Trinity Term 2010

Dear All,

Trinity is upon us and we're pleased to present an exciting list of speaker events for the term ahead.

We have something that will suit everyone - from the investigative journalists amongst us to the fashion-obsessed glossy-magazine loving.

Nicholas Coleridge, Managing Director of Conde Nast

SPONSORED BY WPP
23rd May, 8.15PM
Coleridge has been UK Managing Director and Global Vice-President of Conde Nast (the world-famous publishers of Vogue, GQ, Tatler, Glamour, Vanity Fair and many other titles) for 19 years. Having appointed most of the current crop of editors and also written many best-selling novels, it is perhaps unsurprising that Coleridge is one of the best-connected people in British media.

Louise Court, Editor of Cosmopolitan

10th June, 7PM

Louise Court is a definition of a fun, fearless female. A big personality and a brilliant leader of Cosmo since 2006, she has climbed her way up since she started off as trainee. She became a showbiz writer at Express Newspapers before joining Woman's Own as an assistant editor in 1990. In 1994, she joined Best, becoming editor four years later. In 2005 Ms Court was appointed editorial director of ACP-mag.

William Lewis, former Editor-in-Chief of Telegraph Media Group and Journalist of the Year 2010 (in association with the Oxford Union)

15 June, Oxford Union

Lewis is doubtlessly the most celebrated journalist of the year 2010: not only he scooped the prestigious award from Press Association, but also The Daily Telegraph was awarded the Newspaper of the Year along a string of awards for the coverage of MPs expenses investigation. As the editor-in-chief of the paper at the time, he oversaw the coverage of the story. Lewis also supported Daily Telegraph's controversial shift to skepticism towards climate change and was the first editor to integrate online and print editorial teams into one.

Geordie Greig, Editor of the London Evening Standard and Editorial Director of The Independent
Date TBC
A former Editor of Tatler, Greig was instrumental in the sale of the Evening Standard to the Lebedevs last year. In his first year in charge of the paper, he has radically distanced it from its Daily Mail history, running an advertising campaign apologising for past errors, and has taken the publication free. As part of the Lebedevs recent purchase of The Independent, Greig has also been appointed Editorial Director of those titles. He has been called 'the world's greatest networker'.

Paul Lewis, Reporter of the Year 2010, The Guardian
Date TBC
Lewis is one of The Guardian's most admired reporters. He won plaudits for his tenacious uncovering of the police's treatment of protesters at the G20 summit in London last year.

More information about locations and how to apply to dine with the speakers will follow shortly.

We will also be posting separate entries with more information about each speaker before the events.

Looking forward to seeing you at an event soon!

Marta and Tom

Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism

Oxford is incredibly lucky to have an Institute devoted solely to the study of journalism. However, not many undergraduates know about it and even if they do, they do not know what it entails or how to get involved.

That is why Oxford Media Society asked David Levy, the Institute Director, to tell us about the Reuters Institute in a Q&A format. We would like to thank David for kindly agreeing to do so.

Oxford Media Society (OMS): What is the Reuters Institute?

David Levy, Institute Director (DL): The Reuters Institute for Study of Journalism (RISJ) is part of the Department of Politics and international Relations. It is dedicated to the rigorous international study of journalism in a way that brings together the perspectives of academic analysts, practising journalists and policymakers.

The Institute has three main areas of activity:
a) the Journalist Fellowship Programme which brings practising mid career journalists to Oxford from across the globe to conduct research on an aspect of journalism for periods of 3-9 months

b) publications, events and a range of interventions in the debate about the future of journalism

c) academic research into journalism organised around three themes - The Changing Business of Journalism, the Changing Practise of Journalism, and Journalism & Democracy/Accountability

OMS: Who came up with the idea?

DL: The Institute was created in 2006 and built on the Reuters Foundation Journalism Fellowship Programme which had been established for over 20 years. The idea was developed between several figures in Oxford, including John Llloyd, Contributing Editor to the FT and Director of Journalism at RISJ, and the Reuters Foundation who awarded an initial grant of £1.75m for the establishment of the first 5 year period of the Institute.

OMS: What are the main achievements of the RISJ to date?

DL: The Institute has developed the Fellowship Programme which now brings over 20 journalists a year to Oxford, has organised a range of high profile seminars and lectures in Oxford and elsewhere, and launched two new publication series RISJ Challenges and Working Papers that bring RISJ research to a wider audience. Challenges published in the past year include What's Happening to our News? an investigation into the impact of the internet on UK news organisation, Trust in the News a study of how trust is changing and two publications on Citizen Journalism - Red Kayaks and Hidden Gold, by John Kelly of the Washington Post and Social Media and Mainstream Media, by Nic Newman of the BBC. RISJ also has three research projects underway currently; on 'Comparative European Journalism', 'The Changing Business of Journalism and its impact on democracy', and ‘International News in Africa, India and Pakistan: provision, consumption and trust in a rapidly changing broadcasting environment’

OMS: How can Oxford undergraduates get involved in the RISJ's work?

DL: We hold two seminars a week - one on a Wednesday lunchtime at Green Templeton College and another on Media and Politics at Nuffield College on Fridays at 5pm. Both are open to all. In addition we are always open to ideas from undergraduates about issues we might tackle and our journalist fellows are a potential source of information about journalism, both within the UK and internationally. (The details of current journalist felllows are listed on our website and past journalist fellows research papers can be found there)

OMS: What plans do you have for next term? How can we find out more about the Institute?

DL: Our seminar lists will be posted on our website very soon (by week 0) and can be found at http://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/ You can also register there for an RSS feed of updates to our website and to download any of our publications. If you would like to be added to our mailing list please e-mail our Web and Publicity officer kate.hanneford-smith@politics.ox.ac.uk

Student Journalism Awards

Let's admit it: student journalism awards are what every aspiring journohack dreams of. They're a great way to break into the industry, look shiny on your CV and usually the award includes work experience, which in the long run may turn into a job offer.

Oxford Media Society has compiled a list of student journalism competitions - please leave a comment on the blogspot if we've missed anything important.

1. The Guardian Student Media Awards
The holy grail in the world of student journalism.

In 2008, Cherwell won the 'Website of the Year' award, whilst OxStu's Hannah Kuchler scooped 'Reporter of the Year' for her Griffin/Oxford Union story. Tom Rowley was the runner-up in the same category in 2009, while the Oxymoron won Best Magazine.

In 2010, the number of categories has been dramatically reduced, from 14 to six, meaning that the competition will be fiercer than ever.

2. NUS Awards
A less glamourous sister of The Guardian Student Media Awards. In fact, between 1978 until 1998 the two were hosted together, before they split.

The National Union of Students has two media categories in their yearly NUS awards: Best Student Media and Best Student Journalist. Matthew Holehouse won 'Best Student Journalist' in 2008 for his work on donations.

What does the NUS look for? It wants the paper to be not only entertaining and scrutinising - they want it to form campaigns, too. In the reporter category, the NUS values "the difference a report makes to the lives of students".

3. Vogue Talent Contest

Here is an offering to all those who prefer to write features rather than news reports and would like to purse a career in fashion.

Write three short pieces - one about a personal memory, one about a cultural trend, and the third one a polemic - and work experience at Vogue just might be yours. Alternatively, a selection of entrants will lunch with the judges of the competition - a pleasure in itself.

4. GQ non-fiction awards
The newly launched GQ award is a gem for anyone who loves to write non-fiction and the main prize of spending a month at the Norman Mailer Writers Colony would surely be a dream come true. All you have to do is to write a 2,000-4,000 non-fiction report on the topic of your choice by the 1st of May and you just might have your summer sorted.

Other competitions:
5. Guardian International Development Journalism Competition

6. Alistair Cooke Award in Journalism

NB: This is a postgraduate study award, rather than a writing competition.

2010 News International Placement Scheme

The News International Benefaction Scheme was given to Oxford University in 1993 by Rupert Murdoch who graduated from Worcester College with a degree in PPE and a further Master's degree.

As a result, the University welcomes each year the Visiting Professor of Broadcast Media (this year it is Stephen Garrett, who delivered a series of lectures on TV series this Hilary) and has a Professor of Language and Communication. The benefaction has also funded three lectureships and a major research grant. It also includes the placement scheme with the most fancy name imaginable: The Rupert Murdoch Scholarship.

Every year, many Oxford student journalists apply, but only 7-14 spend their time in Wapping offices.

Both Oxford's News International Liaison committee and the Editors of the News International papers judge the entrants.

So what stories wrote last year's participants? Check out the links to find out.

Sian Cox-Brooker, The Sun, News Section

http://tinyurl.com/ykntdg5

http://tinyurl.com/ybymkso

Ellie Buchdahl, The Times

http://tinyurl.com/ygpseda

Costas Pitas, The Times

http://tinyurl.com/ylrw3my

Marta Szczerba, The Sunday Times, Business Section

http://tinyurl.com/yglt4em

http://tinyurl.com/yk6cbru

Others who took part worked in Culture section of The Sunday Times or in the features section of News of the World.

From my own experience, the scheme was what you made of it. As in every kind of journalistic work, you had to show initiative and be incredibly nosy from the very beginning. I was incredibly lucky to meet a couple of journalists' contacts over coffee, do research about Kaupthing for a story, eat a lovely lunch in the Design Museum thanks to a PR company and be a PA to John Waples for a week. And I got three bylines. Furthermore, all interns at the time had a trip to the printers and visited the BSkyB studios, which was a very insightful experience.

The deadline for applications is Friday of 0th week of Trinity Term 2010. To apply fill in this form and attach relevant documents.

Good luck!

Oxford Media Society resumes

I'm pleased to inform you all that the Oxford Media Society is being resurrected once again. The blog should be updated regularly from now onwards and a new term card will be published nearer the Trinity term.