In a similar sort of vein to the previous post, the journalism foundation course run in Newcastle by the Press Association recently turned 40, but there were no birthday celebrations for the renowned training centre.
Sadly for its many distinguished alumni, PA decided against holding a party due to the current economic climate.
The training scheme has been responsible for launching the careers of such regional press luminaries as the Herald's Donald Martin, Adrian Faber from the Express and Star and Brian Aitken of The Journal, in whose newsroom the students are now based.
Other notable graduates include BBC political commentator Andrew Marr, The Sun's newly-appointed political editor Tom Newton Dunn, Radio 4 presenter James Naughtie and Financial Times editor Lionel Barber.
The centre was originally the brainchild of John Gay Davis who became editorial director of Thomson Regional Newspapers, the then owners of Newcastle's Evening Chronicle and Journal, in 1969. He set up two operations, one in Cardiff and the surviving Newcastle operation.
Trinity Mirror later bought the course when they acquired the two Newcastle papers in 1995 before Press Association took over the reins in 2006.
Showing posts with label Press Association. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Press Association. Show all posts
Friday, 16 October 2009
Friday, 17 July 2009
Are the Tories trying to spin their way into the regional press's good books?
Earlier this week the Tories made a bit of a splash in some quarters by announcing plans to allow newspaper groups to provide regional TV news using funding top-sliced from the BBC licence fee.
It was of course good to see David Cameron and co taking such an interest in the future of the industry, but I couldn't help thinking it was slightly opportunistic on their part, given that the creation of new regional news consortia was a key aspect of the Digital Britain report published by the government last month.
Shadow Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt berated Digital Britain for what he called its "lack of radicalism," but although it failed to spell out a role for local newspaper companies in TV news provision in words of one syllable, this was implicit in the proposal and was widely reported as such in the trade media.
As HTFP reported at the time, "newspaper groups, TV broadcasters and other news media organisations are expected to benefit" from the top-slicing proposal. Indeed the Press Assocation has already launched a local news pilot that seems to be putting down an early marker for a share of the funding.
Fair play to the Tories for getting a few headlines - that is their job after all - but essentially what they have done here is taken someone else's idea and given it a fresh angle.
And I thought it was just journalists who were supposed to do that sort of thing.....
It was of course good to see David Cameron and co taking such an interest in the future of the industry, but I couldn't help thinking it was slightly opportunistic on their part, given that the creation of new regional news consortia was a key aspect of the Digital Britain report published by the government last month.
Shadow Culture secretary Jeremy Hunt berated Digital Britain for what he called its "lack of radicalism," but although it failed to spell out a role for local newspaper companies in TV news provision in words of one syllable, this was implicit in the proposal and was widely reported as such in the trade media.
As HTFP reported at the time, "newspaper groups, TV broadcasters and other news media organisations are expected to benefit" from the top-slicing proposal. Indeed the Press Assocation has already launched a local news pilot that seems to be putting down an early marker for a share of the funding.
Fair play to the Tories for getting a few headlines - that is their job after all - but essentially what they have done here is taken someone else's idea and given it a fresh angle.
And I thought it was just journalists who were supposed to do that sort of thing.....
Saturday, 13 June 2009
Queen snubs regional press
The twice-yearly honours lists published on the Queen's birthday and New Year's Eve can usually be relied upon to yield a good story for HTFP, with regional press figures regularly featuring among the recipients.
In the New Year's Honours List two years ago the Press Association's former northern editor Peter Beal was awarded an MBE while 12 months later Shrewsbury Chronicle editor John Butterworth was awarded the same honour.
Other notable recent winners include CN Group chief executive Robin Burgess who received an OBE and Press Association executive chairman Paul Potts who was awarded a CBE.
All four gentlemen received their honours for their services to the practice of journalism and in the case of John and Robin, their services to the wider community.
But this year's Queen's Birthday Honours list, announced today, is a rather different kettle of fish. The local and national press appears to have been largely ignored.
In the list we found the odd media type - former managing editor of Budapest Sun Robin Marshall and broadcaster and half-time microphone abuser Delia Smith - but no-one from local or regional newspapers.
Is it simply the case that local and regional press editors and MDs have too much on their plate at the moment to bother about getting themselves nominated for honours?
Or is it that, these days, the industry just doesn't have enough friends in high places?
In the New Year's Honours List two years ago the Press Association's former northern editor Peter Beal was awarded an MBE while 12 months later Shrewsbury Chronicle editor John Butterworth was awarded the same honour.
Other notable recent winners include CN Group chief executive Robin Burgess who received an OBE and Press Association executive chairman Paul Potts who was awarded a CBE.
All four gentlemen received their honours for their services to the practice of journalism and in the case of John and Robin, their services to the wider community.
But this year's Queen's Birthday Honours list, announced today, is a rather different kettle of fish. The local and national press appears to have been largely ignored.
In the list we found the odd media type - former managing editor of Budapest Sun Robin Marshall and broadcaster and half-time microphone abuser Delia Smith - but no-one from local or regional newspapers.
Is it simply the case that local and regional press editors and MDs have too much on their plate at the moment to bother about getting themselves nominated for honours?
Or is it that, these days, the industry just doesn't have enough friends in high places?
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