Teeline.

"Teeline is a shorthand system accepted by the National Council for the Training of Journalists, an organisation for training journalists in the United Kingdom.^[1] It was developed in 1968 by James Hill,^[2] a teacher of Pitman Shorthand.^[1] It is adaptable to a variety of languages but is mainly used within the Commonwealth, though it works in a variety of Germanic languages (including German and Swedish). It was created so that the basic alphabet can be quickly learned, and from then on all it requires is practice. Speeds of up to 150 words per minute are possible.^[3] It is common for people to create their own word groupings, increasing their speed.^{[1]"  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teeline_Shorthand)}

 

 

 

When I initially started Teeline the following is what I saw:

Although it was actually this:

 

Now I understand the need for this and also the benefits on my future career prospects, however this doesn't mean to say that I've taken to it like a duck to water.

It is hard work.

 

Initially I seemed to take it all in with ease and was relatively smug with my abilities over everyone else's, this seems to have backfired though as I find myself going back to the beginning and struggling with the basics.

 

Exam countdown begins now.

God help me!

Semester 1 Results.

It is a terrible thing being both a perfectionist and a procrastinator.

When it comes to work I hide. I daren't look at the task through fear. 

Then it comes to a week or so before deadline and I panic. I peek but don't necessarily start.

Finally we reach 4 or 5 days before. This is when I cram. I read a lot in a short space of time, start and give up researching, then I write.

Getting my grades back from the first semester was a scary process. I knew I hadn't done the best I could do. 

No disresecpect to anyone who achieved these grades or less, but for me, I know I could do better!

So now for some serious planning.

I will not be happy unless I graduate with a first. So time to stop procrastinating, getting distracted and just ignoring work. I am going to get my geek head on and earn this degree. 

Why journalism?

Why is there an assumption that every budding journalist wishes to write for a newspaper?

I don't.

I'm interested in many things.

I want to learn as many languages as possible and travel the world with international journalism.

I want to go from Paris to Milan, cat walk to cat walk noting the latest craze with fashion journalism.

I want to be sickened by evidence and witness statements with criminology and journalism.

I want to write a book just for me.

I want to meet as many people as possible, have contacts globally.

But most of all, I aspire to wake up everyday with a big smile on my face knowing that the next big adventure is out there.  

Notebook and pencil in hand, I walk out the door ready to change the world. 

On reflection.

At the age of 24, I find myself having had a troubled youth and a fair few life changing experiences, able to adapt in new surroundings.

I was nervous and scared to start university (again) but I greeted my fear with a brave face and a painted smile. 

What have I learnt so far..?

I have learnt that I take great pleasure in education. The learning of something new or expanding on knowledge I already have.

In the simplist form isn't that what 'news' is learning a new thing or clarifying facts? 

If that is to be taken as true.

Then I am in exactly the right place.

I know this is what I want to do.

So I may be 24 but I am going to do the best I can do and squeeze as much out of this degree as possible.

News gathering.

 

Now I am the first to admit that I have no problem sparking up conversation with Tom, Dick and Harry, however approaching individuals seeking quotes for a news story is a completely different situation, one in which I struggle.

 

I found myself for the first time speechless. Now it is common knowledge amongst friends and acquaintances alike that once I start talking it is often hard to shut me up.

 

Clearly I have a problem.

 

So I politely told myself to "man the fuck up" and just get on with it.

 

Worked a treat and I got some cracking quotes.

A day in the life of a radio presenter.

Familiarisation Day Schedule

0915 Arrival
0920 Intros followed by tour of building (to include rest area/kitchen/fire exists)
0945 Read relevant parts of D&E/go through checklist/contacts
1000 Newsroom & Bulletins
1100 Bulletin Reader
1200 Ops Room
1300 Lunch Break
1400 Ops Room with Rosie/sit in with Laurence
1500 Late Producer
1600 Finish.

I'm nervous and I'm early, sat with a nervous bladder filling out paperwork.  I get my visitors badge and am let into the newsroom. There is 4 double sided desks across the room, packed with computers, people, overflowing inbox trays, books, newspapers and mugs (the kind you drink out of, not the people!) I am greeted by an army of outstretched hands and warm hellos. I get told names I have already forgotten. I sit in on their morning news bulletins. As it goes from person to person discussing what they think should be the lead story of the day, my head is on overdrive following the voices as they discuss (maybe slightly argue) "we've got a new lead on this", "we've already  covered that", "that's old news"

This is exactly as I imagined it. It's fast paced, it's heated, it's exciting.

 

I then sit in with Debbie as she plans her afternoon show and the stories she wants to feature. She emphasises the importance of social networking sites on the media these days. As we talk she is discussing the new Antiques Road Show episode airing that evening, filmed in Cornwall and presented by Fern Britton, it dawns on her that she is followed by Fern Britton and visa versa on twitter, so she quickly loads up Ferns page and tweets her asking for a quick chat on air about the show. An hour or so later Fern tweets back and agrees to a live interview!

 

I am impressed, one tweet and she has a live interview on air!

 

I then sit with Rachel the one air news presenter, she explains how important it is to get the correct facts. She also tells me that as the news is read so frequently they must take care not to repeat the same news stories continuously throughout the day. Once a story has been aired twice they wouldn't repeat it unless they has a new lead or further information on it. The speed and turn over of the news here is extraordinary. I always imagined it being spiked fairly quickly but not at this speed. She writes new news bulletins in less than a few minutes ready for her next on air spot. She is concise, fast and professional, all of this whilst juggling the newsrooms email inbox, filtering through the press releases, discarding what it irrelevant and forwarding on the important things.

 

The ops room is my next station, sitting in with the live radio stream. This is my chance to see how it all works, the producer is sat with her headphones on. I am sitting in on Laurence Reeds show, this show gives the audience a chance to phone in and air their issues and discuss problems they feel are relevant. One of the local council members is here also today to do an on air interview. Seeing Laurence in action reminds me of a Cornish version of Jeremy Paxman.

I get lost in the buttons, the screens, the red lights all in front of me and soon my hour is up.

 

I have a lunch break, but head back early keen to get started again.

 

Back in the ops room, the producers helper leaves, leaving no second person to answer the phone.

I get told to put the headset on and answer the phone. The training I receive is "Say hello, BBC Cornwall, I need who they are, number, where from and what they want to talk to Laurence about, ok? go."

 

And off I go, I receive calls about traffic incidents, as soon as I write the incidents down, the producer is writing them down on screen and they are getting read live on air!  "Breaking traffic news, an accident has occurred on the road of Asda, Bodmin, traffic is at a standstill and is causing a terrible backlog."

 

To be continued...

 

 

24 and a fresher!

Ok so this is me in a nut shell:

I am female, 24 years old, was born in Cornwall but well travelled (having lived in South Africa and Qatar) a first year a chain smoker when nervous and it's clear that years of abuse with chocolate hasn't gone in my favour.

But here I am day one and starting university! 

Fuck 

I get a lift in on my first day (thanks to the step dad) however in a bid to avoid traffic I arrive an hour and a half early.

Keen bean or just bloody stupid, you decide! 

I've been wandering around campus trying to take it all in and get to know my surroundings, however that said I doubt I'll remember any of it with the thick blanket of fog that's decided to make an appearance today. I've found some where to perch and smoke also found another dirty smoker so we sparked up conversation, he's starting his first year on an engineering degree, whereas I am a first year journalism student. That managed to waste about 5 minutes. Great only another hour or so to go.

Also may I point out that it's raining, not the kinda downpour to drench you, but that annoying kinda rain that just kinda ruins your day. Because of this my perfectly straight hair is no longer. After so much effort this morning it is quite frustrating to now have to scrape my hair up. To give you an idea of what I'm looking like, imagine a samurai, or come to think of it any of the dwarfs from lord of the rings! 

Anyway I ventured out of the rain and into The Stannary, (a.k.a The Student Union) where I perched and wrote this in the vain attempt that I didn't look like a complete recluse, to be honest I don't think it worked, if anything I made it worse as it looked like I was writing a diary (this was written by hand first before being transferred on here)

Nine forty five, nearly time. Make another cheeky rollie will help calm my nerves.

I wander over with loads of time to spare, and then I get lost! I can feel my face getting redder as I start to panic, after all this I'm actually going to be late.

Ask for some directions (more than once) 

and finally FOUND IT.

Lecture one lets do this.