Annual Report 2010-2011 National Council for the Training of Journalists Vital statistics A total of 15,522 NCTJ exams were sat throughout 2010-11 Contents NCTJ strategic These comprised: objectives 9,918 preliminary exams (excluding shorthand) sat on course 3 Vital statistics 4 Chairman’s report • Complete the transition of the NCTJ to a 646 national exam sittings, and 5 Chief Executive’s review converged training body in order to deliver 6-8 Accreditation effective products and services for all 4,153 shorthand exam sittings 9-10 Qualifications development journalists across all media sectors 11 Examinations • Develop a progressive framework for ‘gold The total number of NCE exams sat was 805 12-14 Gold standard students standard’ journalism qualifications that are 15-16 NCE results the respected benchmark of excellence 1,215 students attended one of 17 NCTJ 60th anniversary • Support and enhance the high standard 18 Student Council and quality of education and training 68 accredited courses at 19 Awards for Excellence in Journalism provided by accredited journalism courses 20-21 Journalism Diversity Fund 39 approved centres and sat the Certificate in Journalism and 22-23 Journalism Skills Conference • Take action to achieve greater diversity of journalists in the media industry Diploma in Journalism exams 24 Learning resources 25 Short courses • Communicate effectively with all target of these achieved gold standard, passing all exams while on the course 26 Business and finance review audiences to increase awareness of the 396 27 Who’s who NCTJ’s brand values, its role, activities and status as a charity 447 students attended non-accredited courses and sat NCTJ exams making a total of 1692 408 candidates sat these exams on the two national dates 295 trainees sat the National Certificate Examination – 282 reporters, 8 photographers and 5 sports journalists 185 trainees achieved gold standard of passing their NCE – 176 reporters, 5 photographers and 4 sports journalists Registrations consisted of 242 reporters, 5 sub-editors and 5 sports journalists 28 scheduled and in-house short training courses were run during the year 3 I’m writing this as the parents of Milly Dowler give evidence at the Our 60th anniversary celebrations have come at a time Leveson inquiry into phone hacking. Sally Dowler is speaking of when the ethical behaviour of journalists has never been the moment she called Milly’s phone, heard her daughter’s under greater public scrutiny. Those with long memories recorded voice and turned in excitement to her husband: “She’s will know that the NCTJ was set up all those years ago by picked up her voicemails, Bob. She’s alive.” Milly wasn’t alive, of those who were concerned about quality and cared about course. She had been murdered. Sally Dowler heard her voice standards of journalism. only because a private detective working for the News of the Training is at the heart of high standards of journalism practice and World had hacked into the phone and cleared out the voicemail. we take our responsibilities for overseeing the industry’s training This has not been journalism’s finest year, though we can admire scheme very seriously. The industry is coming together to review and The Guardian’s dogged refusal to keep pushing a story that many renew its commitment to ensuring agreed professional standards in the industry wanted buried. If only phone hacking had been permeate our newsroom cultures. merely a piece of mischief practised by a very few. I hope you will agree that the following pages of our annual report It wasn’t a tiny problem, but nor was everyone at it. As Paul showcase the activities of all those who are involved in the work of Dacre put it to the same inquiry: “There are thousands of decent the NCTJ. From editors who give up their time to sit on accreditation journalists in Britain who don’t hack phones, don’t bribe panels and boards, volunteers who help with interviewing and policemen and who work long anti-social hours for modest assessing trainees, to students who serve on the Student Council recompense – and if they’re in the regional press often for a and trainees who work doggedly to achieve the ‘gold standard’ and pittance – because they passionately believe that their papers produce award-winning journalism. give voice to the voiceless and expose the misdeeds of the rich, So many young people aspire to work in journalism – the volume of the powerful and the pompous.” entries in our Stars of the Future competition which produced some And that doughty fighter for the press, our colleague Walter promising journalism was proof of this. But in this fiercely competitive Greenwood, redressed the balance in a typically forceful letter to market we have a responsibility not to sell a dream and to select The Times: “It was fatuous of the barrister for 51 victims of press Chief Executive’s those with the ability and potential to succeed. Chairman’s malpractice at the Leveson inquiry to say that the whole of the That is why our focus remains on quality: quality training, journalists British press is in the dock. It is not. Not even all the national and journalism. This means accrediting only the best courses, press is involved, let alone regional publications. The vast assessing skills to an exacting national standard in our qualifications, report majority of journalists working on them had never heard of review recognising talent in our awards, gathering our stakeholders together anyone phone hacking in the search for stories until the News of at our events, and delivering courses and providing resources that the World revelations.” make a difference. We’re not in the dock, but we do need to go out and explain The NCTJ isn’t immune from the negative effects of a downturn in ourselves if many areas of entirely legitimate journalistic inquiry the economy and a reduction in staff journalists. We too have been are not to be viewed with suspicion by an increasingly sceptical battling to do more for less, to balance the demand for investment in public. It’s time to remind the world of the merits of a free press, new technology and the development of new products and services of our vital role in underpinning democracy and of the care and with scarcer resources. We awarded more bursaries from the dedication of serious, trained journalists. Journalism Diversity Fund than ever before and that achievement What’s the role of the NCTJ in this? We like to say we are here comes at a cost. to provide a world-class education and training system that We are fortunate to have so many supporters who donate their time develops current and future journalists for the demands of a because they want to give something back and value the training and fast-changing multimedia industry. So should we spend more support they’ve had in their own careers. They believe in good time examining young journalists’ command of ethics? Perhaps it journalism and share our zeal for the truth, accuracy and objectivity is – and we are having a lively discussion about how we might do which are at the heart of everything the NCTJ stands for. it. The answer is not as obvious as it may seem, for there is a great deal of right and wrong already woven into training. We We have been marking this milestone year with events and projects gave our own evidence to Leveson and, in gathering case studies designed to draw attention to the importance of quality journalism from NCTJ-accredited courses, were impressed by the dedicated training. Our exhibition of press photography in London and way in which tutors all over the country were integrating ethical Sheffield, the competition for sixth-form readers of the regional press practice into their teaching programmes. and our summer party all received fantastic support. The year looks set to end on a high with an extra special skills conference in Belfast. But the more we learn about what went on at the News of the World, the more we understand that the issue at the News of the The next decade for the NCTJ promises to be as interesting and World was not so whether the journalists involved knew whether challenging as the last six. We will be open and responsive to the what they were doing was right, but whether they cared. I’ve no changes ahead but whatever happens we will never compromise our doubt about our ability to have journalists well trained in the right commitment to quality and standards. way to behave: it’s up to the industry to make sure they don’t fall into bad ways afterwards. Joanne Butcher Chief Executive Kim Fletcher Chairman 4 5 Accreditation Accreditation The NCTJ aims to accredit courses: Results tables For the fourth year running, the NCTJ will be publishing 2010-11 results tables on our website at the end of 2011. Accreditation Course updates • that are promoted clearly and compellingly to students seeking a vocational qualification that is The NCTJ currently accredits 68 courses at 39 centres The tables show both the number and percentage of If a training course is accredited by the NCTJ, then a widely recognised and highly valued by journalism across the UK, made up of 20 universities, 13 further students completing an accredited course and gaining A to C prospective student knows that they will be taught the employers. education colleges and six commercial centres. From grades in each core exam. In the case of shorthand, the essential skills needed to be a good journalist. If these July 2010 to June 2011, 47 centres were visited for new • where students are selected on the basis of ability skills are to be meaningful, then it’s important that an number and percentage of students passing at a minimum accreditations, re-accreditations, monitoring visits, and and the potential to succeed in a career in journalism.