Skills Test: Video

This is the penultimate skills test for my JN2053 (The Digital Newsroom) assignment that I have completed. For this test I was asked to shoot a short 30 second MCU video with an interview and subject of my choice. I chose to ask about the UKs coverage of international news...the video can be seen below...

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

Skills Test: Data

View chart in full here.

In 2008/2009, local councils within the North West of England reported an increase in crime across the region. The greatest increase reported was domestic burglary at 72%, closely followed by vehicle crime at 56%. Gang and gun crime showed the lowest increase, both at just 6%.

But what exactly caused this increase in crime? The obvious place to start would be the recession. During 2008 and 2009 our economy was at its lowest and the North West was one of the worst hit areas of the country.

During this time local authorities were forced to cut back on many things. With less funding for street patrols and CCTV is it any wonder that the crime rate increased? And with less money being spent on places for youngsters to spend their evenings, the likelihood of anti-social behaviour occurring was greater.

However, crime is currently at its lowest in the country since 1997, having fallen 9% last year (see crime figures for 2009/2010). But with local councils facing a further 7.1% cut in their annual budget, how long will our crime rates stay this low? Surely the cuts will affect the safety of our streets and cause crime rates to increase once again.

See also:

Full set of Crime Rates across the entire country
Latest Crime Statistics
Full set of data concering where ASBOs are issued
Crime figures for 2009/2010

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

Workshop Exercise: Data

In today's JN2053 workshop we were taught how to use raw data from online databases to create a chart in either Google Docs or Excel and embed it into our blog.

The chart to the left was created using data from data.gov.uk concerning the Fixed Penalty Notices for litter between April 2008 and March 2009. It shows the amount collected in litter fixed penalty notices by councils within Lancashire.

The complete set of data can be found here:
http://data.gov.uk/dataset/fixed-penalty-notice-litter

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

Skills Test: Images

This is the second of the five skills test for my JN2053 (The Digital Newsroom) assignment that I have completed.

For this test I was asked to take a picture of either Lancashire County Council; Preston City Council; The Flag Market; Preston North End football club or The University of Central Lancashire.

As you can see from the below pictures, I opted for the University of Central Lancashire.

The images within this blog show the Media Factory building situated in the Preston campus. The first is the original image that I took with my camera and the rest are cropped to specified sizes (100x100; 400x300 and 200x500).

Original Image of UCLan Media Factory
400px x 300px version of UCLan Media Factory

200px x 500px version of UCLan Media Factory

100px x 100px version of UCLan Media Factory

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

Skills Test: Maps

As part of an assignment for JN2053 (The Digital Newsroom) we've been asked to complete five skills tests: Image, Maps, Audio, Video and Data. I will be uploading these to my blog over the next few weeks.

This is the first one that I have completed, the maps skills test. For this test we had to take four news stories from any issue of the Lancashire Evening Post and place them on a custom Google map.

View Skills Test: Maps in a larger map

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

Custom Google Map - UCLan Media Factory

View UCLan Media Factory in a larger map

In today's workshop for JN2053 (The Digital Newsroom) we've been given a brief introduction into Google Maps and how to create our own custom ones. At first I thought it was going to be pretty hard but actually, it's quite simple. The above map is one I created as part of an exercise within the class (we were asked to upload it to our blogs) and shows the University of Central Lancashire's Media Factory and an image I have previously taken for a previous exercise.

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk.

Labour, Conservative or Lib Dem? No matter who you're voting for in next week's General Election the above photo really has got to be one of the greatest of all time. I'm sure you're all aware of Gordan Brown's bigot comment from yesterday and if not, bbc news it.

Personally, the only issue I have with the situation is that he was silly enough to say it without realising his mic was still on. Fair play to him though for being man enough to realise his mistake and apologise to Gillian Duffy in person.

Let's just hope it doesn't ruin his chances too much - I actually like the Scot!

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

Say hello to DCI Gene Hunt for the last time...

The heart-throb that is Gene Hunt will be returning to our screens over Easter after what seems like forever.

Fans of the DCI, such as myself, will be pleased to know that the Quattro has been fired up for what promises to be yet another breathtaking series of BBC's Ashes to Ashes.

The third and final installment of the 80s cop drama starts on Good Friday after almost ten months without the beloved banter of Drake, Carling and Skelton.

The series picks up right were series two ended...with "Bolly" in a coma in 1983 (after being accidentally shot by Gene) but at the same time she's waking up from a coma in 2010...confused yet?

I won't go into the details too much as I don't want to ruin the excitement, plus the fact that you can read all about it here.

The programme's move to Friday means Have I Got News For You has been knocked to Thursday but also means the Easter Weekend is set to be an amazing one for TV - Ashes to Ashes on Friday and the new Doctor Who series starting on Saturday (I haven't quite decided if I'll be watching this time around, I'm still mourning the loss of David Tennant :/ )

So, get your 80s clobber down from the attic and disconnect the phone...Gene Hunt's on his way!

Ashes to Ashes, series 3 trailer, courtesy of the BBC

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

Creative Commons...

In today's JN1013 (Introduction to Electronic Journalism) workshop we were told all about the wonderful world of copyright laws; where to find images online available for reuse and how to link back and credit the photographer.

As part of the task we've been instructed to find several images available for us to use on our blogs. So, with the aid of Flickr and the creative commons section, here are a few images that came up with my search criteria...

Media Factory @ The University of Central Lancashire Photo by Amy Ferguson
Football Hooligans Photo by: Travlr

Credit Crunch Photo by London Permaculture Olympics Photo by aprica Journalism Photo by Ann AlthouseSports Journalism Photo by looking4poetry This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

Miles From Hell...

Photo by Radio 1

Anyone who listens to Radio 1 is probably aware of the 'Miles From Hell' challenges being set all week for DJ Scott Mills in aid of Sport Relief.

For those who don't, let me summarise...for the past week Mills has been set a challenge everday, each challenge covering a mile in a very different way.

Day one saw him walk a mile around a London sewer (rather him than me); day two had him complete a mile around Kempton Park race course, dressed as a horse and being ridden by jockey Hayley Turner (who was banned at the time for being too harsh with her stick).

Day three was probably the hardest mile of the lot with Mills running (well, mostly walking) up 400 flights of stairs within some of London's tallest buildings including One Canada Square, Guy's Hospital, Centrepoint and The Gherkin.

As you can see from the image above, today's challenge (day four) was to run/walk a mile around a track whilst tied to none other than X Factor star, Chico Slimani. Yes, that's right...a three-legged race with Chico - poor Scott.

As of now, Scott's challenges have raised over £100,000 for Sport Relief with just one more challenge to go. I wonder what tomorrow holds.

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

University Trouble...

Photo by me (Independent cover)
Edge Hill has now confirmed that it has scrapped its NCTJ accredited Journalism course after current students noticed it was missing from the university's website.

First years will be pleased to know that the course will continue to run but lectures will be taken by temporary lecturers.

And things aren't looking too good up and down the rest of the country when it comes to universities. Funding for more than 100 universities has been cut by a total of £573m in the first wave of public spending cuts. 6,000 fewer students will be accepted into university this September even though applications have rise by 23 per cent.

Reading through the Independent's coverage of the news, one quote jumped out at me. Sally Hunt, the general secretary of the University and College Union, said: "The Government is abandoning a generation who, instead of benefiting from education, will find themselves on the dole alongside sacked lecturers."

And she has a point. Maybe my previous post, "Is there a future for Journalism?" should have been titled "Is there a future for Universities?".

Thank God my parents conceived me when they did (something I hope to never have to think of again) otherwise I may be one of those 220,000 students without a university place in September. And thank God that, with the help of my sixth form tutors, I managed to achieve the grades I did. If I hadn't I may have ended up in my second choice university, Edge Hill, as one of those first year students with no opportunity to resit if they don't get the grades they hoped for.

What makes me laugh the most is how universities are being fined for accepting too many students last September. Yes, that's right Government, cut their funding and then fine them for even more money - brilliant!

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

Tyre Trouble...

Photo by me

Today was going to be a work filled day, a day to finally complete my law assignment but it wasn't meant to be. At 7am it was brought my attention that my little Fiat Punto (Perry) had suffered an injury...again.

In eight months of owning the car I've needed a new clutch and handbrake (down to the previous owner). I've had to jump start it God knows how many times (I refuse to buy a new battery until I'm stranded at the side of the M6) and my nearside front wheel makes a strange noise when I turn right. But then again, it's a 53 plate, only suffers in the cold and gets me where I want to be (most of the time) when I want to be there. And aside from those few minor problems, he hasn't let me down. I've never found myself in the middle of nowhere with no way of getting home...the battery only seems to pack in on my drive so I can't really complain.

No problems have arose since Christmas and I was beginning to think Perry had started to like me again...I suppose I can't really blame a flat tyre on him. If anything, it's Continental's fault.

I finally got to make use of my AA membership because in all honesty, changing a tyre is something I had no intention of doing at 7am. The guy (Paul) arrived, jacked Perry up and popped his space saver on - being limited to 50mph is my one of my worst nightmares. Now all I had to do was take a trip down to Kwik-Fit in St Helens and get some new rubber.

Paul (Mr AA man) said a repair would be good enough as there was no visible damage to the tyre but my tyre expert of a boyfriend suggested a new tyre would be better. Not wanting to spend £50 on something I knew I'd only puncture again I opted for a repair but that's not what I ended up with...

Fast forward to now and Perry is sat on the drive again smiling away (or at least he would be if you could) with the same tyre he had before...but no repair.

Turns out it wasn't a puncture after all...dodgy valve. Mr Kwik Fit (I forget his name) didn't even charge me for it - apparently I've bought tyres from there before. How when it's my first car I don't know but he insisted I had it on the house.

All in all, a good day so far. And I've even managed to get a little work done (:

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

Another Year Older...

Photo by me

Just a quick blog tonight as it's getting kind of late and I have uni tomorrow morning.

Those of you who know me personally might be aware that today is my Birthday - another year has passed and another calorie filled cake has entered my system (a giant French Fancy for those who are wondering). I've had quite a nice day testing out my new camera (FujiFilm S1730) at Sherdley Park in St Helens...hopefully now I'll be able to add some decent pictures onto future blogs; I'm still getting the hang of the settings and shutter speeds, I'll get there eventually though.

It's strange how this time yesterday I was eighteen and today I'm nineteen - I don't feel any different at all though, but I guess I wouldn't, would I?

Maybe I should go to sleep now. After all, I am getting old.

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

Is There A Future For Journalism?

As a journalism student I hope so. People are always saying that the industry isn’t what it used to be, jobs are lacking and that I’m stupid for doing a degree in the subject – I disagree.

Of course the journalism industry is different to it was in the past, developments in technology have made that inevitable. TV, radio and even online journalism have taken the industry to a whole new level. Nowadays, a print journalist isn’t just a writer, they’re expected to have all kinds of skills including basic camera work and audio recording.

In three years time I'll be one of those graduates (hopefully) searching high and low for a decent paying job with all the excitement and enjoyment journalism has to offer. The difference between me and the people who say there are no jobs? - I know where to look! Looking for a job in the journalism field isn't as straight forward now; radio producers work for online news rooms and vise-versa. I won't just be looking for a job with a newspaper or magazine, I'll be looking for a job within a newspapers online division or a magazine's news podcast. Jobs are decreasing? If anything I'd say they were INcreasing.

Media City is set to be open for business in 2011 creating up to 10,000 jobs. Journalists in all kinds of fields will flock to Salford making it the BBCs largest presence outside of London. With thousands of staff moving up North, London will be wide open for young journalists fresh out of university.

People say that newspapers are dying and maybe they're right. Figures show that readerships for your average paper aren't what they used to be but online versions of these very same newspapers are on the rise. It's not really a surprise though when you think how much quicker we can access things these days. People don't want to wait until the next day to read the headlines and with online journalism they don't have to. A simple click and you can read whatever story you want without having to flick through an entire newspaper to find it.

I'm planning on progressing to print journalism next year (something that again, I'm told is stupid) but I'm not too worried about the "death of newspapers". I've always had my heart set on being a writer rather than a presenter, even if that means being a writer who publishes their stories online.

Sure, things are going to be a lot more technical in the future but the basic principles of Journalism will always be the same. Personally, I think there is a future for Journalism, a fantastic one. Journalists from all over the globe are in for a great ride learning new skills and widening their knowledge and I can't wait to be part of that. But that's just my opinion, what's yours?

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk

To Blog Or Not To Blog

I'm a little late jumping onto the blog bandwagon but I suppose it's better late than never. To be perfectly honest the only reason I've claimed this little section of cyber-space is to help my degree. We (journalism students at UCLan) have all been asked to start a blog as part of the online section of the course. I'll try to blog as much as possible but don't expect anything too riveting!

The last few days haven't been very happy ones in the world of news - Earthquakes in Chile and Killer Whales in Flordia. On a lighter note, the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver have finally finished after 17 rather embarrassing days for the UK. I suppose the fact that the one medal we did win was a gold is something to be pleased about; but compared to host Canada's 14 gold medals it isn't that impressive, is it? One medal over 90 events, says a lot doesn't it?

I'm hoping that as I become more familiar with the world of blogging my posts will become longer and more interesting - I might even include a few pictures and videos now and then. For now though, I'll leave it at this.

This post was created by Emma Rigby. You can contact Emma on erigby@uclan.ac.uk