National Council for the Training of Journalists Annual Report 2015-16 Contents NCTJ objectives Vital statistics 3 • Strengthen the NCTJ’s role and influence across Chairman’s report 4 all media sectors and related areas where journalism skills are required Chief executive’s report 5 • Accredit high-quality education and training providers and recognise courses of excellence Accreditation 6 • Offer outstanding professional qualifications that Qualifications 10 guarantee the high standards of journalism needed in the workplace Gold standard students 13 • Foster continuing professional development for journalists throughout their careers National Qualification in Journalism 15 • Provide services and products that are Student Council and Diploma in Journalism awards 17 demonstrably helpful and relevant to our stakeholders Journalism Skills Conference and Awards for Excellence 19 • Communicate effectively with all target audiences Journalism Diversity Fund 21 to increase awareness of the NCTJ’s brand values, its role, agenda-setting activities and Careers, distance learning and publications 23 status as a charity Short courses 25 NCTJ values Business and finance review 26 To grow and develop the NCTJ our values are to: • Be fair, accessible and transparent Who we are 28 • Show strong sustainable growth and diversity • Have effective leadership, management and governance • Ensure best use of resources • Be high-profile, respected and influential • Uphold high-quality and relevant standards • Be open, receptive and responsive to change Vital statistics A total of 461Certificate in Foundation Journalism units were submitted throughout 2015-16 44 candidates successfully completed the full foundation qualification A total of 15,482 NCTJ examinations/assessments were taken throughout 2015-16 These comprised: 8,286 preliminary exams sat on course 1,151 portfolio assessments 755 were national exam sittings There were 4,538 shorthand exam sittings 1,539 students were enrolled to sit Diploma in Journalism exams on one of 79 accredited courses at 41 approved centres 351candidates achieved the gold standard while on an accredited course 531 students were enrolled on non-accredited courses and sat NCTJ exams 431 candidates sat NCTJ exams in the national exam sittings 61 candidates successfully completed their certificate in journalism practice The total number of NQJ exams sat was 752 216 trainees sat the National Qualification in Journalism 153 trainees passed the NQJ There were 177 registrations for the NQJ 43 scheduled and in-house short training courses were run in 2015-16 3 Chairman’s report What a terrific year it has been for news. And what a towards suppliers who demonstrate old-fashioned values terrible year for newspapers. Circulations fall as new such as objectivity and a belief in checking a story is true. generations look online, advertising revenues decline Marketers call that thing a brand. Journalists tend to call it as Facebook and Google sweep up the money. No one by its name, the Star, the Echo, the News, the Mail. It’s a says people are losing interest in news, it’s just hard national or local newspaper, a trade journal, a magazine, a to find the financial model that will pay for gathering radio station, a big TV channel. It’s a sign that the teams it: Even the most successful titles have been making that produce it know something about what they do, have reporters redundant. subjected these items to objective scrutiny and applied Don’t listen to anyone who claims to know how things will some checks and balances. work out. For the last 20 years the media industry has If the NCTJ ever lets those standards fall, then we have been experimenting, embracing new technologies, placing failed in our duty as an educational charity. But we need bets, chasing false dawns and, little by little, finding ways to differentiate between principles that should always to make online some of the revenues it used to derive apply to journalism and the skills that might change as from selling that wonderful thing, a newspaper with the industry transforms. We need to equip journalists to stories and adverts in it. work in newsrooms as they are and will be, not just as In those two decades some certainties have proved not to they were. be certain at all: We once believed no one would read long In the last decade, in consultation with employers, pieces online; that only a free model could work on the teachers and trainees, we have changed a lot. We hope internet; that a newspaper and its online version had to we have maintained those vital principles – many of our carry identical copy. Indeed, if we had listened to some course subjects remain mandatory - while allowing the know-it-alls – and I have a horrible feeling I may have next generation to choose the path it wishes to follow. been one of them – there would be no newspapers at all by now. It was in that spirit that we made shorthand optional, a decision that shocked several generations of But some truths survive. People still want to read, watch newspapermen and women. Their reaction was or listen to news. People still want to report it. The reassuring, for it illustrated their strong belief in attractions that have lured generations to the trade standards. And in case there remains any doubt, we continue to apply: Here’s a job that is interesting, did make it clear that those seeking a career in news unpredictable, challenging, fun, mischievous and – should opt for shorthand. yes – important. It’s just not very well paid. So the industry changes and our training changes with it. So let us put these truths about reading news and But never at the expense of standards. Now if anyone has yearning to report it alongside a hypothesis: In a world a sure-fire scheme for making journalism pay… where there are so many acres of “content” (a terrible word that we seem unable to escape, despite its implication that researched and crafted stories are just so Kim Fletcher much stuff that can be used to fill up a website), those Chairman looking for news they can trust will naturally gravitate 4 Chief executive’s review Reflecting the relentless revolution in the media skills. Our new online regulation test is designed to industry, the NCTJ continues to change by working promote continuing professional development and ethics. alongside those with a long track record of insisting What is most heartening about all our work is the support on high standards as well as those who are new to we receive from those who are passionate about professional journalism training and the media journalism standards. The Journalism Skills Conference business. brings all our supporters together and, alongside our In our mission to uphold high quality and relevant Awards for Excellence, goes from strength to strength. standards, we have to be open, receptive and responsive Our accreditation forums and student council meetings to change. Sometimes we even have to compromise on have become must-attend events. things we hold dear. Our investment in professional research continues with It’s a challenge to step outside our comfort zones, further analysis of the job destinations of journalism especially when the models we are interrogating and graduates and an independent survey of the skill needs of changing have stood the test of time and continue to freelance journalists. serve all our stakeholders so well. We are proud to play a lead role for the journalism sector Our accreditation scheme, qualifications, training courses, as a ‘trailblazer’ in the government’s drive to reform diversity activities and ways of communicating are all apprenticeships. We are keen to support forward-looking changing and growing. employers who want to offer opportunities in journalism to young people from all walks of life and backgrounds. We invest in the development of a broad range of products and services for all journalists and media Fundraising efforts for the Journalism Diversity Fund organisations. Strengthening our role and influence across reached new heights during its tenth anniversary year all media sectors has gone further this year, and demand with record donations and the launch of a new bursary in is increasing from new markets for journalism skills memory of Claire Prosser, founder and former director of outside the media. the BBC Journalism Trainee Scheme. With the cost of training higher than ever and other exciting new diversity We are responding by making radical changes to the projects in the pipeline, we are determined to secure even structure and content of our qualifications and we see this more resources from new sponsors to meet this demand. process as continuous. Our new head of development will take the lead on this Following the comprehensive review of the Diploma in work and other income-generating activities to increase Journalism, our bold decision to offer more choice and our capability and impact. We have a wonderful team of flexibility has shocked many of our stakeholders. directors, staff, examiners and members who are all This work will continue in the year ahead as we consider committed to taking the industry’s charity to the next the results of our review of our flagship qualification, the stage of its development. National Qualification in Journalism, and our highly Although we can never stand still, we remain steadfast in respected accreditation scheme. our values: fairness, accessibility, transparency, growth, We are in the middle of an ambitious two-year project to diversity, leadership, management, governance, transfer NCTJ paper-based examinations to an online resources, profile, respect and influence. This is where we format for delivery and assessment. Online exams are draw the line on change, and we’re not prepared to being introduced from November 2016. compromise. We continue to increase the range and volume of training Joanne Butcher provision for working journalists.