NUJ Students: Lighting fires at ADM 2006

24 March 2006

New beginnings



It just occurred to me that green is the most prominent colour the NUJ’s logo, and to me that signifies new beginnings. That's the only colour I remember seeing ever since I joined the union in 2002 while studying for a GNVQ in radio and print journalism at CSV Media, not so far from NUJ HQ in Grays Inn Road.

So new beginnings: is every ADM a new era for the NUJ?

Bruce Almighty

Last night, the student delegates at this year's ADM were treated to a three-course dinner at the hotel's French restaurant, Crompton’s. It was a blast.

Bruce is a likely candidate for the life and soul of the party and couldn't resist a pose. The NUJ training staff who have made this conference enjoyable for us all, were also there. It’s not only students who like to have fun.




Bruce, man of the hour






Chris Wheal (right) and members of the training staff team





Student delegates






Cara and other student delegates






Joan looking bright in green

Wheal: We demand the truth

Just how old is Chris Wheal? Has he been to sooooooo many ADMs that he's actually old enough for Werthers Originals?

We demand the truth!

Photo call!

All our blogging students required at 9.15 AM tomorrow, Saturday, for an official group NUJ photo.

Please bring hangovers.

Looking forward to life as a penniless writer?

Frances O'Grady just told conference that half of all journalists in the UK earn less than the average wage. Best put the Aston order on hold, eh chaps? Oh - unless you're in senior management of course. They typically earn 45 times more than their employees...

Standing up for my fellow students

The funniest thing happened.

Dad sometimes tells me I am not afraid to express my opinions, and so do some of my friends. Yesterday it became a useful tool in the freelance sector conference. A freelancer made a point about the developing practice of newspapers and magazines to take on students to write film reviews, but 'pay' them with a free meal or film tickets. In the opinion of this freelancer, that practice takes work away from freelance journalists.

I had to stand up and say something. I just had to.

What did I say? Well I stood up and introduced myself and that I was from the London freelance branch, then I decided to address his comment. I told my listening audience that they would have to understand that’s the only way we as students can gain any work experience. I suggested it would then be useful if the NUJ could put a structure in place that would mean no-one loses out and every one gains.

It is a fact that one is required to do a two-week work placement by their college or university as part of their course. I don’t believe in exploitation, but two weeks is sometimes not enough to learn the ropes. Yes, students should get paid for internships, which is a method some of the major newspapers have adopted. The point is that we are not here to take away jobs; we want to learn and pass on the baton as it is being handed down to us. Give us a fair chance and let’s work together. Remember, we are the future of the NUJ and Journalism domestically and internationally.

Dessert montage

Last night's food = good. Although the mint/blackberry combination was clearly wrong.

Journalism matters

I heard a thundering round of applause and decided to make my way to the conference room to find out what the commotion was all about. I missed the reason why there was such a roaring noise. So out of curiosity I asked one of the other student delegates.

The rapturous applause was for the speech delivered by Jeremy Dear, general secretary of the NUJ, and Tim Lezard, outgoing president. Did anyone get that recorded?

We're Good People

Liverpool. Someone made a gag earlier about having to employ some very burly security guards overnight to babysit the computers. But really - we're all Good People.

Just now, one of our students rushed in saying she'd lost an envelope containing her expenses money in cash.

Not only was it handed in, but when she couldn't find the finance guy to collect it someone gave her the cash from their own pocket. Isn't that nice?



Jenny Lennox: She's Good People.

We have, like, totally arrived

"Alright our lot!"

I haven't worked out how to write with a Scouse accent yet, but I have seen the Liver Building. I've also checked in (The Shining, anyone?!), but was rather jealous to discover that one comrade had 'rescued' a three-quarters full bottle of Moet from the housekeeping trolley. He told me it looked like a relic from a failed (or should that be successful?) romantic endeavour of the previous evening - not, I should add, anything to do with the union!

He assures me his primary concern was to ensure that the bottle was recycled, although no doubt the contents won't be wasted either...

Anyway, encouraging comments about the blog already and interviews underway. Plus I just learnt that the fledgling new media council has exceeded its first-year membership target and now has more than 270 members. Many, many more to recruit though.

And there's a new NUJ website in the offing. According to someone that knows about these things, it'll be live: "As soon as we get our act together".

Anyone seen any tri-cycling children?

The NUJ: A strange cult?

The best quote I’ve heard so far came from George Macintyre from the Newcastle branch, who likened the Adelphi to "a fine lady wo has past her prime and gone a bit seedy". And Jemima Kiss said it brought The Shining to mind.

As a student however, my idea of luxury is to upgrade from a ten-bed dorm to a three. The joys of free food spread quicker than juicy tabloid scandal around the student newbies. And that was just the people who still had appetites after much drinking - sorry, I mean liaising - in the bar the night before. I could get used to journalism like this…

Referring to regional points of contact, there's something about the term "chapel" that leaves me uneasy, especially when "fathers" and "mothers" of chapels are introduced into the picture. Something about the choice of words brings images of a strange religious NUJ cult to mind. Maybe student delegates should come up with jargon like "crew" and "hood" to tempt new members in with the idea of street kudos rather than communal chanting.

I've just had an idea which I should have contributed to the student conference wish-list on Thursday - if only I had thought of it sooner. I recommend that the ADM allocates up to four final agenda slots for student conference motions. The labels could be SM (Student Motion): 1 SM 2 SM 3 for example. These motions would be exempt from the November deadline and would be discussed agreed on here at the ADM. I think this would facilitate more interraction and understanding between students and pros. Thoughts, anyone?

Does anyone out there feel as rough as me this morning?

Does anyone out there feel as rough as me this morning?

O'Neills pub was the venue for the night. I had absolutely no influence on the decision to go there. Well, maybe a little!

The Irish band got everyone in good spirits - especially Bruce and Mark, who didn't rest until their request for Molly Malone was granted. The night ended in McDonalds with greasy cheese burgers and chips to satisfy the 'munchies' before bed time. Roll on tonight!





Us, during the more civilised pre-pub part of the evening.

Where are our ethnic members?

I noticed there were not a whole lot of members from the ethnic minority at this year's ADM. Maybe it was just me - not, admittedly, a very scientific head count to rely on people I happen to have seen. But we can’t talk about being under-represented in mainstream journalism when we don’t make our presence known at major events in the calendar of the NUJ. And ADM is the biggest union event for us all to come together and make our collective voice heard.

So next year, prepare yourself! Pack your bags and make your presence known. That’s the only way you will have a voice and that message is for all of us. The NUJ is not for a few chosen ones - it is for everybody and that includes you, students.

And anyway, it's actually great fun mixing business and pleasure...

Anastasia?

As some crumpled (and frequently, it has to be said, often apparently hungover) delegates filed in for the first day of conference they were treated to Anastasia on the PA. There were mutterings about Jeremy Dear's taste in music; can anyone confirm that?

There was also a decree that last night's unflattering bar photos of senior union officials should not be posted on the blog. Harumph. So I'll just have to save those for blackmail at a later stage. ("Blackmail is such an ugly word!")

Meanwhile, our students are writing up all sorts of things while trying not to hog all the training room computers...