This is a blog post about a news website article which makes a good point

FleetStreetBlues has always been a little bit suspicious of science reporters, with their chemistry degrees and journals and high falutin' statistical know-how. The 'evidence' may say that they do a half-decent job, but to our decidedly untrained eye it all looks a little bit the same. How can tomatoes give you cancer on a Monday and cure it on a Wednesday? They even claim to understand maths.

So we particularly enjoyed this piece on the Guardian's The Lay Scientist blog, which takes pretty much every health or science story ever written and thoroughly deconstructs it in what we imagine might be an existential fashion.

This is a news website article about a scientific paper

In the standfirst I will make a fairly obvious pun about the subject matter before posing an inane question I have no intention of really answering: is this an important scientific finding?

In this paragraph I will state the main claim that the research makes, making appropriate use of "scare quotes" to ensure that it's clear that I have no opinion about this research whatsoever.

In this paragraph I will briefly (because no paragraph should be more than one line) state which existing scientific ideas this new research "challenges".

If the research is about a potential cure, or a solution to a problem, this paragraph will describe how it will raise hopes for a group of sufferers or victims.

This paragraph elaborates on the claim, adding weasel-words like "the scientists say" to shift responsibility for establishing the likely truth or accuracy of the research findings on to absolutely anybody else but me, the journalist.

In this paragraph I will state in which journal the research will be published. I won't provide a link because either a) the concept of adding links to web pages is alien to the editors, b) I can't be bothered, or c) the journal inexplicably set the embargo on the press release to expire before the paper was actually published.

"Basically, this is a brief soundbite," the scientist will say, from a department and university that I will give brief credit to. "The existing science is a bit dodgy, whereas my conclusion seems bang on," she or he will continue.

Read the full article here. The comments are genius too...

Milestones

Another quick plug for the different ways you can follow FleetStreetBlues, as we approach a couple of big social meeja milestones. At the time of writing we're on 99 Facebook fans (see the box on the right) and an impressive 991 Twitter followers.

If you're not already signed up, please do. If you are, please tell your friends.

Water-cooler news

If journalists should know their readers, then it's important to recognise that what's important to us, often isn't important to them. So a quick word of warning - no matter how well you write today, readers aren't going to be talking about where the Labour party goes from here, security service claims about Al-Qaeda plots or the shocking decision the county council made at its meeting last night.

No, they're going to be talking about this...

Wanky Balls goes to Manchester

As the now-legendary Wanky Balls incident showed, the nationals clearly have no compunction about lifting 'facts' straight from Wikipedia - but now a reader alerts us to an even more blatant lifting of content in the regional press.

The Manchester Evening News yesterday ran a blog asking - perhaps somewhat irrelevantly for its readers - could Hitler's hangar become the Eurovision song contest venue in 2011? 

And accompanying three introductory pars of speculation was a quite extraordinary level of background on the  hangar at Berlin's Templehof airport - which a quick Google confirms was cut and pasted wholesale from Wikipedia...

Now to be fair, it's not like they try to hide where it came from. 'According to Wikipedia' precedes the bit that's been copied-and-pasted. But we're not talking a snippet here - the background runs to 21 paragraphs.

We're all too aware of the pressures journalists are under but even so, this is inexcusable. One, because it's a blog, and therefore there's no immediate need for the extraneous detail. Two, because it's of little or no relevance to the MEN's readers, and looks instead like a blatant attempt at SEO.

And three because, as plagarism goes, it's completely incompetent. The reporter or sub reponsible has somehow managed to copy across all of Wikipedia's embedded links, which now refer to non-existent pages on the MEN's own site, and are of course a dead-giveaway that they nicked it wholesale. If you can't write your own stuff, at least make sure you can copy-and-paste...

News Editor - Packet Newspapers

The Packet Series in Cornwall is hiring a news editor.

You'll need to be an NCE-qualified senior with line-management experience, with good organisational ability - a working knowledge of QuarkXPress is a bonus. The job is based in Falmouth.

Apply with CV and covering letter to the editor Paul Armstrong at paul.armstrong@packetseries.co.uk. Deadline Friday 22 October.

The secret editor

When it comes to personal publicity, newspaper editors normally fall into one of two very discrete camps. Some - the Piers Morgans and Kelvin MacKenzies of this world - lap it up, happy to use their status as a newspaper editor as a launch-pad for other things. Others - John Witherow, for example - keep a studiously low profile, preferring to avoid publicity wherever possible and instead let their blue pencil do the talking.

It's fair to say that the editor of the beleaguered Birmingham Free Press falls firmly into the latter category.

Marc Reeves, former editor of the Birmingham Post and now editor of the West Midlands part of www.TheBusinessDesk.com, interviewed the paper's controversial publisher Chris Bullivant last week - and emerged with this frankly baffling anecdote.

Bullivant spots opportunities others are blind to, and launches whole newspapers using sticking plasters and favours, which means the make-up of his newsrooms can often be a little makeshift, even odd, at times.

But nothing prepared me for the answer to an innocuous question I put to him the other day when I phoned to find out more about the demise – or otherwise – of his latest venture, the Birmingham Free Press.

Me: “Who’s the editor of the Free Press now, Chris?"

Chris: “I can’t tell you.”

Me: “Pardon?"

Chris: “I’m not at liberty to tell you that.”

Me: “Errrr….?”

Chris: “She would rather remain anonymous. I don’t have her permission to reveal her name.”

Me: “So if I was a reader with a complaint and wanted to contact her…?”

Chris: “You could write to ‘the editor’ at the Birmingham Free Press and she’d get back to you.”

Know who she is - or why the bizarre insistence on anonymity? Write to 'the editor' at FleetStreetBlues and we'll get back to you...

Ten top tips: Moving up the journalism career ladder

This is the second in our new series covering tricks of the journalism trade. Find out what it's all about here, read the full series here, and send in your tips, ideas and contributions to fleetstreetblues@hotmail.co.uk.

So, you've expended blood, sweat and tears landing your first-ever journalism job. You've got used to the novelty of being paid to do something you love, then got over the novelty of being paid so little to actually go to work. You've made contacts, you've got some scoops, you feel you might be getting too big for this town... what's next? Why, your second journalism job of course.

Truth be told, moving up the journalism ladder isn't as hard as landing your first journalism job: very little is. But like the proverbaial 'difficult' second album, getting a second journalism job bring its own unique challenges - and as you continue to move up the ladder, if anything those challenges multiply.

What follows is a series of short, sharp and highly subjective tips on how those challenges can be overcome:

1) Always be on the lookout. Rule number one of journalism job-hunting is that you should always be doing it. For the most part, journalists need no encouragement - even in these straightened times, the newsroom's sole copy of the Monday Guardian is normally hotly contested, and most journalists keep a weather eye on the main jobs boards - Gorkana, Journalism.co.uk, HoldTheFrontPage, MediaGuardian Jobs and AllMediaScotland north of the border being some of the main ones. But keep your eyes peeled for the vacancies which don't get advertised. If you know someone's leaving a paper, chances are they may be looking for a replacement. The best journalism jobs never get advertised - you'll need to put yourself out there or be so good they'll come looking for you.

2) Pick your time. Slightly contradictory advice, perhaps, but while it's OK to always be looking out for potential jobs, make sure you choose the right time to jump ship. If you're a newly-minted journalist, you'll probably want to get a year to eighteen months under your belt before contemplating a move - particularly if you're a trainee and your paper will help you get your NCE, you may want to hang around. Do your research too on the place you're thinking of moving to - with many publications operating a last-in, first-out policy if it comes to redundancies, you'll want to make sure your shiny new job is still going to be there six months from now.

3) Acquire new skills. This applies particularly to third or fourth-jobbers wanting to move up the ladder: honing your abilites beyond the basic journalistic skill-set (shorthand, contact-building, writing) can be essential in ensuring continued promotion. Computer skills are important, although things like pivot tables are probably less vital than they're often made out to be by new meeja evangelists. Online know-how, particularly operating content management systems, is a definite plus, and knowing how to shoot and edit video, for example, will definitely help you stand out. Best of all for grabbing the more senior roles are management skills often neglected in journalism - experience of running budgets and line-managing staff will definitely help you enter the officer ranks.

4) Build your brand. Horrible phrase, and we bang on about it a lot, but it has to be done. If you don't have a Twitter account, a LinkedIn account and a portfolio website up and running you're putting yourself at a disadvantage for no good reason. But here's the thing: brand-building is something that can and should be done off-line as well. Enter as many awards as you can (get your publication to pay). Find a niche or a specialist patch to cover and try to make yourself an expert. Talk to everyone (yes, even PRs), and generally put yourself out there. If there's anyone considering a spot of journalistic head-hunting, you want to make sure it's your name on everyone's lips.

5) Freelancing. This is a crucial part of building your brand, really: you want to build a brand as an authoratitive journalist in your own right, rather than simply as the employee of one particular publication. So try and fit in the occasional bit of freelancing, preferably in a related field, but if not, in an unrelated field. Make sure even if it's a long-shot that you pitch for the kind of publication you'd really like to work for - even unsuccessful pitching gets your name out there and singles you out as a positive, proactive type.

6) Put the hours in. A tricky one this, because chances are you're working long days for your employer anyway, and trying to squeeze some freelancing, brand-building and perhaps even a social life in on top. But if you're serious about getting ahead, then there's no way round it - you're going to have to put in some serious spadework. Try to get to work early and get a jump start on the day's news agenda, or stay late to put in those FOI requests you've been meaning to get round to. And rather than feeling sorry about all the work you're having to do for free, match up journalism against some of the other top professions. Compared to doctors, lawyers or politicians we really don't work unreasonably long hours. We just don't get paid as much.

7) Network like crazy, with everyone you meet. Because the chances are you'll meet them again, sooner than you think. Don't think that networking alone will get you a job, because it probably won't, but do it anyway, because it will help. Talk to journalists from rival newspapers at press conferences. Chat with PRs, and be as friendly as you can bear - chances are one day you're going to be asking them or someone like them for a job and the chance to earn more money than you ever will as a journalist. Look for organised networking opportunities too - getting to know people through the Frontline Club, the London Press Club or even the NUJ can be very useful. And once you know people, don't lose contact (if you studied journalism at university or did a journalism training course then making an effort to stay in touch with your former classmates and teachers is particularly worthwhile).

8) Look for internal promotion opportunities. There seems to be a natural tendency among journalists, more than in other careers, to automatically look elsewhere for advancement opportunities. But your best bet may well be close to home, either in your own publication or perhaps a sister paper. Regularly check your company's intranet and vacancy boards, and keep your ear to the ground for any opportunities that may suddenly crop up - if you work for the company already and they know your work, you may find yourself in pole position.

9) Look two jobs ahead. Easier said than done this, but it's important as much as you can to plan ahead - when you apply for a job you should ideally be thinking about the job you hope to land after that. Try not to box yourself into any corners, by specialising too early or going down a career path you're going to have to back up out of later. In particular, be wary of pricing yourself out of future jobs. If you're chasing a big pay rise and get offered one for a job which doesn't quite merit it, by all means go for it - but bear in mind when you make your next move you may have to take a pay cut... or find yourself forced into PR.

10) Be realistic. Whether you're looking to move to a daily from a weekly, you're after a big pay day in magazine journalism or you really want to make it onto a national, you need to be realistic about what your goal is and be prepared to take your time getting there. And be sure that while you're working your socks off to get your next job, you also make the best of the job you already have. It's right to be ambitious, but few of us will land such a dream job that we're ready to stop looking for the next one.

Chances are, when you end up leaving journalism for one reason or another, you'll miss the one you had.

More useful links:

Building your journalistic career brand (JobsPage.com - US site)
Preparing for your second job (Teaching online journalism)
How could I leave journalism? (Andrea James)
Writing and journalism (A Career Change)
Career corner (JournalismJobs.com - US site)

Sub Editor - Basildon Echo

The Basildon Echo, Colchester Gazette and other titles run by Newsquest Essex and recruiting a sub editor.

They say that one year's layout and subbing experience is preferred, but they 'will consider applications from experienced reporters looking for the next challenge'. Clearly looking to cast the net wider then - we're also told 'previous applicants need not apply'.

Download an application form via the Echo's website. Deadline Tuesday 5 October.

Staff Writer - .net

.net, the trade title for web design and development which must surely find SEO a real challenge, is recruiting a staff writer.

You'll need some journalism experience and 'a personal online presence' such as your own blog or at least Twitter account, while knowledge of web design and development would be beneficial.

.net is a Future Publishing magazine and website, so you'll be based in Bath, but they do also ask for a willingness to travel both within the UK and internationally.

Apply via the Future Publishing website (they also ask for two writing tasks). Deadline Friday 8 October.

'It's definitely not him and it's definitely not me': the art of the local paper follow-up

Here at FleetStreetBlues we love a good local paper story, and nobody does it better than the East Anglian Daily Times.

Among its recent treasure-trove - ‘firemen put out fire’, ‘Roy Keane denies dog’s death’ and ‘man microwaves favourite hamster’ stories (admit it, you want to read them all) - one particular celeb-spotting story, complete with multiple follow-ups, stands out.

About two weeks ago the EADT published the following story

Hollywood star Johnny Depp spotted in market town?

THIS couple was the talk of Framlingham yesterday – with rumours rife that it was Hollywood A-lister Johnny Depp and his partner Vanessa Paradis.

The story went on to describe the possible sighting, complete with slightly fuzzy picture - except no one seemed to be able to confirm if it really was the famous couple walking round a small town in Suffolk.

Strangely, rather than simply contacting his agent to confirm if it was Depp, the paper instead put out an appeal to its readers, asking for further sightings.

After all, why why write one story about nothing happening, when you can write three?

So, what is the next best thing to phoning up Johnny Depp’s agent and asking if it was him? Well, why not speak to one of the star’s ‘top’ lookalikes, some guy named Darren Potter?

Darren Potter said: “It’s definitely not him and it’s definitely not me. The face is too fat and I know for a fact that he’s not in the country at the moment.”

And while you’re at it, ask a local business owner for his thoughts about Christmas lights:

Last night Bill Bulstrode, who owns Bulstrodes on Bridge Street and is chairman of the Framlingham Business Association, said he would like to secure the services of the Hollywood star to turn on this year’s Christmas lights. 

If it is him then of course we would be honoured if he would do it,” he said. “We have sent someone to investigate.”

But all’s well that ends well, and a week later, a second follow-up brings good news. The 'Suffolk sighting is solved', after the mystery couple were revealed to be two professional lookalikes, Claire Renvoize and boyfriend Danny Lopez.

Claire Renvoize and boyfriend Danny Lopez were pictured during a romantic day out in Framlingham by fans who thought they were the famous duo.

Miss Renvoize said: “Danny is American and he has been a Johnny Depp impersonator for about seven years.

“I originally did a Kylie tribute but we have been working together as Johnny and Vanessa for about six months.”

The pair are also a couple, although they try to keep their work and private lives separate, according to Miss Renvoize.

Suffolk's celebrity spotters can breathe easy then - as can the EADT news team. THREE decent-length stories about a Hollywood superstar off the back of one slightly grainy photo of an American tourist? Job well done...

The shorthand debate, settled?

There was much debate on Roy Greenslade's blog and elsewhere last week about that old chestnut, the continuing value or otherwise of shorthand, and more generally NCTJ accreditation, for journalism training.

Well, quite coincidentally Journalism.co.uk has put together a quick 'Wordle' analysis of the skills which journalism employers are actually looking for, by feeding in the requirements listed in their own set of journalism job ads.

Employers - outside local papers at least - have clearly made their minds up...


UPDATE: Brian Whelan suggests this somewhat simpler version of the wordcloud pretty much sums up journalism job skills too...

Reporter (x2) - ITN

If you're looking for a career in broadcast journalism, then here's not one but two plum opportunities with ITN. The broadcaster is recruiting two general news reporters, one to be based in London, the other in Birmingham.

You'll be contributing to all ITV News programmes, including News At Ten, and so will need some serious skills. Demonstrable ability in scriptwriting, package structure and live reporting are all essential, and you'll also need a driving licence.

Apply to recruitment@itn.co.uk, and they ask for show reels of complete packages and live reports, but not presenting, on DVD format. Deadline next Monday 27 September.

Do as I say...

Whether you're football manager or politician, blaming the media is generally a pretty safe tactic when you find yourself in a hole. But even so, Lib Dem health minister Paul Burstow raised a few eyebrows yesterday when he laid into the Guardian, branding it a 'carrier of misinformation and lies'.

As BBC Newsnight's political editor Michael Crick writes:

What ingratitude. The Guardian was the only daily paper to endorse the Lib Dems at the election, after much internal agony on the paper, and decades of backing Labour.

Strange really. And I swear I saw Mr Burstow briefing a Guardian journalist a few hours ago.

Misinformation and lies...

+ + + Shortlists for BSME awards out + + +

For the magazine types out there, the full category shortlists for the British Society of Magazine Editors awards are now out. IPC leads the field...

Where's the best place to get an early copy of the Sunday papers?

A reader writes:

Thought you guys might have an answer to this one, nobody in London has been much use in providing accurate information on this.

I’ve been helping out a foreign rival of the screws who want to make sure they’re not scooped on any of the major stories they might also be running. So I’ve been collecting the earliest edition I can find of the News of the World at around 10.30pm at Charing Cross and reading it out to their night editor. Hi tech operation, I know.

However, when covering Saturday night shifts at another paper in the past I’ve seen copies of the NOTW as early as 9pm. The question is, where can I get a copy at 9pm and free up my Saturday night. Should I send a cabbie down to Wapping?

Answers on an email, or in the comments please...

Reporter - Morning Advertiser

The Morning Advertiser, a William Reed weekly B2B mag covering the pub trade, is hiring a reporter.

You'll be doing all the things trade magazine reporters usually do - news, features, making contacts, online as well, and getting to know your patch. Pretty much the same as local paper reporting really, just covering a trade rather than a geographical area (and with much better pay). The job's based in Crawley in West Sussex.

Experience on a local paper or another trade mag 'would be great', but perhaps not essential - we're told 'intelligence and journalistic instincts count most'.

Apply via the William Reed website. Deadline Friday 15 October.

Sub Editor - Polo Times

It would be easy to assume that this sub editor vacancy at the Polo Times would suit a certain kind of person - and to be honest, it's an assumption not easily dispelled by the advert on its website for the frankly brilliant HorseyHotties.com.

Are you stylish, fun loving and enjoy the social side of equestrianism? Whether its iconic racing at Ascot and Aintree, or fabulous star-studded polo meetings such as the legendary Cartier International with its Chinawhite after party 'Rock The Polo'.

... then YOU are a HORSEYHOTTIE!

Anyway, back to the job ad. You'll need one year's subbing experience and Quark and/or InDesign experience, with knowledge of horses and polo useful but not essential. You'll be based near Oxford, and as well as subbing there'll be the chance to do some writing and liaise with contributors.

Full ad on Gorkana, not directly linkable. Apply with CV and covering letter to georgie@polotimes.co.uk. Deadline Monday 4 October.

Ten top tips: Getting the most out of journalism work experience

This is the first in our new series covering tricks of the journalism trade. Find out what it's all about here, and send in your tips, ideas and contributions to fleetstreetblues@hotmail.co.uk.

1) Be prepared. Get back issues of the publication you're about to do work experience for and read them cover to cover, or bone up online. Sweat the small stuff – first and foremost paying attention to style. What's the convention for dates and numbers? How about intros? Who are the key staff members on the publication? You should know who covers which patch before you walk through the door. Then read the key stories from the last couple of weeks and see where you might be able to follow up. Most likely the follow-ups are being carried out by one of the reporters already – but your initiative won't go unnoticed.

2) First impressions count. Be on time and look keen. Dress smart (always better to be too smart rather than not smart enough). Bring your own notepad and pen – you'll probably get given them but if the stationery cupboard's out then chasing one is a distraction. A digital recorder or even camera is also a good idea if you have them – you never know when they might come in handy.

3) Make the tea. No, maybe you shouldn't have to, it's exploitation of the blah blah... look, it'll make you popular and it's not like you'll have much else to do straight off anyway. And get it right – if the grumpy sub requests two sugars, two sugars it is. Biscuits are a bonus.

4) Don't be shy. If you're bored and have nothing to do, ask politely if there's something you can help with. Volunteer for thankless tasks. Most journalists will be very busy, but once upon a time they too were workies and if you approach them in the right way – and at the right time - they'll generally be very willing to talk to you.

5) Answer the phones. No ifs, no buts, just do it.

6) Get out the office if you can. This will depend on whoever's looking after you of course, but if you can, make sure you get out early and get out often. Volunteer to accompany the friendliest-looking reporter to a press conference, or ask to help out knocking on doors. Even something as simple as learning to take notes properly while standing up and attempting to maintain eye contact can be a formative experience.

7) Who, what, where, when, why. Sounds obvious, but when you interview someone, make sure you get all the key facts. That means ages, first names, last names, street addresses, times and dates. Don't be afraid to ask too stupid questions, or too many questions – that's your job. Frequently stories will be lacking in key details, which is as much a sin as bad writing. Be thorough and take your time when interviewing. And by all means tell the interviewee you may need to phone back if you missed anything - find out where they'll be and the best way to contact them.

8) Check online. Chances are you're going to struggle to land a front-page scoop in your week on work experience (though it can happen), but one area you may genuinely be able to contribute is by covering online. It's a cliché, but a true one, that workies are often far more tech-savvy than the reporters they're supposed to be learning from, so make that work to your advantage. Check online forums, check Twitter, and see if you can spot any leads or fresh angles. Just don't spend the whole week on the internet.

9) Keep your eyes open. Your best way of getting the most out of work experience is to learn how the newsroom works, and quickly. Figure out who to speak to, who's willing to help you and when to avoid people because they're on deadline. Don't speak unless you have something to say at conference, but listen furiously and soak it all in.

10) And here is where people miss a trick: stay in touch. At the end of your week tell the editor how much you enjoyed your work experience and ask if it would be possible to return at a date convenient for them. You don't have to do this in person and can just as easily do it by email. If you were good, they'll be pleased to have you back. If you weren't, hopefully these tips will at least have made you pleasant to have around. And it's not just the editor - every journalist you've worked with over the course of the week is a potential contact for the future. You'll never know when you might next run into them - so make sure they remember you, and in a good way.

Is it worth it? Well, truth be told, work experience can be a pretty thankless chore – you can follow all the points listed above to the letter, make endless cups of tea and still get stuck with the NIBs all week. But it's a rite of passage that's pretty much mandatory – and sometimes, just sometimes, it can really pay off.

We'll leave the last word to one local newspaper reporter who contributed heavily to the list above.

This is how I gained my job. I was given a work experience placement at a small local newspaper with only one reporter. I worked my arse off for the week I was there, getting in early, leaving late, and of course making the coffee and teas. By the time the week was over, I helped by writing copy over the weekend, which I submitted to the news editor in a different office by email. Afterwards, I stayed in contact with the reporter I did work experience with and, after several months, he told me about a reporting job which was coming up on a paper within the group. He told me to get in contact immediately because the role was going to be filled before it ever reached the jobs websites. 

I emailed my CV and was asked to do a trial shift. The weekend before my shift I went into the town of the paper and started pursuing follow-up stories. On the Monday I went to the local magistrate's court and stayed there all morning. By the next day, when I started my trial shift, I had four pre-written court reports and some ideas for follow-up articles.

The day of my trial shift, I got there 30 minutes early at 8.30am and left at 7.30pm in the evening without a lunch break. 

A couple of days later I was interviewed and then offered the job. The job has truly been fantastic since. It isn't easy getting a journalism job, but the determined few are still finding ways to do it.

With thanks to: Tom Tainton, Journalist Works and a handful of other people who didn't want to be credited.

More useful links:

• How to succeed on journalism work experience (Journalist Works)
• How to make the most of work experience (Journalism.co.uk)
• How to avoid paying for interships - be more valuable (Freelance Unbound)
• Securing journalism work experience: how to do it (HoldTheFrontPage)
• Get the most out of internships (Essential Writers)
• Interns Anonymous
• Journalism students and work experience: getting the most out of a newsroom (Headlines and Deadlines)

The Online Guys

Will Ferrell, of course, has previous when it comes to lampooning journalists - but any readers of this blog who see his latest movie 'The Other Guys' should enjoy one of the opening gags... somewhat improbably aimed squarely at insecure web hacks.

At an impromptu press conference held by two heroic cops right at the very start, a reporter identifies himself as being from the New York Observer, then pauses a beat. 'Online,' he adds, hanging his head in shame.

A minute later, there's a follow up.

'TMZ,' says the rather more glamorous female showbiz hack. 'Print edition.'

Who knew Hollywood cared?

Reporter - Coventry and Warwickshire Times

A fairly basic ad here for a senior reporter vacancy at Trinity Mirror's Coventry and Warwickshire Times newspapers.

There's no specific qualification requirement, or experience requirements either - you just need to be a 'senior journalist'. We're told though that 'this is a rare opportunity, therefore a high calibre of candidate is expected'. You'll be based in Coventry.

Apply to the Coventry Telegraph editor Darren Parkin, by post only, apparently:

Darren Parkin, Editor
Coventry Telegraph
Corporation Street
Coventry
CV1 1FP

Deadline this Thursday 23 September.

The Guardian: 'Andy Coulson was phone-hacking victim too'

It's often said of the Guardian that it's always taking the victims' side - but this is taking empathy to a whole new level. Look who their 'facts are sacred' data blog identifies as the number one 'victim' of the phone hacking affair... 

Spotted by Jonathan Hewett

Local paper reporter says his good-pies

We've heard of a few odd reasons for journalists deciding to leave their jobs, but this one (from the local paper rumour mill and completely unsubstantiated, just the way we like it) has to take the biscuit.

There are lots of reasons that local paper reporters might decide to jack it all in of course - long hours, low pay, chronic underinvestment and all the while the deadlines piling up. But which young journalist working at a weekly has just quit in a pie-related incident?

The way we hear it, the unfortunate journalist decided to hand in his notice after he was ordered out to do a vox pop on 'whether readers liked pies', off the back of a particularly uninspired press release from a major supermarket chain about said supermarket chain selling a lot of, er, pies.

Our source adds: 'His resignation was brought about by the amount of prank phone calls he received over the pie piece, either from people claiming to prefer pasties, people saying they were from [a nearby town] and also liked pies, and people claiming to be called Mr Pieman'.

Got some gossip to share? Contact us at fleetstreetblues@hotmail.co.uk. We protect our sources.

Crowd-sourcing: all it needs is a miracle

The Guardian yesterday launched a bold attempt to 'crowd-source' coverage of the Papal visit, with none other than star reporter-turned-special projects guru Paul Lewis at the helm.

It received plenty of plugging on the website, and its own micro-site, with the following introduction:

It works like this: you send us information, either by email, text message or Twitter (simply use #papalmap) or the web. You can send anything, but we’re particularly interested in incidents (things that “happen”) as well as insights from people who, for whatever reason, might find themselves at the right place at the right time, spotting something that the Papal entourage of global media simply miss.

The snippet of information could be anything, from problems with queues into Bellahouston Park in Glasgow, where the Pope will preside over a mass tonight, to a photograph of Popemobile passing Holywrood Palace or a report of an incident during the protest march through Whitehall against the visit on Saturday.

Please do send us reports - the more concise the better. Our policy is not to approve every report; information that we judge to be a duplicate or hoax will obviously not appear on the map. Similarly, anything we deem offensive, or information that is considered irrelevant or just not that interesting, will also be edited out.

All pretty sensible, if very new meeja, and with the high profile of the Pope's visit and the Guardian's considerable online weight behind it, it couldn't fail, right?

Well, it's fair to say it hasn't been an unqualified success. As far as we can tell (at the time of writing this) there have so far been a grand total of 77 reports, including those filed from Guardian staffers. Most of them are along the lines of 'I just saw the Pope', which is at least factual.

But the Guardian's decision to offer a 'miracle' tab also seems to have prompted a rash of unlikely events across the country - a 'miracle' in Anfield as David Ngog scored, a 'cloud that looked like the Pope' in north London and someone in Norwich attributing the finding of their keys to divine intervention.

'Information that we judge to be a duplicate or hoax will obviously not appear on the map'. Looks like Guardian readers got religion...

Sub Editor - The Engineer

If you're looking to break into journalism - and, astonishingly, lots of you still are - then there are usually a few trainee reporter vacancies knocking around on HoldTheFrontPage, but sub editor vacancies can be harder to find. So this opportunity on Centaur's subbing desk is definitely welcome then.

You'll be working mainly on the Engineer, mainly online, although you will also be subbing the print magazine and sister title Process Engineering. You'll be based in Centaur's Poland Street offices in Soho, central London. Familiarity with QuarkXpress is required and an NCTJ qualification is preferred, but the ad does explicitly state 'this is strictly an entry-level position'. Don't expect much pay-wise...

Apply to Lyndon White at lyndon.white@centaur.co.uk. Deadline Thursday 30 September.

Content Editor - North London Times and Independent Series

There are few more horrible job titles than 'content editor', surely, but it's the way the world's going, and this is a decent local paper vacancy in north London. The North London Times and Independent Series, which includes the Hendon Times, is recruiting one for its multimeeja newsroom.

You'll basically be subbing, in any event - fact-checking, writing headlines and editing copy to house style. You'll be based in Hendon and they're offering a salary of £21,467 pa. 

Apply with CV and covering letter to assistant editor Fran Wolfisz at fwolfisz@london.newsquest.co.uk quoting reference HR01/595. Deadline Friday 24 September.

Why reporter mugshots are inadvisable, and other top student media tips

So we're still working on the first of our FleetStreetBlues guides - please keep sending ideas and contributions to fleetstreetblues@hotmail.co.uk.

But if you can't wait until next week for some useful journalism advice then you could do much, much worse than head on over to freelance journalist Henry Clarke Price's website, which boasts a brand-new set of wonderfully straightforward tips aimed specifically at student journalists.

Among the nuggets he offers:

• The best way to build contacts as a student hack
• How to avoid 'staring face' photos
• Top tips on print layout - pull quotes, standfirsts and boxes
• Why reporter mugshots are inadvisable 'in all but the most beautiful cases'

And the best thing about the site? It has to be the 'guarantee', which promises: 'This blog is 100% free of dull print-vs-online paywall citizen-journalism noo-meedja generalities. Or your money back.' How refreshing.

Staff Writer - Men's Fitness

You don't need a six pack for this staff writer vacancy, at least, not officially. But they do ask for a 'keen interest in fitness' and let's face it - if you don't have one now, after working on Men's Fitness for any period of time you'll wish you did have.

They do ask for 'editorial experience', but aren't more specific. The ad on Gorkana, not directly linkable, also plays up the photo side - you'll be managing shoots and helping out the art desk with picture research as well as writing stories.

Apply with CV, covering letter and how much you can bench press examples of your work to the editor Jon Lipsey, at jon_lipsey@dennis.co.uk. Deadline Friday 1 October.

The Guardian vs the Vatican

So the Guardian leads the charge this morning, happily reporting that 'The pope's visit to the UK is mired in controversy after one of Benedict XVI's senior advisers dropped out after comparing an arrival in multicultural Britain to landing "in a third-world country".' At last, a fresh 'mired in controversy' angle...

Today's coverage follows weeks if not months of decidedly negative build-up, and not only from what the proudly Catholic Guido Fawkes calls 'the BBC-Guardian-C4 News axis of metropolitan secularism'.

Yes, the Catholic Church has a controversial recent history. Yes, you can get away with referring to the Pope's 'Nazi past' without being sued. Yes, it's an expensive state visit. And yes, Cardinal Walter Kaspar accused Britain of harbouring aggressive atheism. Can't think where he got that idea...

But other than Catholics, who are obviously excited, does anyone other than what the Daily Mail dubs 'a collection of celebrities and left-wing atheists' really care that much either way about the visit of a religious leader in 2010? Can't we just let them get on with it? Enough Papal bull already...

Keep the words of wisdom coming

A big thankyou to everyone who's emailed us their tips and tricks of the trade so far - we've had a lot come in, too many to reply to individually yet, although we will get round to it. The guides start next week.

If you haven't sent us anything yet, please do. The list of topics we're planning to cover initially are:

• How to get a job on a national
• How to get the vox pops done
• How to get the most out of work experience
• How to make contacts
• How to pitch an article
• How to get paid as a freelance
• How to doorstep
• Climbing the ladder: how to get your second job in journalism
• How to negotiate a pay rise
• Reinventing yourself as an online journalist

Advice on any of them - bar the work experience one, which we pretty much have covered thanks to two extremely comprehensive contributions - very welcome. Email us at fleetstreetblues@hotmail.co.uk, and let us know if you DON'T want to be credited.

Anatidaephobia - The fear that you are being watched by a duck

The original article dates from 2008, but this was spotted yesterday and definitely still quacks us up.

In print, the editorial team can look out for the unfortunate or comedy clashes between stories and ads which sometimes crop up accidentally. Online, not so much...

Sub Editor - Cambridge News

This vacancy at the Cambridge News isn't just for a sub editor, it's for a 'design sub editor', so you'll need 'proven production experience' as well.

You'll be based in Milton, on the outskirts of Cambridge, and you'll be working both on the Cambridge News, which is a daily, and a series of paid for and free weekly titles.

To obtain an application pack, contact nicole.want@cambridge-news.co.uk. Deadline next Wednesday 22 September.

Heading in here

Jon Slattery spots the latest missing headline howler, courtesy of the Glasgow Evening Times on Friday. Ouch...

Reporter - Shortlist

Good job this, if ever-so-slightly irksome ad.

Shortlist magazine, the free weekly men's magazine aimed at 'men with more than one thing on their minds' and a recent success story both commercially and awards-wise, is recruiting an online writer ahead of its website's relaunch.You'll need experience writing men's lifestyle content, CMS know-how and impeccable grammar. No specific qualification requirements. Full details on Gorkana, not directly linkable.

So why irksome? Well, for one, they ask that you have 'bags of tone', which means, well, not very much at all really. And for two, they insist that alongside a CV and covering letter you submit 'three ideas for top-drawer Shortlist.com features that could go online tomorrow'. Which is good for weeding out poor candidates, of course, but also involves a lot of applicants doing a lot of work for a fairly slim chance of success, all the while providing Shortlist with a big pile of creative ideas they're presumably planning to plunder for free.

If you're up for it anyway - and no doubt about it, it's a good position - send your application to Tom Cullen at tom.cullen@shortlist.com.

Quote of the Day: 13 September 2010

Former editor of the Observer Donald Trefford, writing in the the Independent in defence of the News of the World and, without being too specific, 'anything goes' journalism:

"Muck-raking" was the disparaging word used by MPs for this kind of journalism. It is a term the press should be proud of, for – as MPs should know only too well – there's a great deal of muck out there to be raked.

Words of wisdom

Something FleetStreetBlues used to do a lot more of, back in the day, was offer words of advice, and more often words of encouragement, to up-and-coming journalists.

We covered a fairly disparate range of topics - from the obvious (where to find a journalism job), to the specific (tips on covering the swine flu pandemic) - and while the guides we published were far from comprehensive, they were practical and hopefully useful to some.

Over the past few weeks we've had a number of requests for us to do some more along similar lines, so we will - but, and this is aimed more at the senior journalists who read this blog, of whom there are lots, we want your help.

The topics we're thinking of covering, among them the ones requested, include:

• How to get a job on a national
• How to get the vox pops done
• How to get the most out of work experience
• How to make contacts
• How to pitch an article
• How to get paid as a freelance
• How to doorstep
• Climbing the ladder: how to get your second job in journalism
• How to negotiate a pay rise
• Reinventing yourself as an online journalist

There are more, lots more, and if you have any ideas for areas we should be covering, please let us know. But where we're really after your help is in putting together the answers.

What's the best way to approach a grieving relative? What's the best way to grab a commissioning editor's attention - and the quickest way to lose it? And how did you manage to wangle a £2k bonus at the height of the recession?

Let us know your tips and tricks of the trade, either in the comments or by emailing fleetstreetblues@hotmail.co.uk (and if you DON'T want to be credited, let us know...)

News Editor - Ipswich Evening Star

The Evening Star in Ipswich, an Archant title, is looking for a news editor.

You'll need to be a 'senior journalist' with experience of leading an editorial team on a daily newspaper or a website, and as well as a nose for a 'stunning' exclusive you'll have to be able to demonstrate 'extensive knowledge of the web' - this is 2010, after all, and news happens 24 hours a day, even in East Anglia.

To obtain an application pack, email lesley.bird@archant.co.uk. Deadline this Friday 17 September.

The real celebrity scandal

Given the whole 'phone hacking' story has now become essentially a political one rather than anything much to do with journalism, this week's Popbitch - which knows an inverted pile of celebrity piffle when it seem one - was bang on:

While tabloid scandals are on the agenda, maybe someone should look at some others. Popbitch think it is wrong that celebrity weeklies can routinely peddle what turn out to be complete fabrications as fact on the cover of magazines.

See this week's Now. "Big Brother Bombshell - As Preston dithers... PETE WANTS CHANTELLE" shouts the cover, with a big photo of Chantelle and Peter Andre.

Chantelle Houghton and Peter Andre are both represented by CAN associates.

Peter Andre is not once directly quoted - 'Pete just can't get enough of Chantelle right now', reveals a friend is the gist of a whole article attributed to quotes from an un-named source. You probably remember seeing what looks like the same story linking Pete with Kerry Katona, another CAN client.

Those involved - the magazine, journalists, PRs and stars - are complicit in making a cover story on a big-selling magazine without any real basis, treating readers of the magazine with little respect.

At least when journalists are hacking phones they are actually trying to get real stories.

Who needs to hack anyone's mobile phone when everyone involved is willing to stoop this low?

Incidentally, Now magazine's website now seems to be taking a slightly different line, See 'BB's Preston: I love Chantelle and won't rule out reconciliation' for the latest installment in the saga. Or not...

Useful journalism tools #156: Age and time calculator

Forget database journalism, complicated mapping programmes and other pieces of technological wizardry you need a PhD to turn on - this is our kind of our computer-assisted reporting. How many times have you been bashing out a story and you need to check the exact age of something or someone you have the date for? Preferably without using your fingers.

Save a link to this garish web page in your bookmarks, forget all about it, and when you next need it on deadline it's there and you've saved yourself a valuable minute. (There's also an elapsed time calculator which works along similar lines and can tell you exactly how long to a date in the future or since a date in the past).

(Hat tip to Dave Lee)

Online City Editor - Telegraph

The Telegraph is hiring an online city editor to head up its four-strong finance web team.

You'll be setting the 'finance channel' news agenda each morning, attending conference, planning for major events and also taking on a more general web role, meeting site traffic targets and liaising with the commercial team and such like. You'll need to currently be an editor on a city or finance website, or a publication 'with a strong online presence', as well as having line management experience and a great range of contacts.

Full details on Gorkana, not directly linkable. Apply with CV and covering letter to cv@telegraph.co.uk.

Angry kittens in local newspapers

Angry People in Local Newspapers - now officially dubbed 'the crowing cultural achievement of the internet era' by the Guardian, no less - continues to go from strength to strength, and has built up a dedicated team of 'spotters'. And it's done so with gems like the photo above, a classic specimen of 'cat shelter anger' courtesy of the Southampton Echo.

Trainee Reporter - Wimbledon Guardian

The deadline for this is today, so if you want it, move fast. Newsquest South and West London papers the Wandsworth Borough News and Wimbledon Guardian are taking on a trainee reporter.

Rarely for this kind of position, there's no explicit requirement for NCTJ qualifications or shorthand, although both would obviously help. They promise a 'competitive' salary, too - although for a local paper in London, that's not guaranteeing much.

Apply with CV and covering letter to assistant editor Kerry McQueeney at kmcqueeney@london.newsquest.co.uk. Deadline today Thursday 9 September.

The curse of Wikipedia

A sharp-eyed reader spotted this from Tuesday's coverage of the Blitz anniversary.

One Guardian article also has more than a hint of Wikipedia.

Guardian - During the first raid, only 92 anti-aircraft guns were available to defend London, though within five days there were twice as many, with orders to fire at will. This boosted civilian morale and encouraged bomber crews to drop before they were over their target, though it had little physical effect.

Wikipedia - During the first raid, only 92 guns were available to defend London. The city's defences were rapidly reorganised by General Sir Frederick Pile, the Commander-in-Chief of Anti-Aircraft Command, and by 11 September twice as many guns were available, with orders to fire at will. This produced a much more visually impressive barrage that boosted civilian morale and, although it had little physical effect on the raiders, encouraged bomber crews to drop before they were over their target.

Now Francis Beckett is, according to his profile, not only a writer for the Guardian, but an author and contemporary historian (and former president of the NUJ to boot). So surely he would have known better than to rely, even for fact-checking, on a Wikipedia article? (An article which predated his own, in case you were wondering). Did we learn nothing from Wanky Balls?

Nick Davies, uncut

This isn't new, and it's not particularly newsworthy, but it came our way yesterday and is definitely worth a mention. Nick Davies is a Guardian journalist and of course the controversial author of the excellent Flat Earth News, and earlier this year he delivered a lecture on the same theme to students at Coventry University.

It's a hefty 55 minute video so you're unlikely to want to watch it all, and he's by no means everyone's favourite on Fleet Street. But if you've never seen him speak and are curious, it's definitely worth a look, and he covers a lot - including 'astroturfing', the front-page story the Guardian should never have printed and why he blames the loss of his sideburns on Peter Preston.

Journalists - Deadline News

Scottish press and picture agency Deadline News is recruiting three new journalists, and they're after a range of different skills.

They want a news reporter with good media law knowledge, court experience and excellent shorthand - you'll also have to have your own car and be clued up on social media.

They're after a 'REAL foot in the door expert' to be a features writer - you must be equipped to handle everything from 'desperate housewives to miracle kids'.

And whether you're a 'graduate looking for that first break' or a 'veteran looking for fresh challenges' they're happy to consider applications for a video journalist/multimedia producer role, but your skills must be up to scratch, and to prove it you have to submit a four minute film or podcast 'explaining why you are it'.

To apply for each or all of the above positions - all based in Edinburgh - email shaun@deadlinescotland.co.uk. Deadline 9am next Monday 13 September.

Who gets the PR?

Who's the PR with the most difficult job in Britain at the moment? Well, we're going to hazard a guess and say Ian Monk, a former newspaper executive and crisis management specialist who as of right now is spokesman for both Wayne AND Colleen Rooney, is earning his money right now.

The Mirror's latest story has this:

Ian Monk, spokesman for both Rooney and his wife, said: “There is nothing to discuss and we have no statement to make at the moment. That is for both of them.”

Mr Monk has his own column in PR Week, and unleashed a furious rant in July insisting 'Lazy journos need to shun web lies'.

One of the most illuminating aspects of the post-World Cup rumourfest was the symbiotic relationship between print and new media. Phones and emails of PROs connected with any part of the England team were burning with questions from normally intelligent journalists about the veracity of internet rumours.

None made any pretence to sources beyond the internet junk. The sensible PR line was to suggest the rumours were beneath both comment and contempt.

Fair enough with regard to some of the more outrageous rumours floating around earlier this summer, but something tells us 'no comment' isn't going to be a permanent strategy this time. Will Wayne and Colleen be putting out a joint statement through their joint PR? We wouldn't fancy drafting it.

Chaos and confusion in the capital

The morning of 7 September. A dazed and confused London awakes to an unclear picture of exactly what's going on. Families turn on the radio - can they get into work? The capital is paralysed by travel chaos...

Not 2010, of course, but 1940, with today the seventieth anniversary of the morning after the first night of the Blitz.

It's been well documented in the papers, of course - the Daily Mail has a fantastic set of images showing a blend of London then and now, while the Guardian has a map of where all the bombs fell on the first night (east London got a pasting) - although the Daily Express, pictured above from later during the bombings, is the only paper to splash on the theme seventy years on.

Sub editors, though, would still do well to take note. As reports come in updating us on how London is coping with the tube strike today, this is one travel crisis when references to the Blitz spirit, Dunkirk spirit or Churchillian resolve may kind of miss the point...

Sub Editor x 2 - Digital Spy

If you hate doing applications for jobs where you're asked to provide feature ideas, or worse still actually write stories, as part of the initial application process, then this may not be for you - as part of your submission you'll need to write three news stories, one for the showbiz section of the site and two for other categories of your choice.

But given the sub-editor positions at entertainment website Digital Spy are work-from-home, it probably makes sense. There are two vacancies, one Monday-Friday daytime shifts, the other Saturday and Sunday 9am - 5pm.

You'll need good - and quick - writing skills, a working knowledge of UK and US celebs, and must be able to churn out the stories efficiently remotely.

Apply with CV, covering letter, salary expectations, short summary of Digital Spy's house style and the news stories mentioned above to jobs@digitalspy.co.uk. Deadline Friday 24 September (although the weekend job is to start asap so get your skates on).

Keeping track of FleetStreetBlues

A quick plug for some of the ways you can keep in touch with FleetStreetBlues, as our quest for world domination a first piece of proper advertising continues.

As you can see on the panel on the right, we now have 40 people following us on Facebook, and it's great, if a little scary, to see what you all look like. Other than satisfying our curiosity, joining us on Facebook means you'll get the latest posts pumped straight into your news feed.

Twitter's going even better, fast approaching 900 followers, but we know there's more of you out there, so please tell your friends to look us up @fleetstreetblue.

If you prefer email, we now have an automated Google e-newsletter thing which delivers the latest FleetStreetBlues posts direct to your inbox once a day - sign up in the box on the right.

And finally, of course, we rely on you for something to write about. Email your tips, plugs, submissions, complaints or random pieces of gossip to fleetstreetblues@hotmail.co.uk. We protect our sources.

Roo's next?

So forget whatever William Hague may or may not have been alleged to have done, this weekend the nation finally found itself an (alleged) sex scandal of geniune interest to the wider public. After a slightly cautious start yesterday, as the News of the World and the Sunday Mirror led the charge, today the Rooney story is everywhere, with blanket coverage in the tabloids and the even broadsheets unwilling to reprint the allegations forced to do the inevitable 'will he travel to Switzerland' follow-up?'. He's on the front page of the Times and the Independent.

But while we're all in favour of a juicy sex scandal - and no doubt about it, Wayne and Colleen are the football power-couple - it has to be admitted any attempt at arguing public interest is shaky at best. In August, it was reported on a weekly basis that England footballers had obtained injunctions banning the reporting of allegations about their private life - at least three in total.

So now, we're left with a lot of questions. Was Rooney one of the footballers to have taken out an injuction? If so, was it dropped - or were the temptations of publishing such a story just too much? And who's next?

Morrissey's moggie mistake

It's always hard coming up with an appropriate photo to go with an interview. Sometimes it works - and sometimes it doesn't. Yesterday's Guardian interview with Morrissey, maybe not so much.

Interviewer Simon Armitage, who posed with Morrissey in the original photos shot for the piece, wasn't too impressed.

A week or so later I get a message to say he hates the photographs so much he has insisted they will never see the light of day. The bereavement, it seems, is mine, in the sense that he won't be seen dead with me. And I am to be replaced in the images by a cat. Thirty years of admiration bordering on the obsessive, then a date, then dumped. Jilted for a fucking moggy.

But he wasn't the only one, according to deputy editor Katharine Viner. Even the printers thought it was a mistake.