Tag Archives: Multimedia Journalism

BU students land dream opportunity to work at FIFA World Cup

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Five BU students have been given the chance of a lifetime to work at the FIFA World Cup

Working with local PR company, The Milk Round Ltd, five BU students have been given the chance to help run an online information service at the FIFA World Cup. The service alerts television broadcasters, such as the BBC and ITV, to recommended match and story footage during the world’s biggest football tournament.

Footage is being filmed by 32 cameras at each of the 12 match venues and stories are being gathered by more than 40 specialist news crews that are traveling between the venues.

The Milk Round director, Steve Webb, is the senior producer on the project and he is working with a team of eight publishers – five of which are students from Bournemouth University. The Milk Round team is based at the FIFA International Broadcaster Centre in Rio de Janeiro.

“We’re thrilled to be playing such an important role in the TV production at one of the world’s largest sporting events,” Steve said. “Normally we would expect to recruit publishers – with experience on television production and multimedia publishing – in London, but it’s been really pleasing that we’ve found such exceptional candidates in Bournemouth.

“Working at the FIFA World Cup is a terrific opportunity for our publishers and their experiences in Brazil will definitely benefit them in their future careers.”

The selected students are Jasper Taylor, who graduates this year with a degree in multimedia journalism, Charley Packham, who will be starting her final year of the BA (Hons) Television Production in September, and Evie Baudains, Claire Buswell and Tobias Jenn, who are graduating this year with degrees in Television Production.

Speaking about their time in Brazil so far, Claire Buswell said, “The 2014 Brazil World Cup is a once in a lifetime eye opening experience, and to be here in the international broadcasting centre is one of the most exciting atmosphere´s I have had the pleasure to be a part of. Thank you BU for this opportunity.”

Evie Baudains, who has been a part-time pie seller at AFC Bournemouth for the last three years, is enjoying her Brazilian experience. The Cherries fan said: “Working at the biggest football event on earth is a bit different to my Saturday job at Dean Court. Being in Brazil gives all of us the perfect opportunity to put what we’ve learned at university into practice.”

BU Journalism graduate named NCTJ’s Alumni of the Month

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A recent journalism graduate from Bournemouth University has been named as an industry body’s Alumni of the Month.

Rachel Bartlett completed the BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism degree at BU in 2010, and is now editor of journalism.co.uk, a popular site for journalism news, innovation and resources.

She was chosen as the National Council for the Training of Journalists’ (NCTJ) Alumna of the Month for March and was profiled on the industry body’s website, talking about the course and her career.

Rachel told the site that she chose to study Multimedia Journalism at BU as she wanted to gain a broad range of skills, as well as the opportunity to take the NCTJ preliminary journalism exams.

“My decision was driven by the fact that I was keen to ensure I entered the industry with a range of skills across media platforms, including newspapers, magazines, television, radio and online, and the ability to study for, and take, her NCTJ exams at the same time,” she said.

“I went to university fairly open-minded about what area of the industry I wanted to go into, and the variety of the course helped guide me in terms of which areas I was most interested in.”

She added that gaining industry experience while studying was vital, as was learning shorthand – despite the wealth of digital technology available.

“While passing the NCTJ arguably helps to demonstrate that you can reach certain standards in your reporting, I would also stress the huge importance of also gaining real industry experience, being able to demonstrate a proactive attitude in finding original, relevant stories, and show some digital prowess and awareness of the different ways people are finding and consuming journalism today.”

Read Rachel’s interview in full on the NCTJ website

Media School runs citizen journalism workshops for disability charity

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Staff and students from Bournemouth University’s Media School have been helping people with disabilities develop the skills needed to become citizen journalists.

Journalism academics and students have run a number of workshops with volunteers from charity Access Dorset, which is establishing a citizen journalism project.

The charity – which supports older people, people with learning disabilities and their carers – wants to enable volunteers to create films for their website and share the stories of their members through their Access Dorset TV project.

Dave Thompson, Development Manager for Access Dorset, said: “In order to have it very much led by disabled people and carers themselves, we wanted to be able to skill up people to do it themselves. So not only are they sharing the stories and issues affecting disabled people, but they are also telling the stories themselves.

“We are on a huge learning curve at the moment and we are really grateful for the support that we are getting from the Media School to help us to develop that skill base, enabling us to move forward quickly.”

Dr Ann Luce, Lecturer in Journalism and Communication, has been running weekly workshops in the Media School with the volunteer citizen journalists – covering everything from how to use the cameras, to interview techniques and how to create sequences of different shots.

She said: “The purpose of this project is to empower disabled people to use their voices and become a part of the media and tell their stories, but also, more importantly, give them the skills to go on and empower other disabled people.

“My hope is that we can stop marginalisation, stigmatisation and sensationalism of disabled voices and stories in the media – this is just the first step.”

Third year BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism student Nicolas Williams has been assisting in the workshops.

He said: “I’m helping out with the technical skills, like how to use the camera and editing equipment. I’ve also been showing them some of my work as well as going through it with them.

“It’s not easy, but it’s nice to see them going through it and trying their hardest, learning and doing really well.”

The workshops have been funded by BU’s Fusion Investment Fund and the BU team will continue to work with the citizen journalists throughout the first year of the project, before helping to produce a report of its progress.

Kelvin Trevett, of Poole, was one of the volunteer citizen journalists taking part in the workshop.

He said: “I was looking for some voluntary work and this looked really interesting and exciting.

“It’s been really good and very informative, and I think I will be more confident to actually go out there and do it now.

“I’m looking forward to putting everything we’ve learnt so far into practice.”

Media School US Election coverage wins award

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Bournemouth University Media School students’ radio coverage of the US 2012 Presidential election has won a Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC) award for best radio news day.

Media School students won the award for working through the night, broadcasting live on Hope FM and online, giving the latest news and results from the US 2012 Presidential election.

The radio coverage included hourly bulletins and news flashes throughout the night, along with live debates and guest speakers including Conor Burns MP.

The radio broadcast was only one strand of the US 2012 coverage as students were also tasked with producing a live television broadcast and a stream of online news coverage about the election.

Multimedia journalism students Beth Graham and Jodie Packwood both worked on the radio coverage as Editors and were in Coventry to receive the BJTC award. They said, “It feels really good as we put a lot of effort and time into this project. It’s the first time the radio side of the project has been recognised with a prize so it’s nice to know our coverage was award winning.

“We learnt that radio journalism takes a lot of pre-planning – you can’t just go on air and have a chat. We planned this right from the beginning of term. A highlight was when we called the result of Barack Obama winning, before the BBC.”

The students were also quick to thank the lecturers who made the radio broadcast possible, adding, “We would also like to thank the lecturers who helped out on the night and in the run up to the event – particularly Cat Greeves who helped us so much. And the project wouldn’t have even been possible without Mat Charles and Ann Luce who were the ‘big bosses’ of the event and put it all together.”

NCTJ conference hosted at Bournemouth University

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Bournemouth University Media School academics were joined by a host of journalists, guests and peers for this year’s National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) Conference.

The conference, hosted at BU, brought about thought provoking discussion around the culture of journalism in a Post-Leveson climate and the sorts of skills that journalism graduates need in a multimedia, digital newsroom.

Stephen Jukes, Dean of BU’s Media School, said, “We are hugely proud of our NCTJ connections and the performance of our students in those exams every year.

“This is a really exciting time to be studying journalism, a really pivotal time where we have either seen the end of 300 years of free press or we are seeing the start of a re-evaluation of the practices of journalism and purge of some of the darker styles of the tabloid trade.”

John Ryley, Head of Sky News, gave the opening address to the conference and said, “All  the technology in the world counts for nothing without that essential element – good journalism.

“I believe that journalism can, and indeed should be, a force for good by shining a light on those things that perhaps people would prefer to remain hidden.

“Training is what separates professional journalists from so-called citizen journalists. It should also instil a value of doing the right thing, and the rights and wrongs of good practice.”

A number of industry professionals also took to the stage to give their thoughts on the current UK media climate, including two Bournemouth University BA Multimedia Journalism graduates; Ollie Joy, who now works for CNN, and Rachel Bartlett, editor of journalism.co.uk.

Study Multimedia Journalism at BU!

NCTJ Journalism Skills Conference hosted at BU

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The sixth annual NCTJ Journalism Skills Conference is to be hosted by Bournemouth University between 27 and 28 November 2013.

The conference is marketed as a ‘must-attend annual event for those who are passionate about quality multimedia journalism’. BU’s Multimedia Journalism course is accredited by the NCTJ.

Speakers at this year’s event include:

·         Mark Austin, journalist and presenter, ITV News
·         Peter Bale, vice president and general manager, CNN International Digital
·         Pete Clifton, executive producer, MSN UK
·         Ollie Joy, digital business journalist, CNN
·         Sandra Laville, crime correspondent, The Guardian
·         Frank Le Duc, editor, Brighton and Hove News and Latest TV
·         Andy Martin, deputy editor and head of news, Bournemouth Echo
·         Ian Murray, editor-in-chief, Southern Daily Echo
·         Liisa Rohumaa, journalism lecturer, Bournemouth University
·         Mark Russell, managing editor, GQ
·         Tom Thomson, managing editor, The Herald and Times Group
·         Andrew Wilson, head of the journalism foundation, BBC.

To book a place at the conference you can visit the NCTJ website.

Liisa Rohumaa on the Ed Miliband Daily Mail controversy

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BU Journalism lecturer Liisa Rohumaa was interviewed on BBC Radio Solent’s Drivetime show about the controversy surrounding the Daily Mail’s article about Labour Leader Ed Miliband’s father ‘hating’ Britain.

Liisa suggested the Daily Mail had gone too far in its labelling of Ed Milliband’s dad as a man who hated Britain.

She said: “Journalists have got a duty to ask difficult questions but the Daily Mail has a reputation for being nasty to certain groups such as immigrants, women and people on the left”.

The interview concluded as Liisa stated the story would feed into the debate over whether there should be press regulation in the UK and whether the Daily Mail can justify printing something that people find distasteful.

The debate on the show was about whether Daily Mail journalists had gone too far by labelling Ed Milliband’s dad as someone who hated Britain in their recent news story.

By Peter Blackhall
2nd Year Student at Bournemouth University, BA Public Relations

It’s official – BU students rock!

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Students from Bournemouth University shone at the Rock Star Awards, picking up several accolades.

The Awards, organised by Rock Recruitment Specialists, recognise outstanding young employees, students and entrepreneurs in Dorset aged between 16 and 26.

BU students picked up three of the six awards during a ceremony at the Royal Bath Hotel, in front of more than 200 people from Dorset’s business community.

Kamron Arasteh, who is in his final year of a BSc (Hons) Business Information Technology degree at BU, picked up the Student Star of the Future Award, which was sponsored by Bournemouth University.

Kamron, 22, is on course to graduate with a first class honours degree, and has taken on a number of freelance projects while studying – including building websites for Best Fit car garage and Universal Catering Supplies.

“It felt amazing to win the award,” said Kamron, who lives in Poole and also provided specialist technical support to the Weymouth and Portland sailing venues during the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“The awards evening at the Royal Bath Hotel in Bournemouth was a really enjoyable experience.

“Winning the award just showed that the 4 years of hard work was really worth it. I have always strived to achieve at university, which has led me to work for Xerox, London 2012 Olympics and Kingfisher plc and this is only the start.

He added:”Bournemouth University has taught me so much and enabled me to take these opportunities and hopefully allow me to start a successful career in the IT industry.”

BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism student Natalie Morris was named winner of the Fire Radio Media Star of the Future, which was sponsored by the local radio station.

Natalie, 22, of Ensbury Park, impressed the judges with her confidence and a variety of media experience and placements.

Aspiring writer and broadcaster Natalie, who is in the final year of her degree, said: “I feel privileged to have won the award and I am extremely grateful towards the judges who selected me.

“I have worked extremely hard over the past 3 years at university and have built up a varied CV, including a month’s work placement at BBC Crimewatch, The Sun TV Magazine, North One Television at Fifth Gear, Hope FM and BBC 5 Live.

“I interviewed Daniel Craig on Radio 1 and was also interviewed on Greg James’ radio show.”

Second year BA (Hons) Events Management student Nicolle Chainey won the Rising Star of the Future Award, sponsored by Ageas 50.

Nicolle, 21, combines studying for her degree with working as an Assistant Wedding and Event Planner at Bellissimo Weddings & Events, based in Bournemouth.

She was nominated by Melanie Kiani, Director of Bellissimo Weddings & Events, for the award, which recognises achievements in the early career stages.

Angela Fletcher, Managing Director at Rock Recruitment, created the awards. She said: “Meeting these people at the start of their careers, who have already accomplished many things and have clear ideas of what they want to achieve, has impressed and inspired me”

I don’t Beliebe it!

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A journalism student from Bournemouth University has won the chance to travel to Miami and meet teen pop sensation Justin Bieber.

Third year BA (Hons) Multimedia Journalism student Joseph Kent beat entries from around the world to win the competition, run by Adidas NEO.

The prize includes an all-expenses paid trip to Miami at the end of the month, and the chance to meet Justin Bieber after one of his concerts.

Joseph, who will then blog about the experience, said: “It is the trip that I am more excited for – I have never been to Miami and it sounds amazing. I’ve already been checking the weather reports.

“The great thing is that I don’t really have an opinion on Justin Bieber so I can go to the concert and form a justified opinion on him.”

A keen fashion blogger through his site www.unlimitedbyjk.com, Joseph was contacted by the Adidas social media team and encouraged to enter.

To get through the first round of the competition, Joseph had to send in a photo of the face he would pull if he found out he had won.

“That took me ages,” said Joseph, 21, who is from Woking and lives in Winton while studying.

“It was a mixture of surprise and disbelief, with a little glimmer of ‘oh my gosh’. It took me a while of taking photos with myself to find a face that I was happy with.

“I’m sure it wasn’t the face I actually pulled when I found out I’d won.”

For the second round, entrants were sent a rucksack and then had to blog about what they would put in it for their trip to Miami.

Joseph created a stop motion video of the items – including his camera, spare lens, passport and shorthand notebook – magically appearing to put themselves in the bag to one of Justin Bieber’s songs.

He said: “It took about two hours to shoot everything and about four hours to do all the editing but it was really fun to make.”

Initially Joseph was told that he had come in third place, but technicalities meant that one of the winners could not take up the prize.

He was at university helping out with an Activity Day for prospective students when he found out he would be going to Miami after all.

“It came as a total surprise,” he said.

“I was on my lunch break and checking my emails when I saw the one saying that I was going after all. I had to read it twice before I absorbed it.

“I think my jaw actually dropped and I started screaming and jumping up and down.”

Joseph will be one of two bloggers reporting on the experience, and will travel to Miami on Friday 25th January.

He will stay at a hotel on Miami Beach and will see Justin Bieber’s concert at the American Airlines Arena on the Saturday, before returning home on Sunday 27th January.

He will meet Justin following the concert, and hopes he will get the chance to interview the teen pop icon.

“If I have the chance to get a few words from him, I’m really interested to see what he thinks about the fact that there are his superfans who do really crazy things and then people who absolutely hate him.

“I want to see how that affects him and get his point of view.”

Joseph added that his friends are proud of him winning the competition.

“My friends and coursemates have been saying that they are proud of me as I work so hard and that I deserve this. I feel quite overwhelmed by that.”

You can watch the stop-motion video that Joseph created for the competition here: http://vimeo.com/52813041