journalism

In a delightful piece for Slate magazine, Jack Shafer delves into the history of that enduring description of journalism as 'the first draft of history'. Perhaps surprisingly, his search only takes him as far back as the 1940s, to an editorial in the Washington Post - and even later for the inclusion of the the word 'rough'. He also wonders why the phrase has such power. 'What makes "first rough draft of history" so tuneful, at least to the ears of journalists? Well, it flatters them.

Following glowing recommendations from John Saunders, Suzanne Franks and BBC Radio 4 (for which many thanks), I have just finished 'Nothing to Envy - Real Lives in North Korea,' by Barbara Demick.  This account of state repression and human misery in North Korea deserves every syllable of praise already heaped upon it, and more. It is extended reporting at its most brilliant. Demick, a former Korea correspondent for the Los Angeles Times, has the ace correspondent's eye for detail. Having read it I feel I know more about life in the world's last entirely unreconstructed Stalinist state a.k.a. the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea, than I thought it possible to learn. I know infinitely more than the repulsive Kim Il-Sung (brutal and depraved leader of his benighted homeland from 1953 until his death in 1994) and his repugnant son Kim Jong-il, ever intended me to know.

Writing opportunities for students and graduates: the Fresh Outlook.

Contact us for writing opportunities with the new independent online newspaper, the Fresh Outlook. For your information, we also offer placements - remote and in the office (Cardiff office).The newspaper will launch by the end of this June.

Background

Stephen Glover is still away, so I'm still writing his column for The Independent. Irony of intense ironies it is called 'Media Studies.' This week, having overcome the shock, I take a look at Media Secretary Jeremy Hunt's emerging plans for the future of local television. I could not resist including a reference to one of my favourite spoofs on TV news culture. If you have not seen Anchorman, the Legend of Ron Burgundy, I recommend it very highly. Ron is a fictional representative of that breed of local TV bunnies who are so thick they will read anything that appears on the autocue.  

Oh dear. Someone's in trouble. 

If you missed Start the Week this morning it is well worth listening to tonight, Radio Four, 21.30. In this programme investigative journalist Heather Brooke (it was she who first uncovered the MPs' expenses scandal before the Telegraph bought the information from its infamous mole) discusses her new book The Silent State,  where she reveals the true extent of council-funded freesheets and their catastrophic effect on local journalism and thus local democracy.

Not my words but the words of Ian Dunt for politics.co.uk.

He talks about the Times Online's decision to implement a pay wall in June by charging £1 per day or £2 a week for their content. He also discusses the possibility of the Indie becoming free by the end of the year.

I like his view that journalism shouldn't go down the road of being fully funded by advertising and become free to consumers:

Possibilities of what GB can achieve for journalism.

http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=31&aid=177590

The Independent asked me to contemplate the future of professional journalism. I believe it is time for liberals to fight the deluge of poorly disguised ideology that threatens to drown our industry in pessimism. So, here is what I had to say...Of course, we still need to identify those new economic models, but nobody said it would be easy.  

The winner and runners up of the Christmas story competition will be announced in the newsroom at 11.30 on Thursday.