‘Can I get my ball back please?’ The 150 children and young adults from Gracemount will be asking the council, if they do decide to shut down Burdiehouse Primary School later this year. 

Liberton United Football Club, a loved community club, and a vital necessity to so many families in the community, is under threat. The club provides a place where the children can interact with their friends, a place which keeps them fit and healthy and relieves parents for a couple of hours and most importantly, it keeps them off the street. However the Edinburgh council met in the City Chambers on the 15^th of October and discussed whether the school, beside which the club sits, should be shut down and a nursery built to replace the school and the football club, leaving them to find a new home. 

Liberal Democrat and SNP Councillors refused to back a Labour motion by Councillor Norma Hart and Councillor Ian Murray to save the club. This followed Liberton United Football Club’s strong plea to the Council when they visited the meeting mid-October. Moray Dickson, President of the football club, is frustrated about the councils indecisiveness. “So far the discussions with the Council have been like driving up to a roundabout, going all the way round and coming back again. We want to find a solution that means we can continue to offer the existing level of support to the children in the area” said Dickson. His son Keiran came with his father to the meeting, proudly donning the clubs football strip. “I have scored now 400 goals in the last four years and I do not want to lose my local club” said Keiran. 

The Club supports 150 children and young adults making up 14 football teams in the deprived area of Gracemount in the Edinburgh suburbs. Marie Foster, mother of 13 year old Andrew who attends the club, is outraged. “I do not understand how the council could shut them down, if they saw how happy it made the boys, they would understand how important it is.” 

Labours Councillor Hart feels for the club. “Even though the LibDem/SNP Council voted for no action, we welcome the offer made to meet with the Club on site.   Hopefully this time they will be listened to.”  However, the vote in the Council was 29-29 and was decided by casting vote of the Provost who was in favour of no action. The girls and boys of Gracemount are heartbroken.

The jolly “ladies of leisure” as they call themselves, are all in their mid-70s and talking about their move to the “concrete jungle” of Cumbernauld, 47 years ago.

Created in 1962 as an overspill town, Cumbernauld, being described in an affectionate way as “not the most beautiful place”, accommodated people who got squeezed out of Glasgow after the Second World War. The population boomed when the soldiers came back and started their own families. A huge amount of people lost their homes to tall, ugly, high-rise flats and many people had only two options: To live in a monstrous high-rise, or move out of Glasgow to a pre-fabricated house in a purpose built town. Since the ladies all had young families at that point, Flora’s son only being “a year old”, they put their names down to move out of the city.

Adjusting to the sudden move, a completely different place, and a new full-time job to pay the higher prices of this town, was hard. They had been split from other friends who were bundled off to other overspill towns such as Livingston and St Kilbride.

The first year was the toughest. Everything still so unfamiliar, rushing to find childcare so they could work, and the winter of 62/63 saw a huge snowfall. “You couldn’t see the garden or the roads! … We weren’t used to that” Margaret remembers.

The moving scheme allowed the ladies’ parents to join them in Cumbernauld to create a varied age group in the town. This gave them support and gradually a strong community feel came through from the residents of this new town. Everyone was in the same boat.

Margaret, Flora and Helen agreed it was a difficult time, but they stuck together with the rest of the community, ground the town into life, and they remain living there today. They are enjoying their retirement, getting together for games of pool, carpet bowls and of course dominoes. “The auld, what’s it called, Cumbernauld!” they cheerily chant as I take the photo of these three, life-long, best friends.

‘BANG!’ The door slams as the two young girls are running out the door, toast in hand, catching the bus to school. Silence finally fills the three-storey, rather wonky, house after the routine morning battle, and Journalist Nick Gibbs finally sits down at his desk. Armed with a black coffee, and the fresh enthusiasm a new day brings, Gibbs is ready to tap out three more editions of the magazines he writes, edits and publishes.

Nick Francis Gibbs, born Aldershot 14^th September 1962, is not only a passionate Journalist. He is the editor of 3 magazines he owns and runs from his own chaotic home office, he is a great family man and he is also an inspiring tutor to other budding journalists.

Nick has an extensive back log of previous employment in a number of respectable publications as a contributing writer, editor and tutor. His CV includes: (1988-91) Editor, The Woodworker, Argus Specialist Publications. (1991-92) Sub Editor, Dimbleby Newspapers, Richmond. (1991-96, 2005-06) Good Woodworking, Future Publishing. (1996-2000) Development Editor, Future Publishing, which included training and recruiting. (1996-2003) Consultant Tutor, Oxford Media and Business School. (2000-03) Commissioning Editor, Via Inmarsat Magazine, Publicis-Blueprint. (2001) Editor/Sub Marks and Spencer’s Magazine ‘What If…’ for Second Perspective.

Known as ‘Chippy’ from an old boss because of his passion for woodwork, this tall, smiling man has a great ‘can-do’ attitude with an endless enthusiasm. His friends call him ‘Fizzing’ due to his energetic attempts at throwing a cricket ball in a friendly match, usually resulting with the ball lost from sight and the opposing team with the lead. He has a zest for life and an art with words.

Going back to younger years, Nick’s first thought about going in to journalism didn’t strike until 1982, when he was attending Nottingham University. Studying economics, not ultimately knowing what he really wanted to do, he visited the Careers advice office and completed the computer programme ‘Gradscope’. This flashy new technology of its time, interrogated the under-graduate, poked, prodded and pried at Nick’s skills, talents, likes, dislikes and the hours of work he could do. After the investigation, the computer offered a number of different ideas, journalism being one of them. Nick considered this and thought about how he loved researching things, but all he ever heard, from old school teachers and his fellow classmates, was “you can’t write!” These words ringing in his ears, Nick decided to show them all, he explains: “I thought, well I’ll prove them wrong!”  And he did. Immediately he got involved with the university newspaper and its radio station, getting as much experience as he could.

Graduating from University, Nick moved to the buzzing capital of London, where he took up the challenge of being a freelance journalist. Having to support himself, he had number of other jobs including bar work, and carpentry.  1987 he attended City University in London, leaving a year later with a Journalism diploma. He was now ready to start his career in the print industry.

After a long CV of previous employments, Nick then found his perfect niche in the industry. Writing about what he has a great love for, woodworking. A rooted passion from an age as early as 6, when his parents bought and ran a furniture business, Nick took the brave leap into starting his very own magazine ‘British Woodworking’. The magazine grew and grew with popularity, and now Nick owns two more magazines.  ‘Livingwoods’ a British woodland and wildlife magazine and ‘Smallwoods’ a magazine for woodland owners, all run through his publishing company ‘Freshwood Publishing’ he created at his home in Ampney St Peter.

Nick’s family of two young daughters and his wife, all get properly stuck-in with the magazines but it can be troublesome at times. Often the girls are battling it out on who can get on the cover the most, and the messy office in the family house does frustrate and mean the family are around each other a lot of the time. Even with all this commotion and sometimes high stress levels, Nick and the family still find a place in their home to accommodate young, eager journalists. Known as “Workies”, they get a marvellous insight to what it’s really like behind the glossy magazine covers.

BANG! The girls are back, hungry, and ready to fight their corner for why they should be the one holding the perfectly made jewellery box on the front cover of the next issue of British Woodworking.  Nick expertly defuses the situation with distraction and they gather around the table for dinner made by mother and wife, Tina.

There’s a lot to be taken from this man, his ambition, his drive to prove doubtful others wrong and his optimistic, zestful attitude. A truly great journalist and an equally good teacher.

No. In my own opinion as a young Journalism student and part of the the Information society, it is not in crisis.

First of all, what is ‘Quality Journalism?’ Older generations tend to associate quality journalism with the sophisticated language of the educated middle-class, a common feature of the journalism in the ‘Golden Age’ often regarded as the late 19^th century and most of the 20^th century. The ‘Golden Age’ started at the same time that mass-scale news circulation took place due to new technology such as the Wapping Revolution in 1986 and the first news bulletin on the radio in 1920.

Styles of broadcasting in the mid-twentieth century were those of authoritive voices of the educated classes . . . little thought was given by journalists to the audience differentation (other than social class) – along the lines of gender, age, sex, income, ethnic group and leisure – that characterises and determines styles of broadcasting in the twenty-first century. (Anderson and Weymouth 2007)

This ‘Golden Era’ of quality journalism has changed a huge amount since. This style of broadcasting shown above would not be considered quality in today’s society. It is biased, sexist, racist and pompous. This used to be quality journalism, but now, it is clearly not! The older generation tend to have the view that quality journalism is in crisis because of new technologies in particular. However change is a natural and vital process to ensure the improvement of news in our evolving society. It does not mean technology will replace everything before it. “The long history of media proves quite conclusively that the development of new technologies bringing about new media do not cancel old technologies; they merely change them.” (Gibbons and Hiebert, 2000). So along with the change of news delivery and mediums comes the new definition of ‘Quality Journalism’. Younger generations such as the one of the twenty-first century, define Quality Journalism as widely sourced, fast, accurate and unbiased news which is easily available and understandable. “Journalisms emerging future is one in which the divide between ‘news’ and ‘information’ is gone….Quality revolutionary journalism of the now and future is more about intelligencing information” (Marsh, 2008 – link at end to Marshs’ blog). History tells us the ‘Golden Age’ was brought about from new technology and now we are experiencing an amazing new technology – the internet – so naturally this should be the start of another ‘Golden Age’ of quality journalism, no?

The BBC, who brings us high quality dramas, comedies and of course news programmes is a pillar in British democracy, it has longevity and it is a strong part of our identity. As it is paid for routinely by the public, it does not need to dramatise or sensationalise stories in order to create interest and revenue. The BBC has always provided quality journalism – accurate, unbiased and sincere – and will continue to do so if we remain a democracy. The continued protection of Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) through regulation from Ofcom and other government bodies makes sure standards are kept top quality.

Global news conglomerates also help to maintain quality journalism in today’s society. A huge corporation such as Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation, which includes Fox and Star Television, a number of magazines and newspapers and even some music companies, have millions of pounds to support journalism. Not to mention a huge outreach to valuable sources across the globe. News channels owned by one of these multi-billion pound conglomerates will inevitably supply quality news as they have plenty of financial support to fund new technology in the work place allowing fast, efficient news gathering. In addition, news rooms have easy access to contacts around the world through the reaches of the corporation securing fast and accurate information, vital to a quality news story. “It is clear that many of the conglomerates that came to dominate . . . invested heavily in news processing, particularly in pre-production areas such as design, from the 1960s” (Bromley 1997). The news produced from these news channels is extremely professional in content and appearance heavily due to advanced technology resulting in quality journalism. It’s not going anywhere!

Journalists are expected to be multi-skilled in this day and age as foreseen by UK Platelet Group (UKPG) in 1994: “I see a future where your journalist goes out carrying a tape recorder and a video camera, records an interview, writes it up for the local paper, cuts the video for a local cable station and cuts a taped interview and report for the local radio station. (UKPG, 1 Aughust 1994)”. (Bromley 1997). This was considered damaging to the quality of journalism by the Institute of Journalists (IoJ) and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ). They “began to believe that multi-skilling equated to ‘de-skilling’, and was predicated on a reduction in employment, poorer working conditions, and lower standards. Journalists facing the introduction of an experiment in multi-skilling at the Brighton Evening Argus complained that it would reduce the journalist to a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ rather than a master of one.’ (UKPG, 30 Aughust 1995)” (Bromley 1997). However in the ‘Golden Age’ of journalism, associated with quality news, journalists had to have multiple skills. “Reporters worked also as photographers, and photo-journalism developed as a specific occupational genre from the end of the nineteenth century” (Bromley 1997). So learning how to use the internet in an effective way for news production will be much the same. It will be learnt and then it will be a natural tool. The younger generation of today and generations in the future are computer literate from a very young age, my cousin of 11 having a facebook, bebo, twitter and exceedingly good emailing skills, it is only natural to them to use the very valuable source of the internet in everyday life and quality news production.

In conclusion, despite popular belief of mostly the older generations who still believe there is just one ‘Golden Age’, quality journalism is not in crisis. It is indeed going through a monumental transition from print to broadcasting and the internet, but quality journalism will always remain. This is due to advanced technology enabling faster sourced news and more effective news distribution, and thus increasing the demand for more news from the larger amount of people. PSB will always remain in our democratic society as a trust-worthy source of quality news due to its funding and impartiality, as will global news conglomerates for its large funds to source quality news and global reach. Multi-skilled journalists of today being able to create informative and top quality multi-media news pieces using different skills such as photography, sound recording, video recording and internet use. Ultimately, quality news is hugely available and will always be in our new Information Society, it is just going through a natural transition which will only lead to even better quality journalism. I am confident in the course I am taking and my career choice. It is an exciting future for journalism, and I am so excited to be a part of it.

Kevin Marsh, an editor and author from London has some very promising views on new journalism. Finally some good news in the doom and gloom that is the current outlook on journalism! http://storycurve.blogspot.com/2008/09/crisis-what-crisis.html

The next generation of Journalists - happy and confident in our future!

Trying to hitch a ride on the Otago peninsula, New Zealand.

I love the backpack. For many, it brings traumatising memorys of wet camping trips, soggy clothes and scratchy midgy bites (the buggers!), but for me, as soon as I have a weighty backpack full of all my possesions on my back, i have the hugest sense of adventure, and i can’t WAIT to get going down the road.

This year – 2009 – was the year i went on a 7 month adventure with my battered old blue backpack. The same one my brother used 8 years ago when he did his Duke of Edinburgh through Scotland, and the same one my dad used 3 years to go backpacking through Australia and New Zealand. It was getting pretty scruffy or, as I like to put it, getting more of a personality! 

When i was away I met hundreds of other backpackers, many swaggering about with the newest, flashiest “backpacks” with high-tech, futuristic, space technology material to ward off any wear and tear, rain or alien attacks. Ones which have 3 trillion locks to your underwear section, wheels when your too lazy and the ability to split up in to 27 handy smaller bags. At times i did envy these advanced forms of 21st century bag technology, suchas being caught out in a tropical rainstorm for over an hour to find the wetness reached the heart of my belongings, making sure every bit of clothing was at the least bit soggy, but i grew pretty fond of my tatty backpack. Its broken draw string, dodgy zips and musty wiff were endearing. It modestly carried all my belongings around the world, being thrown about by bag handlers in airports, hostels and by myself. Chucked into the back of the many cars I hitched a ride with in New Zealand, strapped to the top of trucks on the dusty roads in Thailand, and piled into small boats, whizzing over the clear waters in Fiji. The backpack, after long enough, becomes a part of you, and often you forget you are actually wearing it.

Unlike a suitcase, a backpack is extremely practical, and also rids you the label of ignorant tourist, and gives you the honourable title of worldy backpacker! Suddenly people trying to sell you this that and the next thing, become aware that you are not going to be swindled out of your well earnt pennies too soon. Other backpackers see the backpack and go ‘hey! another backpacker!’ and you meet some like-minded travellers, tell and hear scary/exciting/beautiful stories, share and take heed some very valuable advice and often, make life-long friends.

Package holidays are great for a week get-away, to relax, get a tan and take a time-out from real life. Hell i enjoy them as much as the next person! However, the hundreds of trips I am without a doubt going to embark on throughout the my life, i will definitely be partnering up with a backpack. Maybe not my old blue one, sadly coming to the end of its travelling life, sitting, slumped in the corner of my room with the marks, stains and scars of a good, well-travelled, life but another. One fit enough to carry all my life necessities safely, well, as safely as it can, one able handle some serious rough, tumble, and most importantly, one that can handle the adventure.

Nothing like a guitar strumming friend whilst chillin’ in the meadows!

Edinburgh, the prestigious capital, full of history, culture and more expensive tourist tours than you can shake a haggis at. However, going to Scotland’s capital does not mean emptying your beloved childhood piggy bank your Aunty Mildred gave you. Edinburgh is a cool city. And it can be enjoyed on a budget.

First of all, accommodation. There are tons of backpacker hostels all over the city. A few of the best include Castle Rock Hostel, right under the famous Edinburgh Castle, good value, free Wi-Fi and cosy chilled out common rooms. Royal Mile Backpackers, location right in the thick of it, and great prices however it’s pretty small and could get cramped in the busy seasons. Also Budget Backpackers, extremely reasonable prices, clean and modern, but sometimes considered a party hostel. However, you can sleep for even cheaper. Crash on a locals couch via the specially made website couchsurfing.com. Like-minded people join up and offer their own couches, when they are not gallivanting off somewhere else, to other travellers in their own city. It is a great way to meet people and in a safe way. Couchsurfing.com has a clever wee rating and review system so you can see how many people a certain couch has hosted and if it was a good experience or, alternatively, if the couch was just too smelly. Remembering of course, that you will have to be very sensible with your decision and use your own discretion to decide if you and your couch, and the host, will get on.

Right, now you are based, you may need to sustain your well-travelled, wearisome bodies with some good, cheap grub. This next bit is mainly for our international backpackers who haven’t yet been familiarised with our nation’s supermarkets. A reasonably decent quality, fair-priced supermarket is essential and Asda is a very good candidate. You will have to get the 35 bus to the 24 hour Asda in Chesser, a 10 minute ride out of the centre of town. Here you will be faced with an airport sized super-market full of good deals and a huge range of choice. Oh and a MacDonalds if you so desire a questionable, limp burger and soggy fires. A bit closer to town is Farmfoods in Fountainbridge. A frozen food specialist who have exceedingly good pizzas for a pound (exceedingly good regarding the taste…we won’t go in to nutrients and calories here), however you can’t get any fresh produce in Farmfoods as it is all packed up in boxes and prepared to last you a nuclear holocaust. You will have to go in to either the big Asda or another super-market express shop such as Tesco or, stretching the purse strings, Sainsburys. For a very tasty sausage roll or another piece of puff pastry pleasure, go in to a Greggs. A brilliantly priced bakery selling warm pies to bulging sandwiches, all for a mere pound or two. Right nationals, back in! Time for some top quality local knowledge. If you are looking to eat out and remain in the black, I will suggest my own personal favourite Pub, The Chanter. Hearty pub meals from £1.99 and good beer on tap, this warm-atmosphere will make you feel all fuzzy with the great Scottish hospitality they offer, just off of Lothian Road. Jeri Reeves, a student in Edinburgh, loves it. “Aw yea its fab, we go there after most lectures for a drink and their amazing curly fries!” I also would suggest Frankenstein on George IV Bridge, a gothic themed restaurant serving a range of food all for a very reasonable price. Also, you can never beat, after a good night out, a drunken munch. There are numerous facilities to accomadate this need, a good one being Samsuns on Fountain Bridge – greasy pizza and greasier chips which never seem to taste better than in the early hours of the morning.

 Now with food in your belly, you are ready to really experience Edinburgh. If you are here from mid-August to early September, you are a very lucky bunny and about to fall completely, madly, in love with the city. For this is the time when the world comes to Edinburgh for the International Edinburgh Festival. The buzz of the city amplifies to a full-blown symphony of festivities, ranging from big-venue shows, talented street performers, comedy nights and some, pretty odd productions. Tom Irvine, a second year student living in Edinburgh (pictured above with guitar) was at the festival in 09. “There was a one-man-show production of Lord of the Rings, all three films fitted in to 60 minutes, by this one guy in a boiler suit, no props or anything, just this guy. It was weird.” Prices around the city are generally higher at this time, but there are many free shows you can go to and of course the street performers will keep strumming/dancing/juggling/eating swords until your heart’s content and just the overall atmosphere of the city will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy. If you’re not here in the festival period, no worries! Edinburgh always has heaps going on all year round. You will have to take at least a whole day just to walk around. The historic cobbled streets wind through the city, tall gothic churches stretch to the sky, and lots of cute wee shops can have you window shopping for hours. Then there’s the nightlife. All the clubs host different nights and have different, competitive prices. One of my favourites is Split at the Caberet Voltaire, or CabVol as us cool kids call it. It is free entry all night and, consequentially, full to the brim. Two rooms downstairs, each with their own music style and bar. Great sound systems, lights and smoke effects to set the scene for your new booty-shakin’, chicken bop dance move you’ve been dying to show off.

You could spend forever in Edinburgh and I could go on forever about Edinburgh but we all have places to see and lives to live, so I have compiled a top ten list of free things to do in Edinburgh. On a last note; just chill out, don’t stress about doing all the touristy tours you can fit in to a day and finding out about every historic detail of the city (although you can do that if you so desire – it’s very interesting!), just make sure to soak up the city vibe, both day and night-life, and enjoy, in my opinion, the most beautiful, vibrant and just plain cool, city in the world.

TOP TEN THINGS TO DO IN EDINBURGH FOR FREE:

1. Walk around, making sure to hit Princes St, Rose St, George St, The Royal Mile and The Grass Market
2. Have a picnic in the Meadows with a guitar playing friend
3. Read in Princes St gardens with the odd glance up at the beautiful castle directly in front
4. Visit the Museum of Edinburgh
5. Watch the massive tele in Festival Square which shows mainly news and sports but sometimes local short films
6. On a clear day, walk up Arthur’s Seat – the huge hill which dominates Edinburgh’s skyline
7. Keep an eye out for free comedy shows, often at The Stand in York Place
8. Free gigs also worth looking out for in pubs and venues such as Whistlebinkies on South Bridge
9. Watch the street performers who often entertain in the Princes St Gardens
10. Smile in the knowledge that you are in the COOLEST city on Earth

Are we obsessed with blogs?

I love macaroni pies. Do you care? No? The why are you reading my blog?!

Ok, so blogs arn’t ALL about peoples favorite savory munch but they are basically people writing about their views of the world. If you wanted news, you would go to a newspaper website where journalists are trained to report events with no emotional input from themselves. A blog is different, it’s basically individuals, a lot of the time, ranting about their own loves, philosophys or pet peeves (what does pet peeves mean? haha, I dunno. I just thought it sounded quite good and i liked the clever alliteration, I don’t know if it even really relates to what i’m talking about, what am i talking about? I dont even know…).

Then why the fascination with blogs? Why do people want to spend hours, nose pressed up against the computer screen, reading the inside goings-on of a strangers thoughts. Why do we care about their favorite puff-pastry goody, their most annoying song in the charts at the moment, or their favorite sex position? why do we care? Maybe because we are the curious beings that make us human? I’ve recently got a blog to find out…

In other ‘Charlotte-World’ news, I’m going to be exploring my new home city – Edinburgh and its wonderful curiosities that I am yet to find, I will also observe and make judgements on the industry I am so keen to be a part of, but is in crisis this very day. Journalism.

Another question arises, why am I creating a blog when blogs are one of the many reasons journalism is suffering? Free articles all over the web by people from all over the world, from different backgrounds. What could be more fascinating? It is a huge virtual magazine rack with millions of uncensored articles on almost everything you can imagine. Scrap that, probably everything you can imagine. I’m thinking… amputees who’ve turned there disfigurements in to celebrated art….oh wait! Theres a blog entry! http://www.oddee.com/item_96857.aspx.

Anyway, blogs are pretty cool, and there is not a cake’s chance in Ric Wallers house, that they are going to go anytime soon, so us Journos, we cant beat them – so lets join them!! Practice writing, get a following, write what newspapers or magazines may not and just have fun! See you on the web…