MORE than 100 young people, from 18 countries, are to report – as aspiring journalists – from the Scottish Parliament from Friday, for three days.
Following a successful debut last year, the Future NEWS conference is – say organisers – “aimed at young people who aspire to be the next generation of world-class journalists”.
Adds the conference website, here: “It provides a chance to hear from leaders in the media field and get hands-on advice and support from the experts.
Building on the success of the first conference, held in Glasgow as part of the Commonwealth Games’ cultural programme, the second conference will take place at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh from 4-6 September.
“British Council has selected participants from more than 20 countries who, on their return home, will hopefully become media professionals themselves, with an enduring memory of their time in Scotland. The event brings together more than 100 students aged 18 to 25 from across the world.”
Among several presentations – including from well-kent media names in Scotland, such as Herald editor, Magnus Llewellin, STV’s Matt Roper, DC Thomson’s Donald Martin and BBC Scotland’s Douglas Fraser – there is a masterclass by Sue Turton, an Al Jazeera journalist who was last year convicted, in absentia, by an Egyptian court, along with several of her colleagues.
And among the partners involved are newspaper groups, the Herald & Times and DC Thomson.
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ONE of the most decorated journalists to have begun his career in Scotland is the subject of an interview during an ambitious ‘festival of ideas’ taking place in Glasgow at the weekend.
Ian Jack – whose career includes having been editor of The Independent on Sunday newspaper, between 1991 and 1995, and, more recently, editor of the literary magazine, Granta – is on the bill of the Imagination Festival.
Well-known freelance journalist, Peter Ross, is interviewing Jack, who writes for The Guardian.
Said Ross: “I’ve been an admirer of Ian Jack for a long time. His work contains a great deal of empathy and wisdom, his writing is very beautiful, and I continue to learn a lot from reading him. So I’m delighted to have a chance to talk to Ian about his life, work and experiences of Scotland and elsewhere. I hope people will come along as I’m sure they will find it interesting.”
For event details, go here.
The interview is taking place on Saturday evening. Meanwhile, on Sunday, a debate – titled, Reporting and representing Scotland: what future for the media? – includes well-known Scots ‘media folk’, Philip Schlesinger, Stuart Cosgrove, Nicole Kleeman and Susan Stewart.
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BEGINS the director of the Scottish Newspaper Society, in a blog post: “Thanks to the Edinburgh Television Festival last week and the First Minister’s well-received speech on the future of the BBC in Scotland, commentators and politicians piled in over the weekend to have their say about the state broadcaster.
“The vast majority centred on how much more Auntie could or should be doing in Scotland, with political observations about what this means for the relationship between the Scottish Government, the BBC and the political messages the public will receive.”
And continues John McLellan, on the website of the SNS: “There was also plenty on how much better it would be for Scottish creative industries if more BBC loot was spent on making programmes up here.
“Nowhere, as far as I can see, has one word suggested that actually the BBC should be doing less in Scotland. Even if that is an unrealistic proposition, there has certainly been no discussion about the effect the BBC continues to have on the commercial media and information industries and the consequences of even more power concentrated in its hands.”
In passing, very good wishes to John – a recent former editor of The Scotsman – on having successfully undergone open heart surgery.
Read his blog, here.
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SAYS STV, in an announcement issued yesterday: “STV’s Edinburgh Festival programming reached 800,000 viewers in August, with 600,000 viewers tuning in across STV’s channels in Scotland and an additional 200,000 across the UK after 11 Local Television Network channels acquired the shows in locations from Brighton to Belfast.
“One in nine Scots watched at least one of STV’s Edinburgh Festival shows.
“The programme, hosted by Ewen Cameron and Hayley Matthews from STV Edinburgh’s flagship programme, The Fountainbridge Show, and STV Glasgow’s David Farrell and Jennifer Reoch has celebrated talent from across the world and has given home-grown heroes a platform to promote their acts on screen.”
Read more, here.
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A NEW lease of life is reportedly on the cards for the building that once housed a former Glasgow newspaper.
The Herald’s Scott Wright begins: “The Citizen Building in Glasgow city centre has been handed a new lease of life after a hospitality company unveiled plans to open a restaurant in the historic building.
“Up to 70 staff will be employed at 7,500 square foot The Trading House on St Vincent Place, which is poised to open on October 5.
“The Grade A listed building, once home to The Evening Citizen newspaper, will boast decor inspired by the East India Trading Company, with traditional wood panelling and feature staircase leading to a mezzanine.”
Read more, here.
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THE profession of journalism is being spoken up for, by The Herald’s foreign editor, David Pratt.
Writing about how foreign journalists are being often targeted by their governments as ‘terrorists’, he writes: “Who else if not journalists should be turning the spotlight on the plight of refugees fleeing war and persecution in places like Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere, giving a voice to people who have no voice?
“Don’t misunderstand me, I’m not getting all holier-than-thou about a profession that means many different things to different people, both consumers and producers alike.
“But for far too long some have concentrated only on that which has been rotten in certain quarters of the fourth estate. Surely now the time has come to recognise and support a profession under threat like never before and whose role benefits us all.”
Read more, here.
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OBITUARIES in today’s Scotsman (here) and The Herald (here), penned by Matt Vallance, both note that the former footballer, the late Graham Leggat, went on to carve a successful career in the Canadian media – as a broadcaster.
Begins Vallance, in The Scotsman: “Graham Leggat, who has died in Canada, aged 81, was one third of arguably the most media-savvy right-wing combinations in football history.”
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