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.