion. She's thunder and she's gonna shake the earth beneath your feet.

Perry's trying to be fierce, she's taking a stand, she ain't accepting any crap. Is she really louder than a lion, though? That's up for debate, isn't it? A very interesting debate that would be.

It's everything a Katy Perry song should be. Catchy, poppy and one that's sure to do well in the charts. But the fact that is such a trademark KP song, might just be the problem.

Perry has teased us with the darkness of her new material. But it doesn't seem to come across in this song much at all. From the clips, it looked like there would be more of a deviation from her usual sound, but by being too different she could have risked alienating her current demographic. And, Perry, doesn't really want to be doing that, I'm sure. Maybe the change in direction is something to expect as we get more offerings from the album.

Verdict: 7/10.

Listen to 'Roar' here: http://www.vibe.com/article/katy-perry-roar

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa- Film review

Alan Partridge is back in the hotly anticipated Alpha Papa. Steve Coogan is on top form as Partridge, a man who, most would say, has had a colourful life.  He fronted his own TV show,  had a nervous breakdown was gripped by chocolate addiction and attempted a comeback with his autobiography ‘Bouncing Back’ which was subsequently pulped. Here we meet Alan as a local radio broadcaster for North Norfolk Digital, a station which has undergone a revamp as ‘Shape’.  As part of this new image, bosses require one of the older DJs to be sacked. To save himself, Alan suggests late night DJ Pat Farrell (Colm Meaney). Farrell loses his job and takes revenge by holding the station at gunpoint.

Alan works well on the big screen helped by the action heavy plot (with a sprinkle of romance) and a script that is written by Coogan, Armando Iannucci and brothers Neil and Rob Gibbons who collaborated to produce Mid-Morning Matters. For fans, this is textbook Alan. Laughs come by the minute with one-liners you can add to your Alan repertoire (‘Tonight we’ll be asking have you ever met a genuinely clever bus driver?’) and the welcome return of old favourites: PA Lynn (Felicity Montagu), Geordie friend Michael (Simon Greenall) and radio nemesis Dave Clifton (Phil Cornwell). If that is not enough then the film has plenty of slapstick humour with Alan awkwardly finding himself inside a portaloo and getting caught by the police with his trousers down.   

However, this does work for those who have not seen Partridge before. Coogan emphasises the ego-centric and desperate nature of Alan as he uses the siege as an opportunity to relaunch his own career. This film is a testament to how well Coogan and the team have developed him over the years.  We can laugh at Alan and his exploits but we cannot help feeling sorry for him, as after all, he is just trying to make it, like the rest of us. And it seems that by the end, he does get a happy ending, as he drives off into the sunset with his hostage love interest and her two children.‘ Spiceworld’.  

All in all, this film is worth the watch for fans and newcomers alike, Alpha Papa is ‘Back of the net!’

Click below to view the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yecg8vrvZ8

Life beyond studenthood...

HELLO. Do you remember me? I'm that girl in a wheelchair who writes about what is going on with celebrities/entertainment and her own life sometimes. It's good to back. I have been incredibly busy recently. What with coming to the end of my degree and having to actually contemplate my transition into adult life, one which doesn't feature education. I actually have to grow up, you know. Really. Properly. No more student life. No more reading books and writing about them. No more university. By the time it all offically ends in two weeks, many of us will be clawing at the side of the Dean Walters building, wailing and pleading with our lecturers to let us stay. Little do we know that have been given permission to tame us with a tranquilser gun, in case it all gets too much for either side to take. And I'm turning 22 soon too. I'd rather not go there, thank you. It's hurtful. Physically hurtful.

Well, you know, I'm planning to enjoy some time off after finishing, which as you can imagine I'm really looking forward to. Thinking about nothing, spending time with the family, thinking about nothing. A trip to Glasgow possibly to see my sister.  Oh, and seeing Beyonce. The greatest female performer of the 21st century. I've seen her twice, yeah. This will be third time. It's completely out of greed and the fact that I've been studying ever since I left my mother's womb (sort of), so I think I deserve some kind of treat. I'm SO EXCITED.

After a relaxing summer, I'm looking at starting my NCTJ course in autumn. You might remember that I was debating whether to go to London or Liverpool. But after much consideration, I've decided to stay in Scouseland to complete my diploma and then see where life takes me. ;)

'Til next time.

 S x