News release: Industry thumbs-up for online journalists

Abstract

Online news services are a quick and accessible way of satisfying the public's appetite
for instant news and the new media companies (the dot.coms) are keen to recruit
graduate journalists with the necessary skills.
The University of Central Lancashire was one of the first institutions to take this on
board. The one-year Masters course in Online Journalism, launched two years ago, has
a strong emphasis on core journalism skills whilst also teaching students how to make
an impact in the online medium. The course has now achieved the recognition it
deserves by being awarded accreditation from the Broadcast Journalism Training
Council (BJTC). The BJTC is made up of representatives from all sides of the radio
and television industry and its aim is to ensure that industry standards are maintained in
student training. The University's MA course and the 'online module' on its BA (Hons)
in Journalism are the first courses in the UK to be awarded this honour.
"It's great news for our students," said Alan Rawlinson, Senior Lecturer in Online
Journalism at Preston c:md admissions tutor on the MA and BA courses. "It means they
can walk into job interviews with skills and an education the industry recognises, as
well as knowing while they study, that the work they do is what the industry wants."
Graduates have found employment with the BBC, Sky News, Guardian Unlimited,
Jane's Defence Weekly, Ananova and other leading online news providers, and among
those providing placements to students are CNN Europe, Vogue Online, the
Independent Online, the NME and Mersey Television.
Details are available on the Journalism Department's new web site:
www.ukjournalism.org and from the Department of Journalism, tel: 01772 894730.
3 May 2002
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