Law - 17 November

Freedom of Inofrmation requests and Invesitgative journalism was on our agenda this week. Julie Cordier recently had a very fruitful FOI request. We had an exclusive on WINOL. This was about the fact that some officers on the police force have criminal records. She was able to find this out from an FOI request she sent asking a very direct question.

Anybody is able to make an FOI request to any public authority. Only the UK security and intelligence agencies are exempt from having to give information through an FOI request. Every other company has to give you information. When filling out a request you have to be very specific otherwise they can refuse and will ask you to narrow your search. This could go on for months. The authority has 20 days to get the information to you or has to send you a reason as to why they can not get it to you within the 20 days. Your search not being specific enough would qualify as to why they can not send it to you within the 20 days; maybe there is too much. An FOI request is also free unless getting the information costs more than £600. Or if it is more than £450 for local councils.

The following website give guidelines on this act as well as amendments when they happen. With law amendments can be made and rules changed so as journalists we need to keep up to date with the new or changed rules regarding FOI requests and other media acts and laws. http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2000/36/introduction

Photo By: Auntie P

British Journalism Training Council

I read today that Winchester University's Journalism programme is the course of the year to be on. This accreditation has come from the British Journalism Training Council. I feel very proud and lucky to be on such an amazing course and working with very talented people that have worked in the business for many years and that can bring a lot of knowledge to our course and share with us.

I feel that this is the best start I could have in my career as a Journalist and I am very excited to have Jacqui Thornton teaching me everything she knows about the business. Jacqui Thornton is a journalist that was the former features editor of The Sun and writes a lot of articles for Cosmopolitan. Being an avid reader of Cosmopolitan and mainly wanting to work in features for magazines, I feel that I am going to learn a lot from this very important and knowledgeable lady.

I look forward to the year ahead at Winchester University.

Investigative Journalism and Me

Today we had a class on investigative journalism. I found this really interesting and found the stories, such as Veronica Guerin, John Sweeney and the Watergate affair really interesting.

I have always said that my ultimate goal is to be editor and chief of a women's fashion magazine such as Cosmopolitan or Vogue however, after today's class I have found another path that really interests me. So much so I think that I would definitely enjoy it as a job. It sounds very hard and secretive but I really feel that going against the usual agenda sounds not only fun and interesting but that it is serving a purpose. The only downside to the job is the death threats and law suits.

To think that I may uncover a scandal with the government or that I can bring down a president with my hard work and persistence only makes me want to work harder. I feel that I am being a tad morbid, finding interesting stories that have journalists killed for simply carrying out their job in the interest of the public but it feels that, that is what would really help out society. I feel that my writing and skills as a journalist would make a difference in the world. These may be childish dreams, I may not know the whole story but I want to make a difference with my writing. I want people to read my articles and voice their own opinion. I want my writing to be worthwhile and make a difference.

I really admire Veronica Guerin, after having her knees blown off and still naming those responsible took a lot of guts. She could have taken the warning and shut up but she didn't, she named and framed those that were doing wrong. I'm not sure I would have the same courage but I do know that when I am a fully fledged journalist I want to write about things that matter. Whether it be fashion for Cosmo or unearthing a deadly scam by a pharmaceutical company I do not yet know. Who knows which path I'll follow?