About this blog
This blog is being constructed by Tom Welsh, first director of journalism at City University, to record the setting up of the journalism courses there and the people involved. Any contributions from former students or others involved would be welcomed.
Use the commenting facility below or e-mail Tom at tom@tomwelsh.co.uk.
From The City University, a History (1980), by S. John Teague
City University’s proximity to Fleet Street and its long tradition of degrees that included experience at the workplace, together made the setting up of the Diploma in Journalism an obviously sound development. The Diploma course started in October 1976 under the direction of Tom Welsh with 13 students selected from 120 applicants.
For a fuller account of the setting up of the course see page “A challenging task”
- Sunday Times editor Harold Evans launches the City University’s new postgraduate diploma course in journalism with some down-to-earth advice. On right, Tom Welsh, the university’s director of journalism, listens in. (Press Gazette, October 25, 1976) (The students are, left to right, Sue Landau, Jacky Law, and Sarah Bayliss.)
From UK Press Gazette
Hard work the only way: Evans
In journalism, there is no substitute for hard work and a thorough understanding of one’s craft, said Sunday Times editor Harold Evans in a talk to journalist students of the City University, London. Mr Evans said a mere desire to write creatively was by no means a good reason for anyone to become a journalist. What mattered was a willingness to go out and look for hard facts and to work diligently in following up a story. A good journalist had a thorough mastery of the skills of journalism, he said. Mr Evans emphasised the need for shorhand, typing and the ability to write concise English. The ability to write creatively came a poor second. He urged young journalists to understand that the reporting of court cases, council meetings and parliamentary debates was just as important as writing wordy articles on subjects which a journalist assumed his public would find more interesting and entertaining. Mr Evans warned students that they were likely to meet great difficulties in finding relevant information and then being allowed to use it. Britain was far too secretive about disclosure of information concerning matters affecting the lives of ordinary people.
The topics covered in the pages are:
Earliest Days 