Owner: The Word From Westminster URL:http://thewordfromwestminster.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Wed, 06 Feb 2008 14:12:46 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Group MA Journalism blog from Westminster University. Site statistics:Click here
Portillo On Thatcher: The Lady's Not For Spurning 2008-03-03 17:18:00 I've just watched a Sky+'d documentary on BBC4 fronted by the over exposed Michael Portillo.Looking at the Conservative Party and Margaret Thatcher
, it examines her often negative effect on the party she led for eleven years.As noted by Portillo, David Cameron is the only Conservative Party leader since 1990 that Margaret Thatcher has not commented on. He's also the one who has done most to modernise the party. The candidate she supported won the leadership election,usually against Kenneth Clarke, whose support for the Euro revolted Thatcher (and no doubt still does).Portillo speaks to William Hague for the first time since they were in the 2001 Shadow Cabinet, and the discussion seems quite friendly.He also discusses the ups and downs of Thatcher with Norman Lamont, John Whittingdale and
Sacre- Blue 2008-02-27 15:11:00 French President Nicholas Sarkozy has a given a new meaning to being sworn into office.The President turned the air blue after a man at an agricultural fair refused to shake his hand.In an interview with the newspaper 'The Parisien' Sarkozy said he should have held his tongue but stopped short of making an apology.The paper has since claimed that it was in fact Sarkozy's office that had added the insult onto the film footage they posted on their website.Well that's what they could've sworn.Article taken from www.stuartjamesross.blogspot.com on 27/2/08. Read more:Sacre
Reporting mental health and suicide 2008-02-25 16:29:00 One in six people in Britain are mental
ly ill, yet press coverage of mental health can often be insensitive and ignorant. A famous example of this is the Sun’s infamous “Bonkers Bruno” headline, which forced the paper to issue an apology after complaints by readers. Over half the number of journalists are concerned about the way their media report mental health.It is therefore important that journalism students understand how to report mental illness. Our journalism class was lucky enough to attend a seminar this morning given by speakers from Shift; the Department of Health funded campaign to tackle stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness.There is a negative perception about mental health, fuelled by the media and aspects of popular culture. 34% of people think a pe Read more:Reporting
Carling Cup Final Review 2008-02-24 18:22:00 On cup final day, the result is more important than the performance. Tottenham Hotspur provided both as they deservedly won their first trophy this century after outplaying CSKA Fulham at Wembley today. While the game wasn’t the most exciting as a spectacle (when are cup finals ever?), a heroic Spurs fightback saw them peg back the holders after going 1-0 down to a Didier Drogba free-kick in the first half. CSKA have not had their full compliment of players for some time. Today saw the return of ‘Fwank’ Lampard (Lumpo’lard?) and John Terry. Add that to the fact the club’s African contingent were all back gave Avram Grant with one of those selection headaches that managers up and down the country would love. The CSKA bench consisted of Joe Cole, Michael Ballack and Alex. The term Read more:Carling
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Ashes To Ashes: Return Of The Jean Genie 2008-02-18 11:33:00 Some spoilers for those who haven't seen it.Up until icy Alex Drake went back in time, I thought the new series would be dreadful. Drake's daughter is tedious and the opening scenes with her responding to a hostage taking with her child in the back are cliche heaven. Once she leaves the modern world (portrayed as a glass and stone dystopia), things somewhat improve.Having watched a whole episode, it's no Life on Mars, but's it's above average. The biggest change is that there is no debate whether Alex Hunt is in a coma or back in time. It's fairly clear the former is the case.After Alex Drake is shot by a gunman sitting in her car (and how did he get in? Are we supposed to believe that a senior police officer who talks like a tedious textbook would leave the door unlocked), she wakes up on Read more:Genie
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I love Valentine's day... honest! 2008-02-15 09:20:00 Valentine’s Day makes me sick, I just wish I’d kept that to myself and not told the girlfriend. If you were out on Thursday night, I’m sure you all saw it – supposedly lovesick couples, fawning over each other everywhere you turned.Please don’t get me wrong, I am not averse to public displays of affection and have been prone to wretch-inducing behaviour myself. What really gets my back up though is that you never normally see widespread smooching and hand holding apart from on Valentine’s Day.I cannot believe that the stars and the moon coincidentally line up each year on February 14, supernaturally creating a desperate need for people to declare their undying love to the nearest person who will listen. Social convention and the wide availability of oversized teddy bears have t Read more:honest
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My Name is URL 2008-02-13 01:58:00 One thing puzzles me about the growth of the Internet and that is what will happen when we run out of new web addresses?This may be a long way off but it is only possible to stretch the plausibility of language so much before the words will become erroneous.A bit like that last sentence in fact.I mean, who would want to own a domain called rxgqz.com if they were unable to obtain the name they originally wanted?Incidentally apologies if you are thinking of owning this domain.There is after all only a finite possibility of what names people can give their websites be it personal or professional before the URLs they are forced to use become unwieldy or worse still forgettable.Names are seldom unique be they those of people, products, or businesses.But whereas in the past it was only necessary
Inside Hamas 2008-02-11 03:07:00 Tonight's Channel Four documentary "Inside Hamas
" painted a bleak picture of the future of Gaza . that summer.After winning the 2006 election, Hamas formed a unity government with FatahHamas split with Fatah in 2007 and they become rivals. Fatah now controls the West Bank, while Hamas controls the Gaza Strip, home to around 1 millions Palestinians.All aid to the Gaza stip must pass through the West Bank.Rodrigo Vázquez's documentary was the first time cameras were allowed to film the day-to-day activities of Hamas.The movement was struggling to adapt from being a force for armed resistance to a force for governance.Policing in the Gaza Strip remained problematic, with the Executive Force supressing demonstrations and clearing stallholders from certain areas designated for the police.Jour
The 39th Step - A step too far! 2008-02-10 06:54:00 Never underestimate the lengths at which people are prepared to go to line their pockets. The Premier League and all 20 money grabbing chairmen slash pigs have revealed that they are willing to explore the possibility of introducing an extra round of games in the Premier League to be played at various venues around the world. Yes, in the week we pay tribute to the victims of the Munich disaster, a suggestion to get more football players on planes. Talk about sensitive timing.What will happen they say is that rather than taking an existing fixture and moving it abroad, they will instead create a NEW round of fixtures where teams are randomly drawn to face off before the match is whored off to the highest international bidder. All games are rumoured to be played back to back over a weekend a
Kosovan Independence 2008-02-06 09:21:00 The shift towards Kosovan independence could lead to a resurgence of similar nationalist sentiments across the globe.That’s according to Dr James Ker- Lindsay an expert in international conflict.Momentum towards the creation of a separate ethnic Albanian state independent from Serbia has grown significantly following the election of Hashim Thaci as Prime Minister in the province.The region had been reasonably stable following the rise of ethnic tensions within the Balkans over a decade ago.Yet despite the presence of international peacekeepers thoughout the more volatile parts of the former Yugoslavia, the issues of identity that helped enthuse rivalries have not disappeared.As Serbia looks to build greater links with the European Union it may have to reluctantly accept not only greater Read more:Independence
Rhetoric Russia 2008-02-05 05:17:00 After Poland has initially agreed to host the US Missile Defence system on its soil, Russia
did not take long to warn Poland possible outcomes.Russia's envoy to the NATO, Dmitry Rogozin, warned and "wanted to remind the colleagues [Poland]", that such attempt to destabilise the region through this project could have the same outcome as the Second World War.Poland was then destroyed by Soviet and Nazi German troops.Adding that "such actions from Poland always ended in tragedy".A disgusting and tasteless rhetoric used by Mr. Rogozin, to describe horrific atrocites to warn Poland of possible consequences.Moscow also warned, that Missile Defence bases can be targets for Russian Nuclear warheads and that Russia will consider using them in order to protect their country.This announcements can le
A Wright Wonderful Day 2008-02-04 20:30:00 The attentive among you will have noticed that I don’t often blog about events in my life. Needless to say, you probably wouldn't care anyway. However, as I sit here with an ice pack around my nether regions (slowly diminishing my chances at reproduction) I'm still buzzing about the last 24 hours and feel I need to document it somehow.Today was my first day of a one-week work placement at TalkSport - the UKs number one commercial radio station - I don’t think it would be erroneous to suggest that, as a HUGE sports fan, I was in my element.Having arrived at midday (one of the wonderful perks of a career in broadcast) I spent the early portion of my day reading newspapers scanning for any stories which may have made for good discussion on the evening drive time show. On this ery slow of Read more:Wonderful
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Agreement on Missile Defence System between USA and Poland 2008-02-02 09:40:00 Poland today agreed to be host for the controversial US lead Missile
Defence System
. More talks will be held in the future to finalise negotiations between the USA and Poland.From the initial plans, the biggest opponent to such strategic defence system is Russia, who fears such plans could destabilise the status quo between the two countries.Poland, a close ally with the United States, wants to push forward with this project. The meeting was held in Washington, where the Polish Foreign Minister, Radoslaw Sikorski discussed issues around the interceptor rockets with Condoleezza Rice,the US Secretary of State.Vladimir Putin only recently criticised the move by Poland to allow a US Military base in Poland and Czech Republic and labeled it as a provocative move.It is only a 'principle' agreeme Read more:Agreement
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Gang Land 2008-01-30 00:55:00 Dispatches: Why Kids Kill was a brutal insight into Britain's teenage gang culture.The programme did not seek to moralise about their behaviour but allowed the youths to express their own opinions about life on the streets of Glasgow and South East London.Quantifying the number of teenagers in the UK who have fallen victim to serious attacks from other youngsters is a difficult practice.The code of silence that can often surround gang existence means that many victims are reluctant to name assailants or report attacks.Using the number of stories gathered from press reports since 2005 the programme was able to ascertain that the number of teenagers killed by those of the same age has trebled in the past three years.The media can often be blamed for exaggerating society's ills but here they
Journalism deaths 2008-01-28 04:38:00 Today I am typing up a list of journalists killed in 2007.The list will go in the next issue of the Journalist, sent out to all National Union of Journalists members.I am working from a report compiled by the International Federation of Journalists, released last Friday.Writing it up is a sobering task. 172 people died last year doing the career I have chosen .Even single spaced separated by semi-colons (house style for the list) an entire side of A4 is filled.Iraq was the most deadly country to work in, with 65 deaths
occurring there.It is shocking to scroll down an entire page of the IFJ list listing journalists killed in Iraq.It's a testament to the courage of some journalists that they are prepared to report from danger zones around the world.As Alan Johnston mentioned at Saturday's Ca
Press conferences 2008-01-24 11:15:00 This week, my work placement at GP newspaper has given me a great insight into how the big media cogs turn as they churn out the news. On Tuesday, I visited NICE offices in Holborn for a press conference.That sentence is a little misleading because although the offices were indeed very nice, it is actually an acronym for the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (or the National institute for Curbing Expenditure as a cynical doctor once told me).As GP goes to press on Tuesdays, I was sent out as the lone reporter to cover the story *gulp*.Among the journos gathered were reporters from The Times, The Guardian, two from the BBC and er, one from The Daily Express. When we were given the opportunity to ask questions, David Rose from The Times put his hand up quicker than me and said what Read more:Press
Vision of a People's Health Service 2008-01-23 02:11:00 Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg says his party will guarantee £2 billion pounds to provide personal elderly care.He believes the money is vital to ensure health provision is based on need rather than the ability to pay.The party also want to hand back control of health services from central governement to local communities as part of their vision of a 'People's HealthService
'.Many older people find it hard to pay for the necessary treatment once they are retired and Clegg believes this has wider implications.Article taken from www.stuartjamesross.blogspot.com on 23/1/08.
From Milton Keynes With Love 2008-01-21 13:03:00 Today I've been in the field.I travelled to MiltonKeynes
in order to cover a strike by the Milton Keynes Citizen's NUJ chapel.Despite the best efforts of Britain's rail system, I managed to get to Auckland Park in Bletchley by 8:30am.Bounding across the road, I was greeted by a picket line of twelve people, which grew to eighteen by the time I left at eleven.The line included General Secretary Jeremy Dear and National Newspapers Organiser Barry Fitzpatrick.Later on, NUJ President Michelle Stanistreet arrived.After introductions, I was able to talk to several of the chapel about the strike while passing cars and post lorries hooted in support.I was told about the failure to replace staff who left the paper, as well as the 3% pay offer, which is unsatisfactory for the staff.We also discus
Sports Round-Up and Something different... 2008-01-18 15:39:00 Friday Sports
Round-up: Andy Roddick has sensationally been knocked out the Australian open having beat beaten in a titanic third round match against 29th Seed Philipp Kohlschreiber 4-6 6-3 6-7 (8-10) 7-6 (7-3) 6-8. Also in Melbourne, 2006 women's champion Amelie Mauresmo lost her 3rd round match against Casey Dellacqua – ranked 78 in the world - 3-6 6-4 6-4. F1 prodigy Lewis Hamilton is to stay with McLaren having signed a 5-year contract today. The England Cricket Board have completely restructured their selection panel. Staying with Cricket, South Africa beat the West Indies in a Twenty20 international. And now for something completely different
... This can also be seen at www.theibyss.blogspot.com
Identity Card Plans Revised By British Government 2008-03-10 15:37:00 Given the recent data problems facing the Government
, it seems that they are trying to re-work their identity card plans.The introduction of biometric passports will be delayed from 2010 to 2012, and you won't have to get an identity card at the same time.Non-EU Nationals will still be issued with compulsory identity cards this year.This is one year before people with high-security roles, for some odd reason. Do the Government view people from Africa or South America as more likely to commit terrorism than an airline pilot or army explosives expert?However many concessions the Government make, I won't support the plans and will avoid registering.People will come up with a way to fake ID cards just like they did to get round chip and pin. The money that the scheme costs should be spent on f Read more:British
Sweet FA 2008-03-09 18:54:00 March 8th 2008 was a great day for Schadenfreude. Schadenfreude, quite simply, is a German expression meaning ‘taking pleasure from the misfortune of others’. In football, Schadenfreude takes place on an almost daily basis. How many times have you been at a match and been delighted to hear that your arch rivals have lost, even if it has no barring on the fortunes of your own side? Yesterday’s FA Cup results are a fine example of this. Up and down the country, fans were united in their unconfined joy to see the Salford Bay Rowdies and CSKA Fulham surprisingly both crash out against unfancied opposition, thus sparing us another snorefest that was last year’s final between the two sides. At Old Trafford, The Rowdies dominated an extraordinary match against ‘arry’s Pompey side but Read more:Sweet
Nine peers a-blogging. 2008-03-17 05:39:00 Nine peers are blogging about their work and the House of Lords.Lords of the Blog went live on Monday 17th March.It's quite funny that the BBC's See Also leads to Lords bridge team "stuck in lift" and Some Lords "would like sick pay".Not the image the blogging peers would want to project.It's easy to navigate and the entries are detailed. There is a search bar and good links.Given that over 60 million blogs are no longer posted to, according to research found by a colleague, I hope the Lords keep blogging.A survey allows you to evaluate the blog.Lord Soley on blogging:In 2003 I started a blog as an MP. I regarded it as a success and it certainly attracted some interesting debates.It was important for me because it enabled me to talk direct to people without first finding a media outlet. I
Responsible Journalism 2008-03-19 08:48:00 The unprecedented apologies in the Daily Express and the Daily Star over their treatment of the McCanns highlights that responsible journalism is still key even in an age of multiple news providers.Growth of unregulated user generated content has led to fears that anyone with access to the internet can write what they like without reprisal.This may be to some extent true but the majority of bloggers and vloggers out their will not command anywhere near the same number of subscribers as traditional news outlets.If professional journalists are to maintain their overall ‘superior’ status to online amateurs it is important that they continue to adhere to the codes of conduct that govern their trade.In any form of journalism trusting what has been said is vital.Article taken from www.stuart Read more:Responsible
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