Aspiring reporters get scoop

May 3 2008 by Chris Robinson, The Journal

BUDDING newshounds were conducting an exclusive interview with a North politician as local election results in his constituency were being revealed.

Pupils of Corbridge Middle School, Northumberland, attended The Journal’s interactive News Room, which gives children a chance to go behind the scenes of the newspaper industry.

And as Labour was suffering election losses, Year 7 youngsters were able to put their questions to Nick Brown, Minister for the North and MP for Newcastle East and Wallsend, before working to deadline to produce their own front page.

The centre, in Stoddart Street, Shieldfield, Newcastle, was established five years ago. Since then, more than 7,000 pupils have used its multi-media facilities.

On Mr Brown’s visit to the News Room he met The Journal editor Brian Aitken, regional managing director Steve Brown and the editor of our sister paper the Evening Chronicle Paul Robertson.

The minister said: “It is very impressive and it is great to see bright youngsters enjoying the experience of learning within a multi-media environment.

“It is allowing pupils to develop their literacy skills and this gives them valuable experience which they can develop within their education.”

The centre, which this year is sponsored by Barclays, provides the latest in media in education and can accommodate a class of up to 32 pupils from the age of eight upwards.

Pupils are later given a tour of the newsrooms of The Journal and Evening Chronicle at our head office in Groat Market, Newcastle.

The company’s regional Newspapers In Education manager Kay Thompson said: “The News Room was established five years ago to raise awareness of the media industry to school pupils and to bring alive their literacy experiences.

“It was a fantastic opportunity for the pupils to interview Nick Brown, especially post-election, and we are really grateful to him in offering his support to the News Room.

“The pupils fully enjoyed the experience and each produced a front page that was presented to Nick before he left.”

Headteacher Margaret Henderson said: “Our visit to the News Room is always an extremely valuable experience for our Year 7 pupils. The children had enjoyed the interview. After asking some searching questions they will use the same equipment used by copywriters and editors to produce their report.”