Journalism training news
Journalism training courses change to cover web and video production skills
September 19 2008
NCTJ-accredited pre-entry courses have been updated to reflect the skills needed in today's newsrooms.
The NCTJ says the updates will affect all those sitting preliminary NCTJ Certificates in Journalism - reporters, magazine journalists, sub-editors, press photographers and photo-journalists.
The training body says extensive consultation, testing and evaluation have resulted in the changes, which have been designed to address the general industry view that pre-entry trainees need to have a mindset for convergent journalism. Industry feedback showed that, at this stage, this mindset is paramount, with the skillset developing through on-the-job training and experience.
The key changes at preliminary level are as follows:
Reporters - Online journalism has been integrated into the news writing programme of study and exam. The portfolio now contains an optional video element.
Magazine journalists - Following the success of the reporters' portfolio, a features portfolio has been introduced, allowing candidates to showcase six features. A video report can be included in the portfolio. Another additional option is the Business of Magazines programme of study and exam. Candidates will gain a thorough understanding of the magazine industry and how magazines work. The magazine sub-editing exam has been updated and now follows the same programme of study as the reporters' sub-editing exam.
Press photographers and photo-journalists - A portfolio is also being introduced for press photographers and photo-journalists - eight pictures plus accompanying captions, demonstrating a breadth of skills. A video report is compulsory to complete a photography portfolio. The format for the caption writing exam for press photographers has changed.
The NCTJ says the above changes are effective immediately and all candidates will sit the revised exams. It says it is strongly encouraging all its accredited courses to offer video journalism to students and trainees as it becomes an increasingly common skill for reporters.
Steve Nelson, NCTJ chief examiner, said: "We found that editors wanted to see evidence of stories produced on work experience, so the portfolio element has been expanded to cover all disciplines accordingly.
"The NCTJ will continue to monitor the roles of the journalist and photographer in the newsroom and will ensure its examinations and assessments meet editors' needs, modifying when necessary to reflect the required skills base. We will also be trialling possible changes to the National Certificate Examination this year, again in response to the skills editors are looking for."