Steve Ivall, deputy news editor for the Falmouth Packet, gave a talk to the year one journalism students at University College Falmouth yesterday. He was the first of a series of guest speakers to talk with the students about life working in the news industry.
He explained how the Packet was just one of a range of around 300 other local newspapers along the south coast owned by larger subsidiary Newsquest, who, he then explained, belonged to American company Gannet. He described the Packet as "a small cog in a big wheel."
After this he went on to explain that as well as the newspaper, many magazines are also produced by the group. The reason for this is because magazines are very profitable, but it also gives them a large market spread.
Another point he made was that the nationals feed off of the local papers, explaining how a front page story from the Packet may only make a five paragraph story in a larger publication.
He also stressed the importance of local journalists not only writing but also being adept at working with a wide array of multimedia formats, including photography, audio and video, and the web. The importance of having a shorthand speed of at least one hundred words per minute was also a major point he made.
The issue of the NCTJ qualification was raised, saying that without it many budding journalists may struggle to find work. It teaches the proffesionalisation of journalism and the journalistic values of getting the information without being pushy or aggressive.
Personally I found the talk very interesting. To hear what the daily grind of the newsroom is like from someone who experiences it every day.
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