Tag Archives: Future Journalist Awards

Exciting News: Introducing our Special Guests

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Only one month to go until it’s time to honour the up-and-coming bright stars with the Future Journalist Awards Ceremony. This year, we received an incredible number of outstanding entries, and we greatly value your involvement.

We have secured three incredible industry professionals to come along to this years event to inspire and motivate our talented young people across the county. Without our special guests, the event wouldn’t be the same and we are very excited to be able to announce them.

The three special guests that will be attending the awards this year are ‘TNT Sports’ Matt Smith; and BBC presenter Lucas Yeomans.

Matt Smith
Lucas Yeomans

These industry experts will be a wonderful addition to the event, and we are thrilled to have them join us. Stay tuned for our special guest’s upcoming individual blog posts to discover more about their professional journey and background.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Student Workshops

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Attention teachers! Did your school take part in a Future Journalist workshop this year? 

If not, here’s what you missed out on… 

The student workshops have been a great success, we had a significant number of entries from those schools that have participated. Entries for the competition are now closed and we eagerly await the judge’s announcement of the winners. 

During the workshops we delved deep into the world of journalism, teaching the students how to use a variety of equipment we use in our day to day and providing advice on writing and interviewing techniques.  

Some of the areas covered were: 

  • Using the IXM microphones and showing how they worked 
  • How to operate a camera and the different ways to make a film piece look as best as it can 
  • Writing and interview techniques as well as how to write a good script 

The workshops provided a basis for being a good journalist incorporating audio, visual and written. These core values once learned how to do properly can provide anyone with the foundations of being a good journalist. 

This also gave a chance for the students to use their own ideas, being as creative as possible as well as independence as the task was very open to focus on areas, they were most interested in. There was a lot of really great ideas discussed and this showed in the entries submitted. 

It was great to see all the ‘future journalists’ of tomorrow working hard and creating some great pieces. It was very difficult to narrow down all the different entries as they all had great ideas and the students had clearly put a lot of effort into their work. All great qualities to becoming a future journalist! 

We hope all the schools who took part enjoyed the workshops, we had great feedback from the schools that did, and we patiently await the awards day on Thursday, April 11 in Staffordshire University’s Catalyst building. To keep updated make sure to check our social media and regularly uploaded blog posts. Hope to see you all there. 

Good luck! 

Introducing our final judge: Sonya Farrall

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Sonya Farrall who owns PR Agency Baba Baboon and who has previously guest lectured the Journalism and Digital Media students here at Staffordshire University is our final judge to be judging the entries for the 2024 Future Journalist Awards. 

We are delighted to have Sonya return as one of our esteemed judges as we get ready for another exciting year of the Future Journalist Awards.

Sonya’s journey into the world of media began here at Staffs, where she laid the foundation for a remarkable career ahead. Sonya made a name for herself in the media over the years, learning a great deal and developing her skills along the way.

Reflecting on her journey, Sonya commented 

“Having worked in the media myself and also being a Staffordshire University alumni, it is great to support the Future Journalist Awards once again. I think the awards are brilliant and a great way to encourage future journalists. The media is forever evolving and it is great to see what younger people can create via their entries – which from previous experience, have always been outstanding. I am really looking forward to being a judge once again and supporting such great initiative.”

We are incredibly grateful to Sonya for her unwavering commitment to the Future Journalist Awards and her ongoing assistance. Together, let us embrace the opportunity to celebrate and empower the next generation of storytellers.

The FJA is still accepting applications, and they will conclude this Friday, March 1st.  

Introducing our second judge: Ian Whittell

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Ian Whittell has been confirmed as a judge for the 2024 future journalist awards. Ian has lots of experience in the sports journalism industry covering Manchester City, Manchester United, Sunderland and Newcastle United football clubs.

Alongside being a freelance journalist and owner of Whittell & Winrow, Ian also lectures on the BA and MA sports journalism course at Staffordshire University. 

Commenting on being part of the judging panel for this year’s awards Ian said:

“The future journalist awards is something I’m really pleased and proud to because I believe in helping to develop future journalists, the quality of the work is so high I enjoy seeing the work that the pupils produce there is a tremendous amount of talent, I really look forward to seeing what they produce.”

“My advice to anyone entering the competition would be choose something your most interested in, make sure that your work is fair, accurate and balanced, communicate with people to get the newest news out of a story to ensure the accuracy of your work. If you’re writing a story, be creative use your imagination paint the picture to the reader.”

“Look at examples of work in industry to get an idea of what you want your work to look like whether that be a newspaper, radio, or TV coverage.”  

The closing date for entries in this year’s competition is Friday, March 1, 2024. If you have any questions about how to enter the FJA’s please email futurejournalist@staffs.ac.uk. 

Keep a look out for further judges’ announcements coming soon via the Future Journalist Awards blog https://blogs.staffs.ac.uk/futurejournalist/enter/blog/ and our social media channels on X,  TikTok and LinkedIn.

Introducing our first judge: Nigel Howle

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Nigel Howle, who owns Howle Communications and has lectured in Sports Journalism and Sport Public Relations at Staffordshire University, commented on being part of the Future Journalist awards 2024 judging panel. 

Judging this year’s written entries, Nigel said: “I’m delighted to be asked. The awards are a positive initiative, offering a practical, hands-on introduction to the world of news and media for young people. 

“That’s vital in a world where there’s lots of noise from social media. As someone who has always worked in and around the media, I’m passionate about developing trained, professional storytellers. 

“My advice is to be yourself and tell a story your passionate about. Read journalism online and in newspapers, listen to the radio, and watch TV. 

“The best journalists will always explain things simply, making any topic easy to understand. Put yourself in the position of the reader or listener, what do they need to know from you?”

With over twenty years of experience in the journalism industry, Howle Communications was set up in mid-2007 to assist companies with their public relations and communication strategies. 

Nigel provides media training to companies both in the public and private sector, offering a variety of different services including press releases, event management, crisis management, and internal communications as well as media training. 

You can find out more about the work Howle Communications do here:  https://public-relations-consultants.co.uk/

The closing date for entries in this year’s competition is Friday, March 1, 2024. If you have any questions about how to enter the FJA’s please email futurejournalist@staffs.ac.uk. 

Keep a look out for further judges’ announcements coming soon via the Future Journalist Awards blog https://blogs.staffs.ac.uk/futurejournalist/enter/blog/ and our social media channels on X,  TikTok and LinkedIn.

Application Tips: Audio

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Listen closely—do you hear it? The sound of stories yearning to be heard and waiting to be told. In the journalism industry, stories are intended to be felt, experienced, and resonated through audio as well as through the written word. They should ignite emotion and create vivid images in the minds of those listening.

When it comes to audio storytelling, your voice becomes the brush and the story, your masterpiece. With the Future Journalist Awards deadline quickly approaching, using sound to its full potential can open doors to capturing audiences and creating unforgettable stories.

Audio Application Tips:

– Writing for radio – when writing your script, use short words and sentences for ease. And make sure you’re able to pronounce the words you want to say!

– Slow down – it’s important to add emphasis to your voice and slow down to make sure you’re really getting the point across.

– Utilise sounds – whatever your story, make sure you’re utilising relevant sounds to add to your piece to make it more interesting.

– Know your purpose – it’s key to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your audio piece. Having a clear purpose will help crafting your piece accordingly.

– Relax – breathe deeply a few times before you record, especially if you’re nervous. Don’t forget, if you do mess up, it’s fine to start over.

– Record in one take – try and record your audio piece in one sitting as this will help if you need to edit your audio.

Audio journalism provides a more immersive experience for the audience and is a really fun area of journalism. Why not give it a go and enter the FJA with an audio submission!

Don’t forget the deadline for the competition is March 1!

Finding your Unique Voice

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It goes without saying that jobs in the creative industries, particularly within Journalism, are competitive, and it can be challenging to break through the noise in such a fast-paced environment. So, what can you do to increase your odds within this ever evolving industry?

One technique, is to find your own unique voice, so you can attract your own unique audience – this is something that all aspiring creatives should be looking for. Among this, particularly within written work, finding your voice is essential to standing out among the crowd.

Become a ‘Storyteller’, not just a ‘writer’

People love nothing more than a good story, something they can attach themselves to and pull some kind of emotion from, so of course portraying yourself as a ‘storyteller’ rather than a ‘journalist’ in your writing makes sense. Storytelling is now being used more than ever by in-house writers or PR firms, working on behalf of different brands, in the hopes to draw in and retain the attention of audiences, and it seems to be working!

Get rid of that writer’s block!

For all creatives, writer’s block is one of the biggest concerns, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Don’t be afraid to go out and get some inspiration for your work, it doesn’t always have to be 100% your own, and there’s always a twist you can put on a story to make it your own. The best ways to gather ideas? Talk to people – a conversation can be a great source of inspiration.

Be true to others, as well as yourself

Misinformation is everywhere on the internet, so being able to distinguish the fact from the fiction is crucial. It’s easy to choose journalism subjects with the ‘shock factor’ in mind, thinking that you’ll get a few extra clicks in a shorter time frame, however, those few extra clicks are not worth the reputational harm.

Why a voice is important, and why a niche will help

As a journalist, it’s hard to find unique and interesting topics all the time, which is why it’s important that you write these topics in-line with your genuine interests – this is your niche. Naturally, you’ll create better work by working on something you truly care about, and in-turn you’ll attract the audience you’re looking for.

Take your time

Last but not least, be patient. Nothing ever comes right as you want it, but if you keep working toward that end goal, it’ll work in your favour. You’ll often receive pushback from people you’re working with, and there will be plenty of people asking for revisions, but the feeling of completion once you get that one piece out there into the world is fantastic.

The Basic Tips of Written Journalism in Industry

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Do you have big dreams and ambitious goals about becoming a written journalist? The FJA could help you kick start your learning and unlock doors to many adventures and opportunities.

Your secret weapon is knowing how to write an excellent application for the Future Journalist Awards. This is your opportunity to showcase your abilities, interests, and character in a few strong sentences.

It can be daunting to write something down. You don’t need to worry, though, because this article is your sidekick and is filled with tips on how to write a fantastic entry.

What do you want to write about? whether that be a match report on a sports event, a review or preview of an event.

When writing remember the three W’s 

  • When did the event happen?
  • Where did the event happen?
  • What happened in the event.? 

How to stick to the topic of writing? 

  • When writing it’s always good to mind map what you want to say. Therefore, this will help your workflow and stay on topic as a result the finished article will be easier for the reader to read. 
  • Write a list of what you want to cover in your work. This method will enable you to write in the most effective way by ticking off all the pointes as you go along. 

How long should entries be? 

  • In industry, entries can be from 500 words to 1000 words depending on the type of writing your doing. 
  • When writing a report on an event you often want to tell the reader about the key points that happened. For example, in a football match report you would talk about who scored the goal, how the goal was scored, what minute did the goal happen. 
  • Reports generally are 500 words in length. 
  • Features are 1000 words in length as you would be writing about the event you’ve been to, your thoughts and feelings on the event, people you’ve talked to, what did you find interesting about the individual. 
  • A participation feature is where you partake in an event and then write about your experiences.
  • When writing think about sights, smells, sounds of the places you’re writing from or what you would think in that situation.
  • Before submitting make sure to read your work to check for grammar and punctuation. 
  • Proof reading will allow you to identify any errors. 

Finally, from us all on the FJA team, we hope you have an incredible Christmas.

News Article: Baba Baboon

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An annual competition which aims to discover the next generation of journalists has launched at Staffordshire University.

The Future Journalist Awards, which is organised by third-year Sports Journalism and Journalism and Digital Media students, is open to young people aged seven to 18.

To enter, applicants need to write an article, review, or blog, or can choose to create a short video or audio clip on a smartphone.

The launch event was held in the journalism department’s newsroom and was attended by teachers from schools across Staffordshire. Attendees were given a hands-on tour of the broadcast newsroom and fully-equipped radio studio, giving them the opportunity to use professional standard equipment.

Future-journalist-awards-2024

Lucy Nagington, teacher at Packmoor Ormiston Academy in Stoke-on-Trent, attended the launch event. She said: “It was fun to use the equipment, both behind and in front of the camera. It was a great insight into what our pupils will have access to if they decide to study journalism.

“The fact that our pupils can choose their own topic and format for their entries makes the awards really accessible.”

Teachers wanting to encourage their students to enter the awards can book a workshop, either at their school or college.

For the first time, there is also an option to book a workshop to be held at Staffordshire University, giving young learners the opportunity to experience the broadcast newsroom and radio studio first-hand.

Matt Smith, sports broadcaster and journalism lecturer at Staffordshire University, said: “The aim of the competition is to inspire young people to consider a career in journalism.

“My advice is to get involved, think about what you are interested in or what your hobbies are, and find a way to communicate your story, by writing an article, or creating a video or audio clip.

“We are all aware of the world around us, and most people use social media, which means that we are involved in communication and that is where journalism starts and ends.”

Deadline for the competition is March 1 and full details on how to enter can be found on the competition website: www.blogs.staffs.ac.uk/futurejournalist/. For more information, or to book a workshop, email futurejournalist@staffs.ac.uk.

All finalists from each of the five age categories will be invited to a special award ceremony to take place on March 28 at Staffordshire University’s Catalyst Building.

There will be three winners per category: best written content, best video, and best audio. Each will win a £50 Amazon voucher and be invited to attend a Newsday Experience at the University.

About the Future Journalist Awards:

The awards are split into five year group categories, each with age-appropriate guidelines.

Years 3-4: 250-words or 30-seconds audio/video

Years 5-6: 350-words or 45-seconds audio/video

Year 7-9: 450-words or 60-seconds audio/video

Year 10-11: 550-words or 1-minute 15-seconds audio/video

Year 12-13: 650-words or 1-minute 30-seconds audio/video

For more info, visit http://www.blogs.staffs.ac.uk/futurejournalist/

Staffordshire University Newsday: Behind the Scenes

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Have you ever wondered what it’s like to work on a newsday?  This article will offer you a taste of what happens at the STAFFS LIVE Newsroom behind the scenes. 

What is Newsday?

  • Every Friday, level six and master’s level sports journalism students at Staffordshire University participate in a newsday, serving as editors, presenters, and reporters.
  • The newsday broadcast consists of two bulletins: a 12pm bulletin that provides listeners with news in a concise format, and a 2pm bulletin that is lengthier and gives listeners an in-depth understanding of the topics that were previewed in the earlier bulletin. 
  • In the first semester, running from September to December, students cover radio, and in the second semester, which runs from January to May, they cover TV packages.    

The planning process for Newsday

  • The level six and masters students studying sports journalism gather on Wednesday to decide which stories will be featured in the Friday newsday show.
  • The editor may allocate stories to each member of the team during the editorial meeting.

Newsday Roles and responsibilities

  • Editor: chooses who covers which stories and how long each package will be. The length of the package varies according to the number of stories in the programme; the more stories there are, the shorter the package; alternatively, the longer the package.
  • The order in which the stories are presented in the programme is also decided by the editor; typically, the most recent news is shown first.
  • Presenter: The presenter’s job is to give the viewers a live presentation of the programme.
  • Reporters: their job is to investigate the stories editors give them. ensuring that they get B-Roll and interviews for their segment before editing the package in advance of Friday’s broadcast.

Radio and TV packages

  • Reporters need to consider the sounds and potential disturbances in the area where they wish to carry out the interview when creating audio packages. For TV Packages, the reporter must think about the background also when interviewing and filming pieces to camera.
  • It’s important to give sufficient information so that those listening may visualise what has happened or is happening when working on an audio piece.
  • Reporters need to be creative while producing a TV package and identify the best alternative to visually represent the story if there isn’t a suitable area that captures the scene.