Journalism and Broadcasting
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Journalism Starting and Point Broadcasting Series The University of Manchester Careers Service Including TV and Film Open all year round For location and opening times go to www.manchester.ac.uk/careers Tel: 0161 275 2829 Tweet: @ManUniCareers Blog: http://manunicareersblog.com Find us on Facebook Last updated: Aug 2013 This publication is copyright The University of Manchester and may not be reproduced wholly or in part for commercial or non-commercial purposes without prior permission. This publication is available in alternative formats on request. Please ask at the information desk or email [email protected] A full list of the publications in this series is available at www.manchester.ac.uk/careers/startingpoints www.manchester.ac.uk/careers Journalism and Broadcasting The media is a highly competitive industry to get into. If you want to work in this field, you will typically be someone who loves the media and is constantly reading, listening and watching! To be successful, it is essential that you do your homework and make sure you have the skills and experience that will make you a good applicant. Aim to find out about the range of roles available and entry requirements - www.prospects.ac.uk and www.creativeskillset.org are both good sources of information. There are a number of roles besides the better known ones, researcher and journalist. The media as an industry is experiencing a lot of change largely due to digital technology and the popularity of the web. It’s therefore important to keep up to date with developments. The information within this starting point sheet is not exhaustive, but is designed to give you some pointers for useful sources of information. Where closing dates are mentioned always check to make sure they haven’t changed. How to learn about the media The Careers Service runs a Media Club. Look out for Media Club events on www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/events. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity to hear from people in the industry. Check out the Media Club facebook www.facebook.com/groups/494948310574156/#!/groups/494948310574156/?fref=ts for the latest news and opportunities and Media Club twitter http://twitter.com/mcrmediaclub Use the careerslink www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/careerslink the careers service vacancy service to check out vacancies and events. Get involved in student media, e.g. The Mancunion and Fuse FM - this is a great way to develop relevant skills and experience. Consider joining the professional network, Linked-in. You can set-up your own profile and ask to apply to join relevant professional groups, which could lead to useful contacts. http://grads.linkedin.com provides useful tips for students and grads on setting up a profile. Monday’s Guardian includes a media section, which is worth reading on a regular basis as it includes news about the industry and vacancies www.guardian.co.uk/media. BBC Radio Four’s The Media Show is a weekly programme, which explores issues affecting those working in the media - you can access it via www.bbc.co.uk. For news of what’s going on in the media and communications industry in the North, and jobs, try www.prolificnorth.co.uk Media City, Salford, Greater Manchester MediaCity:UK opened in Salford in 2011. It is the new home of ITV, Coronation Street and BBC North. It aims to act as a centre for the creative industries and there are growing number of creative enterprises based in neighbouring premises e.g. The Pie Factory. More info at www.mediacityuk.co.uk BBC North includes BBC Breakfast, CBBC, CBeebies, BBC Learning, BBC Sport, BBC Radio 5 live, Future Media, BBC Sport and departments that have always been in Manchester; Current Affairs, Entertainment, Network radio, Religion and Ethics, the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra and Local and Regional programmes. For more info, go to www.bbc.co.uk/aboutthebbc/bbcnorth Journalism Journalists work in newspapers, magazines, broadcasting and on-line. Key skills/abilities/characteristics for a journalist can include: shorthand/word- processing/desk-top publishing, creativity and ideas, written communication skills, determination, ability to work to strict deadlines and, crucially, a keen interest in news and current affairs. Increasingly, journalists need to be able to write for a range of mediums and those working for newspapers may also produce podcasts (audio-visual material) for the web. Ways in: . The most common route into newspaper or broadcast journalism is via an accredited (NCTJ or BJTC) postgraduate course. Look for courses on www.prospects.ac.uk, www.nctj.com or www.bjtc.org.uk or for those that cover writing for magazines and periodicals www.ppa.co.uk. (Please note: City University’s journalism courses are well established www.city.ac.uk/journalism but their newspaper journalism course is not accredited by the NCTJ and therefore not listed on the NCTJ website.) . Experience is critical - most people who go into journalism will have developed considerable relevant experience before they graduate. Remember even a postgraduate course may ask for evidence of written skills via a portfolio, plus work experience. It’s advisable to speak to the course admissions contact to check entry requirements. When looking for work experience, try speculative approaches. This involves contacting relevant individuals within media organisations, by letter or by email and attaching a CV, to see if they can offer an opportunity for work experience or work shadowing (observing). Some newspapers will have schemes you can apply for. Contact them direct to check for details. While on work experience ask if the employer can provide a reference; this could prove helpful when applying for jobs and courses. Get your foot in the door - you need to be flexible and willing - take any opportunity to get into a media environment. If you have talent and are enthusiastic you could swiftly move on. There are some direct-entry training schemes out there. But be warned, competition is fierce! For this reason they don’t need to be well advertised. Look for opportunities by searching on websites, such as Skillset’s www.creativeskillset.org, www.journalism.co.uk and www.nujtraining.org.uk. Note the following: . BBC careers hub http://www.bbc.co.uk/careers/home Here you’ll find details of training schemes, such as the BBC Journalism Trainee Scheme, work experience and vacancies . Times Graduate Trainee Scheme www.timesonline.co.uk . Thomson Reuters. (specialist news agency) www.thomsonreuters.com . Fremantle media graduate programme www.fremantlemediagraduates.com/home.html . ITV News Group Journalism Traineeship and any bursary scheme information www.itvjobs.com Also check: . Financial Times www.ft.com . Cavendish Press (news features and picture press agency) www.cavendish-press.co.uk . Mirror Group Newspapers www.trinitymirror.com/our-company/careers . National papers Check for opportunities with the national daily and Sunday newspapers and the newspaper groups they come under. Local newspapers Approach papers directly and check which newspaper group they are owned by – see the newspaper society website for details. www.newspapersoc.org.uk . National Union of Journalists. A good source of general information on careers in journalism (go to ‘advice’ and ‘FAQs’). www.nujtraining.org.uk . Hold the front page. Website for journalists and journalism students interested in the regional press. Includes vacancies and useful careers information. www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk . Guardian News and Media Group. Check information on careers, internships, traineeships and vacancies. www.theguardian.com/workforus . Scott Trust (owners of the Guardian Media Group). Bursaries are advertised at www.gmgplc.co.uk/the-scott- trust/bursaries/journalism . Association of British Science Writers Check for info on student journalism bursaries. www.absw.org.uk . www.thepaperboy.com – search engine for newspapers and magazines from around the world. Gorkana – media job search - http://www.gorkanajobs.co.uk/ Magazines . www.condenast.co.uk – publishers of a range of top magazines. Their HR dept. advises writing directly to the Managing Editor of a specific magazine to enquire about work experience. They occasionally advertise opportunities for graduate media sales roles . www.ipcmedia.com – publishers of a range of top magazines. Email [email protected] (note: the gaps in this email address indicate ‘under scores’) your contact details to register your interest in work experience and they will send you a list of magazines that will consider applications for work experience. It is then up to you to write with your CV to the magazine you are interested in. Further useful websites for Journalism . Journalism. Site for journalists. www.journalism.co.uk . Press Gazette. www.pressgazette.co.uk . www.britishnewspapers.com . JournoJobs. Radio journalism vacancies. www.journojobs.co.uk . Sports Journalists Association www.sportsjournalists.co.uk Schemes for people from diverse backgrounds or minority groups Include: . www.journalismdiversityfund.co.uk (includes a link to other bursary schemes) . www.georgeviner.org.uk . www.bbc.co.uk/jobs/extend work placement for disabled people Broadcasting Many graduates who do not have the same passion for news and current affairs as aspiring journalists, but are nevertheless passionate about working in the media, look towards programme making or programme support roles within radio and TV. Creative Skillset, the sector skills council for the audio visual industries www.creativeskillset.org provides excellent information on the audio-visual industries including various media job roles and training schemes. There are also some helpful ‘storyboard guides to the media industries’ (go to the site and key in ‘storyboard’ into the search and you will be directed there). On this site you will find work experience guidelines which have been produced for the industry. Prospects www.prospects.ac.uk also includes helpful information on the media under ‘sectors’ and lists a range of job roles.