NIBS: NEWS IN BRIEF

Being a newsreporter is all about condensing words and generating snappy punchy copy that gets straight to the point. In newswriting class we have to write NIBS (news in briefs). I really enjoy the challenge of sticking to a word count and being creative with words. Here is my best 3 NIBs to date. BOGUS gardeners stole £55 from a widower's kitchen table as they told him his apple tree posed a danger to passers-by in Beck Road, Ilworth. The victim, 84, spoke to two fair-haired men in their 30s yesterday at around 8.45am. The third thief entered the unlocked back door. The two men at the door had a rough appearance, and one had an eagle tattoo on his left arm. Police are appealing for anyone with information to contact Yeltham 412311. A WIDOWED pensioner was left devastated after his 12 beloved pigeons and newly-hatched chicks perished in a fire in wooden outbuildings at his home on Monday. Two fire crews responded to an emergency call at 7.15pm at Wakeman Road, Sidston. A spokesperson for Sidston Fire and Rescue Service said a possible cause of the fire was rubbish being burned in the garden. The owner, Mr Arthur Staten, 70, said: "I'm so devastated about this. Those pigeons were my mates." INFESTATIONS of bed bugs, fleas and rats in Ealing will soon be wiped out thanks to a new team of pest controllers. Two new officers and two vans have been hired to reduce the current waiting list from six weeks to eight days. Councillor Sue Emment said: "The team gets up to 25,000 service requests a year and it's not an easy task." Residents can reduce pests by not feeding pigeons and storing their rubbish away from small animals.

VIDEO CLASS AND PHOTOSHOOTS

This has certainly been a week of photographs and videos. On Monday I attended a photoshoot with Jennelle and Delia outside Liquids Nightclub in Uxbridge posing with a cup of coffee and my baker boy hat to show that Brunel students really do have respect for the local area. Unfortunately it did not make this week's Gazette but there is always next week.

Thank you to all the students and staff who gave me brilliant quotes to use in my piece. Hopefully there will be an article published soon....

Thanks to my models who posed outside in the cold like true professionals.

Hopefully the article will show that not all students behave disrespectfully when out and about on the town-just a very small figure and a small minority of the student population.

Today we had to cancel the Brunel University Radio photoshoot because there was only one photographer and he had to attend another story....perhaps it's for the best, we should wait until the presenters are more established in their roles and have lots to say about their shows.

In today's class we learnt about filming short videos and editing footage. It will take a while for the old brain to remember jpgs and other endings after an hour and a half of lines and squiggles in shorthand...plus we were still recovering from our tests....it's too soon. Better start revising.

Anyway check out 'News and Reviews' on Monday if you listen to URB on-line. If there are any volunteers who would like to help the station with engineering, you're urgently needed so that we can broadcast to a mainstream audience. And speaking of volunteers, the station also needs funding for an FM licence, so if you have any ideas please contact the marketing team at URB.

Here is my first video of the class showing everyone hard at work learning the video recording/editing software. This is a short film I recorded on my digital camera, at the most amateur level, but it's good practice. Please excuse the feeling of unease as I move the camera quickly across the room, I was trying to capture as much as possible in as little time.

I will keep you posted on my endeavour to master my digital camera....

FRONT PAGE STORY!!

To my great delight I made my first front page by-line on The Ruislip Gazette last Wednesday. I helped Ruislip and Northwood reporter Hannah Falkingham and fellow trainee journalist Luke Edwards gather views from the residents of Northwood. We asked residents: What should the council improve in Northwood if they can invest £200,000 in the area?

NEWS AND REVIEWS

Hi Everyone,

Jennelle and I are going to present our Uni Radio show B1000 or University Radio Brunel called 'News and Reviews' every Monday between 12-2pm. We finish just in time to go to Teeline class, and perhaps check out Primark in Oxford Street to review the latest and greatest fashion trends.

I will keep you posted on how you guys can tune in and ring in.

Bye for now....

INTERVIEW WITH JOHN MCDONNELL MP

By Katie Goodall

JOHN McDonnell, MP for Hayes and Harlington describes himself as: "Hard working, confident and committed." Brunel graduate Mr McDonnell has a hectic schedule of attending parliament, updating his blog (see http://www.johnmcdonnell.org.uk/about-john.html), writing articles for the national press, and campaigning for the local community. Politics is a career he says he "drifted into, rather than planned" because he became involved in many community events, resulting in him climbing the political ladder to becoming an MP. He said: "I am a socialist, and believe in equality for all people."

Being an Uxbridge resident who lives 15 minutes away from Hayes, I was curious to know if anything was being done about the lack of a shopping centre in Hayes Town. He replied: "I am the Chair of the Board, and we've been working on it for 10 years." He added: "There are many core shops such as Iceland, Wilkinsons and Woolworths, but the town is still suffering after the closure of Sainsburys."

Two weeks ago I did a Vox Pop for the Uxbridge Gazette about the Crossrail development. McDonnell said: "I support Crossrail because it is a major aid to redevelop the lives of people. In 20 minutes you can get from Hayes to Central London. It will open up the access for many people across to the East. It will provide more job opportunities for people in Hayes to find jobs in London. It will also increase people's enjoyment, as they can travel into London more easily for entertainment and go to restaurants. There has been a dramatic improvement since Ken Livingstone became Mayor of London."

McDonnell is also involved in local community radio stations. He said: "Yes I listen to Hayes FM, and I would definitely talk on it. I was involved in the planning process, and worked with Sutish [Sharma] to raise funds, and gain the licence. It was going to be at Uxbridge College, but they had no room. I was involved with Desi Radio in Southall. I really enjoy the wide range of music on Hayes FM. I was meant to go down to Hospital Radio Hillingdon during the broadcast marathon, but I had a meeting."

When asked about the recent story in the press about MPs jumping the dinner queue, he responded: "That's rubbish, total nonsense. Yes, I saw that article. As a socialist, I believe in equality for all people, and I would never jump a queue."

Also see John's website for lots of political information: http://www.john-mcdonnell.net/

REPORTER KATIE GOODALL GOES TO NORTHWOOD

Yesterday (Monday) I went to the Gazette to book a photograph for a feature about a girl who wore an eye patch and had the opportunity to travel around Harefield, Ruislip and Northwood to gather news, views and pictures to hit the last minute deadline at The Gazette for tomorrow's edition. At Harefield we were on a mission to photograph a rat in a pond....afterwards we waited on the streets of Northwood to ask shoppers what they would like the council to spend £200,000 on and we had to ask them to have their picture taken by our professional photographer. Then it was back to Ruislip for more photographs of pubs and then back to base at Uxbridge typing up our vox pops.

REFLEXIVE REPORT ON GORDON BROWN FEATURE

As part of the MA in Journalism course, we had to write a 400 word feature on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to mark his first 100 days in power for the Central Government module. Not being the most politically minded of people I thought I would have to undertake a lot of research to analyse Mr Brown as a member of parliament and active political figure who plays a key role in the managing of the UK. I suddenly realised the best angle for this story is to analyse Gordon Brown as a person and see how he compares to David Cameron, Margaret Thatcher and his predecessor Tony Blair. I also thought I would compare Sarah Brown and Cherie Blair because the wife is always seen in public with her husband, and I thought the flash and flamboyant Tony Blair with messy-haired attention seeking wife Cherie compares with the family oriented Brown's who shy away from publicity and demure Sarah in comparison to headline stealer Cherie. I also thought that I could emphasis Gordon Brown's tight financial budget with his controlling nature, indicationg that despite not being a "flash Gordon" his public image shows him as strong and sensible, who is perhaps secretley ruthless and wishes to have his public image all to himself and not share it with more famous American political stars such as Presidents Bush and Clinton, in comparison to Tony Blair who liked to generate presence and star quality to increase his public appeal. I am happy with my feature and tried to keep it concise to develop my newsroom skills. The piece successfully conveys Gordon Brown's character, whilst incorporating political examples to support my case.

GORDON BROWN: 100 DAYS IN POWER

IT'S been 100 days since Gordon Brown succeeded Tony Blair in becoming the Prime Minister on June 27, 2007. After being elected, Gordon Brown quoted his old school motto: "I will try my upmost", because he achieved his lifelong ambition to lead the Labour party to govern the country. He promised: "This will be a new Government with new priorities, and I have been privileged to have been granted the great opportunity to serve my country.'' Mr Brown vowed to improve Labour, learning from the war in Iraq. He backs the decision to join the 2003 US-led invasion because troops need to support the UN. As Chancellor of the Exchequer, it was a time of low inflation, low interest rates and low unemployment during Blair's reign in Parliament. In public Brown is portrayed as an organised man who maintains a tight financial budget. He has a professional appearance, attractive with a rugby-player physique, rugged dark looks and heavy brows that sometimes give his face a sterner quality. He is unlike Tony Blair, and avoids holidays with American Presidents, possibly in an attempt to demonstrate his own power as a man who worked his way to the top rather than sharing the limelight with more famous global government figures, an indication Brown's character is just as ruthless as his budget. Gordon Brown's marketing campaign by Saatchi & Saatchi reads: "Not flash, just Gordon." Brown is a sensible, quiet family man who generally shuns the spotlight to spend quality time with his wife Sarah, a quiet demure lady, unlike Cherie Blair who created a mockery of Number Ten with messy hair and heavy makeup. Gordon Brown has endeavoured to change Tony Blair's Labour, who had a reputation as a "tax-and-spend party" and keeps tight control over spending, particularly over the National Health Service and other public services. Edinburgh graduate and academic Gordon Brown contrasts against the Oxford educated Margaret Thatcher, and Tony Blair with his hardworking rise to the top, demonstrating that hard work, patience, perseverance and respect from the British public helped to generate the votes needed at election to select a person to govern the country. A degree from the oldest university in Britain is no guarantee when it comes to the public vote as David Cameron, a bumbling, weak and plain looking Oxford graduate, and leader of the Tory party, showed when Gordon Brown became the Prime Minister.

NCTJ QUESTION THE MONARCHY

NCTJ Question on The Constitution and The Monarchy. You have been asked to provide background information for a short feature explaining the role, powers and funding of the monarchy.

a) Outline the powers of the monarchy. (15 marks)

The British Monarchy has been established for around 1000 years with various lines of succession and houses ruling England and The British Isles. In 21st century Britain, Queen Elizabeth II is the Head of State, Head of The Church of England, Head of The House of Windsor and monarch of Commonwealth countries such as Australia and New Zealand. However, the British Royal Family have no power to rule the country, as that role is now filled by Government, in particular Gordon Brown the current Prime Minister. The Queen’s role is to travel the world meeting various state leaders, presidents and Prime Ministers, and entertaining them at formal dinners.

The Queen, with her various costumes, jewellery, palaces, stately homes and pageantry with events such as Trooping the Colour, royal weddings and state funerals, serves as a living reminder of past royal traditions, and is vital in keeping Britain’s tourism industry thriving, especially in London and Windsor to boost the UK’s economy. The Queen meets regularly with the Prime Minister to discuss state affairs, but she has no power in making any laws, acts or regulations. They also discuss world affairs such as the war in Iraq or 9/11. After Princess Diana died, The Queen had to meet with Prime Minister Tony Blair to discuss her state funeral and her image as both a Head of State and a grandmother, as her reputation as a conservative stiff upper lip English woman who did not display her emotions was felt as cold by the general public. Their meetings are protocol, and serve to meet past British traditions such as in Tudor times when Cardinal Wolsey met King Henry VIII to discuss the country and power. This tradition is kept alive, but the roles of decision-making and power have been reversed.

The senior members of the Royal family such as The Duke of Edinburgh, Princes Charles, William and Harry undertake public duties if the Queen is unable to attend as the public are keen to have the publicity of such well-known members of a British institution to generate prestige, publicity, and possibly more money if it is a charity event. Stories of the monarchy are highly sought after by the media as they generate more sales, listeners and revenue for the media industry, especially stories of senior royals.

The Queen is able to award people for services to the country such as knighthoods, titles, MBEs, CBEs, which keeps old traditions alive and gives more power to people such as Sir Paul McCartney whose public profile is now higher as a result of being given a title.

The Queen’s image is also present on coins, banknotes and she has the power to call or dissolve Parliament, gives the Royal Assent to Bills passed by Parliament, formally appoints the new Prime Minister, judges, diplomats, governors, officers in the armed forces, bishops and some senior Church of England clergy. She also declares war and makes peace. Most of these roles are carried out on the advice of her courtiers, employees and Parliament. b) Indicate how the monarchy is funded. (4 marks) The monarchy is funded through Civil List to cover official expenses such as travel and accommodation to help the Sovereign fulfil her duties as the Head of State and Head of The Commonwealth.

Other sources of income include Grants-in-Aid from Parliament to cover the maintenance of the royal residence and royal travel, the Privy Purse, which is the traditional income for the Sovereign’s public and private use. The Royal family have private income from Prince Charles’s Duchy whereby he sells products from his Gloucestershire estate such as jam and organic produce, Princess Anne holds equestrian events at her Gatecombe Park Estate, Prince Edward owns a media company, Prince Andrew is in the Navy, Princes William and Harry serve in the Army and receive an annual salary and Lord Linley owns a furniture company in London. c) List three local contacts you would approach for quotes to give this a local angle and give reasons for your choices. (6 marks)

To give this feature a local angle, I would interview an elderly person who has lots of royal souvenirs and memorabilia from the last 50 years to demonstrate the changes in the House of Windsor through various weddings and births, someone who can share their memories of the events such as the Coronation, through to the 1982 wedding of Prince Charles.

I stood at the front of the queue when the Queen came to Uxbridge in June 2002, so I could arrange an interview with one of my friends who witnessed the event herself, or perhaps workers in Uxbridge who remember that event because The Queen and Prince Philip arrived in Uxbridge to unveil the statue outside the Chimes Shopping Centre.

The Queen also came to Brunel last year, therefore I would speak to the Vice-Chancellor of Brunel, and interview my friend Alex who stood at the front of the queue just to gain reactions and special memories. I would also interview the local Mayor because they always present the Queen with flowers when she arrives in the local area.

VISIT TO CHANNEL 4 AND IRN

On the first week of term, our class visited 200 Grays Inn Road, London to the studios of IRN (Independent Radio News) and Channel 4. I saw comedian Jasper Carrot as we went into the lift. After a guided tour of the building, which seemed to be made of glass and reach skyscraper heights, we separated into groups and went inside the production room of Channel 4 as newsreader Jon Snow went on air. We also met newsreader Krishan Guru Murphy and Head of IRN Simon Cadman who will be teaching us in term two for the broadcast module. I found the visit inspirational and taught me a lot about the fast pace of working both for a radio news room for a large media organisation and also the speed needed inside the production room where everything is controlled with military precision, yet could still go wrong at the touch of a switch. We also saw the lesser known faces who play a vital role in production and the visual aspects of broadcasting such as the animators and technicians. I'm glad I gained a greater insight into IRN because now I can put a visual image to the centre the local hospital radio station, Radio Hillingdon's (where I volunteer) source for the news when they flick the grey fader button up on the hour every hour.

MY INTERVIEW WITH PRINCESS DIANA'S WEDDING DRESS DESIGNER

DAVID EMANUEL See the full interview on my coursework blog http://westlondonnewsbykatiegoodall.blogspot.com/

Click on David Emanuel link. I was lucky to interview him for a picture caption for the Uxbridge Gazette when he came to Uxbridge to lauch his first high Street collection on Friday 21st September 2007.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/arts/sites/david_emanuel/

VOX POP FLOODING

Much of England has been seriously affected by flooding. Reporter KATIE GOODALL took to Uxbridge High Street to see what people thought should be done to prevent building on land that is regularly flooded, or if they favoured building on flood plains. Tom Liyanage, 32, Barman, Harrow "I don't think it's a good idea to build houses on flood plains. The council should find better places for people such as town centres. I think the council should find alternative land." Karishma Kent, 25, Teacher, Uxbridge "Logic should tell you they shouldn't build on flood planes. We live in a modern place. It doesn't seem difficult to build somewhere else. If they are going to build on flood plains they should have a contingency plan in place. I don't think they favour building on the green belt, but space is scarce and they have to build on it." Ruan Smith, 18, Student, Hayes. "They should move somewhere else and try somewhere new. They should keep their eyes open for a new area. I don't think the council likes building where there is a higher risk of flooding. I think the council should do more to build where there is a lesser risk of flooding." Steven Duffy, 26, Bricklayer, Uxbridge "I think the council should find alternative land to build houses on. Houses around here are not at risk of flooding. We are away from flooding. Houses that get flooded have been there years. Houses that have been flooded should be knocked down and rebuilt. I don't think there's a lot you can do." Siouxfie Forrester, 41, Sales Assistant, West Drayton "I think the council should do more, and take more action to inform its tenants. The resident's associationj in the Hillingdon borough gives grants for parks, but they need to also invest it in clearing the rubbish out of the drains to prevent them being blocked, so that it doesn't cause flooding. Prevention is better than cure."

VOX POP METROPOLITAN LINE

Metronet, the company responsible for maintaining the Metropolitan line went into administration last week. Reporter KATIE GOODALL asked commuters at Ruislip and Uxbridge stations what effect they thought this would have on services, proposed redevelopments to the line and maintainence of the tracks. Pauline Aukett, Retired, Eastcote. "I think it's bad. They are trying to get people off the roads, but they need to make the train service more affordable. They must keep the redevelopment up-to-date. I find the trains excellent when I use them. I tend not to go out in the rush hour, and we mainly use the car. I use the trains more now because the roads are busy." Jenny Shanahan, 69, Retired, Harrow "I think the improvements are important, espaecially for disabled people. They should concentrate on accessibility for disabled people and pensioners and people who cannot climb stairs, above all else." Barbara Lequesne, 58, Housewife, Pinner "They have the money to finish the redevelopment. I believe they are getting new rolling stock in 2010. For Pinner, the service has been better lately. Perhaps they should redesign the interiors. The redevelopment affects us all at weekends. They are spending a lot, and what they are doing with it is not clear." Jennie Alexander, 44, Occupational Therapist, Harrow. "I think the redevelpoment is a good idea if it includes all of the people who use the trains. Not many of the stations cater for disabled people. They need to improve the function rather than make them look pretty. I have travelled from Harrow-on-the-Hill to Uxbridge by train, which has been efficient enough." Barhanu Muha, 21, Hillingdon "I have had a lot of problems on the tube today. I use it from London where I work to here. I the Metronet problems mean the trains are going to be more unreliable I would be unhappy. When I come from Victoria the train doesn't come all the way straight away to Uxbridge, we are stuck in Ruislip. I hope the redevelopment isn't delayed."

VOX POP MARRIAGE

Following the announcement that Conservative leader David Cameron is considering a tax break for married couples, reporter KATIE GOODALL took to the streets of Uxbridge to ask you if this was fair, affordable and a useful encouragement to wedded bliss. Ruth Vowles, 23, Visual Manager, Watford "Yes, for the right reasons. Marriage is too expensive. People spend far too much on getting married. Tax credits are a good idea because every little helps a busy family. There's a lot of help available for single parents so there should be something to help married couples too." Catherine Macnamara, 63, Retired, Hillingdon "Marriage is a very important institution because it seals the relationship. I think marriage is very important. People must be committed, and not give up at the first hurdle. The tax credit sysytem does not go to the right people. People must be on a really low income to receive tax credits, and excluded us when we had teenage children." Mika Gur Arie, 22, Student, Uxbridge "I think marriage is a good thing. To be alone is very sad. Marriage means you can start a family. I think tax credits are a good idea for married couples because it helps them to look after their children. Everyone should work hard at their marriage, and receive the right help." Darron Jackson, 42, Ramp Agent, Ruislip Gardens "Marriage is a good idea. It is about commitment and spending time with the same person for the rest of your life. The tax credit sysytem is a good idea for families and married couples, but it might not change people's attitudes. There's a lot of people who do a good job with families who are not married." Anita Jackson, 40, Department Manager, Ruislip Garden's and Darron's wife. "My husband and I are celebrating our 17th wedding anniversary on July 16. Marriage is a commitment to someone you love, and someone you want to spend the rest of your life with. Tax credits are a good idea if used wisely. They should be encouraged for married people without children."

MY NEW BLOG

Hello Everyone on the MA in Journalism course at Brunel. Welcome to my new blog. I was blogging away last night, I never thought I would say it but I'm a blog addict. Wonder what you call that bloggaholic? Well anyway I was getting into all the advanced layout stuff and decided to add another YouTube political video just to remind me to watch the news a bit more and add a newsy (is that a word?) feel to my blog and I wanted videos of ITN newsreaders in action just so that I could recreate on-line the memory of visiting ITN. Anyway, all was well at first and I was starting to have a professional looking blog, then all of a sudden, CRASH, it didn't work. The screen froze and I couldn't blog anymore. What am I to do? I was starting to panic, this forms part of the course. A bloggaholic (wonder if this term catches on amongst my fellow trainee journos?) must blog so I created a brand new blog page with NEWS, VIEWS, AND INTERVIEWS....all this rhyming is reminding me of shortland classes "at, able to ability, etc.....zzzzzzzzzzz" by that point I notice a few pairs of eyes shut in class, the pain of shorthand will make us gain valuable notetaking skills, hopefully without driving a few students insane in the process. Where was I? This is my new blog that I will use to post relevant news and notes for the purpose of my MA. I really like this on-line journalism, you get to be artistic at the same time. As a visually minded and creative artistic student this is right up my street. Well despite messing up my last blog, an artistic work in progress, I learnt a lot. Two weeks ago I was a novice blogger, now I'm a bloggaholic. I must now go and learn shorthand, and law and government. The list is endless.... And if any of my classmates are reading this today, don't forget your digital camera for class tomorrow, plus learn your teeline, it's only for an hour-and-a-half so I'm sure you won't fall asleep by 10.30am tomorrow.

VOX POP VOTING

The Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, is keen for 16-year-olds to be given the vote. Reporter KATIE GOODALL asked people in Uxbridge what they thought of the idea. Raymond Piggot, 76, Retired, Uxbridge "I don't think a young person of 16 has formulated ageneral opinion. Sixteen is a bit early. Eighteen is maturing. Twenty-one is there. I think 16 is too young because they have just left school, and their head is full of the academic and social opinions they have learned. I believe 16-year-olds are more guided by school teachers, and other authority figures." Syed Mohammoud, 24, Security Guard, Uxbridge At 15 young people do not have an opportunity to vote. Sixteen is a good age to vote because young people are mature enough, and they more intelligent because they can formulate their own opinion. At 16 people are mature enough to have an opinion of their own. At 18 most young people don't even bother voting." Jack Hare, 79, Retired, Uxbridge "In some cases it would be good, other cases they would be too young to know what they are doing. It all depends on the individual. I don't know if those youngsters are willing to vote. The majority of them won't be bothered. We vote because what happens to this country is our concern." Barbara Boasley, 63, Retired, Hillingdon I think it should stay at 18, preferably 21. Some 16-year-olds are mature and some are not. As I said before, it should stay at 18." Maureen Osborne, 60, Retired, Hayes "Not very good. Some 16-year-olds are mature and some are not. Some followm the opinions of others. The voting age should stay at 18."