Multi-platform journalism: everything you need to know.
An exciting range of short courses are now on offer at Screen Academy Scotland including Introduction to Multiplatform for Journalists –a short evening course for all media professionals who want to learn more about writing for the web, social media and how to monetize content online. Read more…
One World Media
A journalism student is set to do her dissertation in Malawi – after being inspired by a new link-up between the University and a One World Media initiative.
Una Purdie, an MA Journalism student, will travel to the African country this summer. For her Masters Una is studying ways to engage new audiences using multimedia. For her dissertation she will create a website and short films telling stories of the community connections between Scotland and Malawi. Her journey is the result of a partnership between the Edinburgh Napier journalism team and UK charity One World Media, which is currently running a three-year project with selected UK universities to enhance students’ ability to report on the developing world. Benefits include workshops for students covering key practical themes relating to overseas coverage – from ethical challenges on the ground to selling stories back home.
Raoul Moat
Edinburgh Napier Journalism students will have access to footage from two of the biggest stories of the year thanks to links between the University and ITV News. Broadcast Journalism lecturer Kenny Toal is an established member of the station’s reporting and presenting team and has spent his summer holidays covering both the Cumbrian Shootings and one of the biggest manhunts the country has seen in the search for gunman Raoul Moat.
Now students will be able to use footage from both stories as part of their learning, giving them the chance to produce reports using some of the most powerful images and interviews ever recorded.
The work (and fun) goes on……
Work is continuing over the summer to further develop a project that really seems to have grabbed students attention.
A Teaching Fellow Project was launched in January to internationalise student learning and experience. The basic concept was to motivate students to think not only locally and nationally about their news, but also internationally. Appreciating the global nature of news, and being able to source and research international stories, is an essential graduate attribute.
As part of the project students found original stories and interviewed people abroad, during news days bulletins were podcast in seven languages (www.edinburghnapiernews.com). The project also resulted in Edinburgh Napier linking to Ryerson University in Toronto, allowing students to share video, audio and provide mini bulletins for each other’s programmes.
Programme Leader, Courtnay McLeod says ‘I am delighted by the results. Students have truly made the most of every opportunity and some of the international coverage has been fabulous. Most importantly students have a fuller understanding of how news operates within an international context, and have shown the skills to deliver timely, relevant stories to different audiences’
Our Oscars Night!
Trimester Two could not come to an end without some celebration! So when the MA Journalism students were invited to an Oscars Night they certainly made the most of it.
The evening was to recognise their talent and hard work, particularly given their efforts in helping Edinburgh Napier secure accreditation from both the Broadcast Journalism Training Council and Periodical Training Council.
A dozen prizes were awarded – recognising students’ success across all areas of journalism, including story finding and telling, writing for all news platforms, and off course employability skills.
The evening also included a reflective pub quiz and some activities to develop graduate attributes. The cocktails seemed to boost the creativity!
Broadcast Journalism lecturers Kenny Toal and James Blake found themselves in the thick of it this week as they reported on one of the biggest stories of the decade. The pair, who joined Edinburgh Napier last year from ITV News and Channel 4 News respectively, have been reporting on the horrific shootings in Whitehaven.
James was spending the week with his former colleagues in London to build links when the story broke.
Kenny meanwhile, who still regularly freelances for ITV, was making his way home from Edinburgh after a day with students when the call came.
Within hours the pair found themselves caught up in the story. Kenny in fact found himself doing live reports for American broadcaster CNN from the West Cumbrian town.
They plan to reflect reflect on their experiences with students and share their involvement in one of the biggest stories in years.
BJTC & PTC Accredition
Edinburgh Napier students and staff alike are thrilled that BA and MA Journalism courses were reaccredited by the BJTC in March 2010.
The Broadcast Journalism Training Council complimented both degrees for a strong focus on multi-platform delivery of news and were very impressed with the commitment of the Journalism department’s staff and students.
And in a landmark decision the Periodicals Training Council also granted accreditation in March 2010. This is the first time the PTC has accredited a degree in Scotland and demonstrates Napier’s commitment to developing journalists on a number of platforms and specialities.
A few words from the Programme Leader.
In this video Courtnay McLeod explains what makes this journalism course different from all the rest and outlines what she is looking for when people apply to join the course.
