Week 3 article

The welfare reform bill is intending to remove various different benefits and replace it with one single universal benefit. Many households are therefore going to be losing hundreds, even thousands of pounds.

Despite the government taking a u-turn on their idea of scrapping housing benefits, they are intending to close many domestic violence charities; in some cases the cuts are intending to affect 100% of services.

A well-known statistic is that the majority of domestic violence victims are female and often young. With the 41% gender pay gap for part- time workers, the economical climate and childcare costs; it is thought there is not enough room or finances to accommodate them.

Tony Hall, from Eastleigh Borough Council, emphasises how the housing demand is already stretched:

"There are 5,500 people on waiting lists…it is often very hard to accommodate people who have been the victims of domestic abuse."

Michele Price, the Manager of Winchester’s Night shelter, explains how the high demand for beds is forcing her to extend the shelter:

 "We are always full and offer a hot bed system. Last year we turned away 300 people. At the moment we have the builders round to extend the shelter and I am losing my main office."

By Natasha Spencer

WINOL week 3

Brian Thornton's de-brief

This week news was very weak and there were far too many vox pops.

Overall, the technical standard has improved alot. The camera shots and sound quality were good; however it is now the editorial content that needs work. The script, links and the balance between interviewees need focus next week.
Production this week was exceptional and more advanced than previous weeks.

Angus Scott's de-brief

Angus agreed with Brian that production was exceptional. The sports team are dominating news and so the aim for next week is to strike more of a balance between the two.
Grammar needs to be double checked. 'Off of' should of been 'off'.
The headlines were dull. To entice and capture the attention of the audience, they need to be more exciting.
The links are too short; they do not sufficiently explain the story.
The OOV and the UPSOT were very good and professional looking. The aim is to produce two or three of these for each week's bulletin. They need to be between 20-30 seconds each.
The order of the bulletin needs to be looked at. For example, the piece about the fire station should have been before the sports package. However, the balance of this week's bulletin was an improvement from last week.
Another aim for next week's bulletin is to remember to geographically locate stories.

On a personal note, I was very disappointed with my package this week. I wanted to do a piece about the government's proposed funding cuts to victims of domestic violence. I managed to get shots and two interviews. One of the interviewees was Michele Price, the manager of Winchester's night shelter. The other was Tony Hall, a housing officer from Eastleigh Borough Council. My editor felt that this was not balanced and so I managed to get a quote from MP Steve Brine to rectify this. However, Brian felt that my idea was too vague and that I hadn't tackled the issue very well.
Although I was very disappointed and frustrated, I learnt a valuable lesson and now know that I need a definite story and not just a vague concept.

WINOL week 5: The last 1500 years of smoking

The 9^th March 2011 is Non-Smoking Day. With many undoubtedly trying to ditch the fags, I take a look back at the history of smoking and how it has transformed over the last 1500 years. 

• It all started way back in 6000 BC when tobacco was grown in America by native Americans.
• Then, in 1000 BC they found that they could smoke and chew tobacco, for their own curiosity and enjoyment.
• Historians have cited Rodrigo de Jerez as the first European smoker, back in 1493 AD. An explorer, he had his first taste of tobacco in Cuba, where he smoked a cigar. The unknown hobby, landed him in prison for three years, as lighting up in public led the Spaniards to take action. Little did they know that they were to become the first enforcers of the anti-smoking campaign.
• There are various famous candidates for who was the first to deliver tobacco into England:

• History seems to indicate that Sir John Hawkins was the first individual to bring tobacco to the UK. The first slave trader took various visits to Africa and the Caribbean and so is likely to of transported the tobacco between 1532 and 1595.
• It may have been Sir Francis Drake between 1541 and 1596. Being the first person to sail around the world, could have brought him into contact with tobacco.
• Or it might have been Richard Grenville, a mariner between 1542 and 1591.
• Although he did not discover it, Sir Walter Raleigh popularised it between 1552 and 1618, when Elizabeth 1 was Monarch.
•  In 1604, King James 1 published ‘A Counterblast to Tobacco’, describing the plant as an ‘invention of Satan’ and banned the use of tobacco in all London pubs. He later contradicted himself, reducing taxes on tobacco and ‘nationalising’ the diminishing industry.
• In 1595, an eponymous book on tobacco was published.
• In certain eastern countries, including Turkey, Persia and India, the death penalty was prescribed in an attempt to deter individuals from smoking. Slitting of wrists and flogging was also a common measure in Russia, where a tobacco court was set up to deal with breaches of law during the period between 1596 and 1645.
• When the 17^th century arrived, smoking was becoming increasingly popular among Europeans, despite Pope Clement V111, threatening to excommunicate anyone who smoked in a holy place.
• In 1830, the first Cuban ‘seegars’ were sold in St James’ Street, by Robert Lewis.
• The first rolled up cigarette was made in 1832. Today, this is commonly referred to as a ‘rollie’.
• Walworth, England, 1856, saw the arrival of the first cigarette factory. It was owned by Robert Golag, a veteran of the Crimean war.
• The mid 19^th century saw the first fears concerning smoking raised, in an issue of The Lancet.
• With the turn of the 20^th century, came the realisation that smoking had become a way of life; a normality. It was common for men to own a smoking jacket and it became  the custom to have a cigar after dinner.
• At the start of WW1, cigarette rations were introduced and smoking visibly increased among soldiers.
• The mid 20^th century saw the first piece of leading research indicating a link between lung cancer and smoking. Then, Professor Richard Doll and Bradford Hill had their research published in the British Medical Journal and sparked a turning point in professional’s attitudes towards smoking.
• The UK government bans the use of cigarette advertisements on television in 1965.
• The UK government bans cigarette advertisements on the radio in 1971 and an agreement is made voluntarily between tobacco companies to print health warnings on packs of cigarettes, throughout the UK.
• In 1992, the first nicotine patches were introduced.
• In 1994, Macdonalds decided to ban smoking in all its restaurents. Diana Castano, the widow of a lung cancer sufferer filed a case against the tobacco industry in general. From this, millions of individuals came forward and a team of 60 lawyers were needed for the plaintiffs.
• In 1999, the Voluntary Charter on Smoking in Public Places was launched by the hospitality industry. Restaurants and pubs agree to put more signs up, explaining to customers their smoking policy and also introducing further non-smoking areas. Secondly, the UK Health and Safety Commission first expressed its concerns about smoking at work. 
• In 2000, Gary Cullen went to court and was given back 5,000 cigarettes, seized by customs at Dover, who initially rejected his claim that they were for personal use.
• In 2002, the British Medical association claimed that ‘there is no safe level of environmental tobacco smoke’. The UK government is forced to change the amount of cigarettes that can be channel-crossed from 800 to 3,200 per person.
• In 2003, the UK bans all advertising and promotion of tobacco.
• In 2004, Ireland bans smoking in all enclosed public places including bars, restaurants, pubs and clubs.
• 2006 sees Scotland also introducing a ban on smoking in all enclosed public places. These include, pubs, clubs and even some outdoor areas. A ban on smoking in outdoor parks had also been given the go-ahead subject to certain guidelines given to local councils.
• In 2007, Members of Parliament voted in favour of a total ban on smoking in all public places, in England and Wales.
• In the UK, in 2007, the minimum age to buy cigarettes in the UK rose from the age of 16 to 18. Also, as a result of the Health Act 2006, smoking is banned in mostly all enclosed public spaces. Outdoor smoking shelters are required to have at least half the area open to avoid being defined as enclosed. A fine of up to £2,500 is the punishment for businesses failing to comply. The smoking ban gets under way in both Northern Ireland and Wales. England’s NHS adopts the term ‘smoke free.’

So there you have it, 1500 years of a smoking Britain. What will the next 1500 deliver? Will we take a u-turn like King James 1 or continue to fight against the effects of tobacco?


By Natasha Spencer


Attribution
1st photograph by SuperFantastic
2nd photograph by incurable_hippie

Week 2 article

Marwell Wildlife

Marwell Wildlife, near Winchester, is running its Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011 competition for its second year.

Last year’s competition saw 2,500 entries from around the UK. The aim of the competition is to entice amateur and professional photographers to go out into the great outdoors and capture nature in its most natural form.

It is open to both adults and juniors. Entries are split into three categories:

· Marwell Wildlife residents – images taken at Marwell Wildlife Park

· Native Wildlife – flora and fauna taken from around the UK.

· Funnies – amusing photographs of nature. This category is only open to adult entrants.

The winner will be granted the prestige of being named the Marwell Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011. They will also receive a wide range of prizes, including: A Canon Powershot SX200Is camera, The Flash Centre and Wild Arena gift tokens, your photograph taken in Marwell’s 2012 calendar and an annual subscription to BBC Wildlife magazine, plus lots more.

The judging panel is made up of personalities from professional photography and the Wildlife Park itself.

Among the competition’s judges are:

· Paul Simmons , Head of Marketing Communications at Marwell Wildlife

· Sophie Stafford, BBC Wildlife Magazine Editor

· Guy Edwardes, Professional Photographer

The winner of last year’s competition, Paul Cook, 42, from Glasgow, produced a beautiful portrait of a swallow flying after a damselfly; ‘A swallow’s tale – the chase.’ To submit an entry, visit www.marwell.org.uk/photocomp. Each entrant can submit a maximum of five images, costing just £5. Junior entries are free. The deadline is the 4th June 2011 and more information regarding the competition can be found on the website.



By Natasha Spencer

WINOL week 2

Week 2

Please find the news bulletin and sport section via the following the link:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/ACK3umyM0GU

Please find the 'what's on' section via the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/embed/kYwVTwgWxLo


This week I had a number of difficulties. I decided to do a story on a joint initiative thought up by Network rail and the British Transport Police, in an attempt to reduce the number of near misses at level crossings. The initiative was to intall mobile surveillance units around Hampshire, to monitor level crossings. Any misuse and officers onboard trains would issue fines and individuals may even be prosecuted.

Despite already getting my footage and organising two statements from both Network Rail and the British Transport Police, the only way ot get an on camera interview would be travelling to London. As time was against us and it only being my secod week of WINOL, my teacher, Angus Scott, believed that this was asking too much and encouraged me to find a new story.

This was my first taste of just how frustrating and incredibly disappointing the industry can be. I had been working hard for days and in the end, I just had to cut my losses and start again.     

I then started ringing round to find a new story. I discovered a photography competition that Marwell Zoological Wildlife Park had just opened for its second year. I managed to secure an interview with Paul Simmons, the Marketing manager of the park and produced a 1'20 package of examples of wildlife in the park, information about the competition itself and the interview with Paul.
I feel that I have improved technically this week, in terms of the range and quality of shots taken. I also found feel that the editing process is starting to become second nature now and so this was completed alot quicker than last week.

Angus' feedback

The Barton farm piece had good content and the interviews were well balanced. A relaxed and piece to camera which is left long at the end are signs of professionality.

The piece on Winchester's rural crime had good sequences and general views. Managing to provoke emotion from an interviewee is a skill that transforms a good piece into a great piece.

The piece on Barack Obama had some good shots, although the sound was slightly distorted.

The news piece on council cuts included a very good case study, piece to camera and nat sot. It is important to try to always look at the camera to appear confident and focused on getting the story accross to the audience.

On the 'What's on' feature package, cross fades between sound and shots need to be clearer and speach slightly slower. The images were interesting.

This week however, the main criticism was that there was too much heavy news and so next week our main aim is to soften the tone and content of the bulletin.

In terms of the script, it was very well produced and the bulletin went out on time, live at 3pm. All sources need to be covered, so that there is assurance and confirmation of what everyone in the team is doing on a Wednesday.

The production team were very well organised. VTs need to be watched all the way through and black holes need to be avoided. Cues also need to be more precise. When vision mixing, try not to pre-empt, wait for the necessary signal.

The template for straplines need to be consistent and so they are to scroll on, then off - not pop up.

Generally this week, the bulletin was very good. The aim for next week is for the production team to be slightly more ambitious and for the news teams to gather more stories, so they have more to fall back on and the edit needs to be alot more tougher.

Week 1 article

Barton Farm article

A public inquiry has begun into the development of 2000 homes on Barton Farm, North Winchester.

The opening statement attracted more than 100 protesters outside the Guildhall, where the public inquiry is set to take place.

The proposed development by Cala Homes has sparked a decade long debate over the future of the 230 acre brownfield site. If the plans go ahead, the site will become a small community, consisting of 2000 houses, a school, nursery and shops.

A new road infrastructure will also be incorporated into the development.The increase in traffic around the area is the main concern of campaigners. They say that the city does not have the capacity for anymore traffic. Other environmental worries include flooding and pollution. The vast area of farmland is extremely popular with walkers and cyclists.

Campaigners, the Barton Farm Group, headed by Gavin Blackman say that the development is a “short sighted, short term solution to housing numbers.”

Cala Homes argue that Winchester is in desperate need of housing, that it is not an issue that will go away and the proposal will accommodate this demand. Part of the scheme includes 'affordable' housing, with 800 of the 2000 homes designed for those struggling to get on the property market.

Mike Emmett, the strategic land director for Cala Homes says that although, “it is extremely unpopular with a small section of local people” he is confident that the inquiry will rule in favour of the development. The inquiry is likely to run on for eight days.

By Natasha Spencer

Comment

I learnt an invaluable lesson this week, in that despite having consent from the audience as a whole, the picture used included a protest sign of Barton Farm and six individuals. As consent was not given by each specific individual, the picture was unable to be put up.

WINOL week 1

So, in the first week back, there was no time to relax, we were thrwon right into writing, producing and reporting for WINOL.

Out of the four areas; sport, news, features and production, I decided to try my hand at being a news reporter and was given the beat of crime. For me personally, this is the area, that I feel is my weakest and so to strengthen my chances of becoming a fully fledged journalist one day, I thought I should challenge myself.


There were a few issues regarding headlines.

The top story concerned the loss of 40 - 50 jobs at the University. In the bulletin, the figure 40 was used, but the article contained the number 50. Always use the highest figure as this gives more shock, drama etc.

In my own piece, Barton farm, Shira, Sam and I, attended a legal inquiry at Winchester Guildhall, which concerned Cala Homes bid to build a new community on Barton Farm, which the residents and Save Barton Farm group were opposing. The headline, '2000 homes may be built' was too light hearted and did not frighten. It needs to be more certain and therefore, '2000 homes set to be built', would of been better.
The next headline, 'Shocking stats in Winchester City Centre'  needs another half a sentence to make it clearer as to what this is regarding.

In sports, there is a black hole, when coming back to the studio. To avoid the possibility of black holes, use a lay shot and make sure it is long at the end.

In my own piece, Barton farm, Shira, Sam and I, attended a legal inquiry at Winchester Guildhall, which concerned Cala Homes bid to build a new community on Barton Farm, which the residents and Save Barton Farm group were opposing. The headline, '2000 homes may be built' was too light hearted and did not frighten. It needs to be more certain and therefore, '2000 homes set to be built', would of been better.
Our main criticism was that the story needed toughening up and therefore we did not get to the heart of the story. As this was not an isolted incident, I needed to relate Barton Farm itself to the residents who were opposing it. For example, talking to residents and taking shots of the local housing in the surrounding areas that may be affected would of improved the package overall.
In the piece to camera, instead of re-iterating what I have shown in the package, end with a fact. I.e. in this case; 'The public inquiry is set to last for eight days'.

General points

Always start with something fresh. For example, do not introduce a piece with 'last month', this will only date it.

Do not use cheesy cliches such as, 'Here I am' or feelin the urge to point out you are at a church, when it can clearly be seen in the shot.

There seemed to be different versions of sign outs and so it has been decided that all of the reporters will follow the template; name, winchester news online, place.

Overall, the first week of WINOL was a success.