Preston City Council has taken inspiration from America in its latest attempt to improve food hygiene standards across the city.
The Preston FoodSafe scheme displays hygiene scores for Preston’s restaurants and takeaways on the Internet, in order to encourage businesses to increase their compliance levels of food hygiene.
Those that score well are also given certificates that they can showcase in their windows; an idea taken from San Francisco, where it is compulsory for businesses to prove their hygiene ratings to the public.
Preston’s Environmental Health Manager Simon Neighbour said: "The Council has changed the ways inspections are run to achieve more positive outcomes. We need to put pressure on businesses to improve, and give them the fear of customers shopping elsewhere.
"‘Scores on doors’ is a great way of letting the public know which places are the best to visit".
The Council notified businesses of the scheme before it was launched, giving them the opportunity to seek advice about the inspections.
Simon said: "We sent letters to the places where cross contamination was previously noted as a factor of concern, but nobody contacted us for advice.
"We also sent out self-assessment checklists, which outlined all of the areas inspectors check when they visit places."
These included factors such as food waste, personal hygiene, pest control and cleaning schedules.
Preston FoodSafe works around a star rating scheme; three to five stars represent average performance and above, and zero to two stars indicate poorer practise.
Ninety five per cent of Preston’s premises received three stars or more, and Simon confirms that the scheme is helping to improve food hygiene levels throughout the city.
He said: "Formal action is taken towards the businesses which receive no stars. We can get the police involved, and some businesses may go to court."
Alternatively, emergency closures require businesses to shut for a few days to improve hygiene standards before re-opening.
The Council may also issue fines, and the case of the Toy Soldier pub at Deepdale Retail Park showed the influence that these types of inspections can have on businesses.
Simon said: "The Toy Solider was fined £25,000, which isn’t much for a large company like that. But the bad publicity meant that it was shut down and demolished. That was an extreme case of public pressure."
The FoodSafe scores determine the frequency of check-ups from the Council. The worst places have full inspections every six months, with check-ups in between, and those that are broadly compliant are inspected every 12 months.
Simon describes these visits as being more "friendly and educational", saying that if businesses are receptive to the Council’s advice and encouragement, "they win, and the public win".
Large businesses such as McDonalds and KFC show high standards of hygiene, operating regular alarms to remind staff to frequently wash their hands.
Preston’s McDonalds, KFC, Subway and Figaro’s Takeaway all scored five stars.
But as the Preston FoodSafe scheme takes into account the nature of the business and the number of consumers potentially at risk, small owner-operated businesses have just as much chance of receiving five stars as the multi-million pound national chains do.
Takeaways Naafiah, Red Onion, Shanghai House and Spicy Delights were the only places to receive no stars.
View Larger Map
(This Google Map shows some of the restaurants and takeaways that were inspected through the Preston FoodSafe scheme. The green markers represent those premises which received five stars, yellow represents three stars, and the red markers represent those which received either one or no stars.)
Simon said: "Food hygiene is very straightforward, but if you’re work shy, you’re in the wrong business".
He added: "Customers can usually tell which places to be cautious of. If there are weeds outside and flaking paint on the building, it’s probably not going to be much better inside.
"Those are the areas owners can make as impressive as possible, so if they can’t be bothered making an effort there, it’s unlikely they’ll be bothered making an effort in the kitchen."
Preston FoodSafe also inspects cafes, supermarkets, market stalls, bakeries, butchers, schools, hotels, residential homes and hospitals.
Further information can be found at The Food Standards Agency web link, and the Agency’s Code of Practice web link.
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
Internet teaches children about nutrition
Preston City Council has introduced new healthy eating schemes with primary schools, in an effort to teach children about nutrition.
Following the success of the Preston FoodSafe scheme, which displayed inspection results of Preston’s takeaways and restaurants on the Internet, the Council is now keen to engage the public with healthy eating.
Preston’s Environmental Health Manager Simon Neighbour said: "Food poisoning kills two people a day in the UK, but a further 120 die from diet related diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease".
The Recipe for Health scheme encourages children to take an interest in eating healthy foods by engaging them in fun activities, such as "Face Fruit" painting, which teaches them the advantages of eating fruit every day.
"Secret Agent" weeks involve children spying on their parents at home in order to educate them about healthy lifestyles outside of school.
The Food Standards Agency has also set up the Cooking Bus scheme, which travels around the country to engage children in interactive cooking sessions in their state-of-the-art mobile kitchen.
Alongside this, children and parents can also visit The Food Standards Agency Eatwell website, which includes information about nutrition, hygiene standards, diet related diseases and exercising.
The Eatwell Plate uses colourful photographs to demonstrate the different food groups that should be incorporated into a healthy diet, such as vegetables, meat, bread and dairy.
The character "Virtual Sam" helps children understand the importance of these food groups through short video clips. She discusses issues such as why children should never miss breakfast, and offers advice on substituting fatty foods for healthier versions, such as having chicken burgers instead of beef burgers.
Interactive elements are also available to help children relate to the information. Games such as The Barbeque Game and The Healthy Lunchbox allow children to test their knowledge on how to cook foods properly, and how to ensure they get enough nutrition from their school dinners.
Quizzes for older children help them identify where to make adjustments in their eating habits, and advice is provided for sensible snacking and eating takeaway foods.
Interactivity is also useful for parents. BMI calculators determine whether a child is scientifically classed as healthy, underweight or obese, in relation to their height and weight.
The calorie calculator shows how many calories can be burnt from doing various exercises, from playing football and tennis, to cleaning the windows and ironing!
Charts and tables are a quick and easy way for people to calculate if their weight is proportional to their height and waist measurement, and what classifies as one portion of fruit or vegetable.
Luckily McDonalds, whose Preston’s branch received five stars for hygiene standards through the FoodSafe scheme, offers a variety of healthy foods in its children’s Happy Meals, such as fruit bags and carrots sticks.
The McDonalds website includes a "Be Active" section to "help inspire children to be more active", and the "Eat Smart" section includes a nutrition counter to show customers how many grams of salt and fat contribute to their chosen meals.
Following the success of the Preston FoodSafe scheme, which displayed inspection results of Preston’s takeaways and restaurants on the Internet, the Council is now keen to engage the public with healthy eating.
Preston’s Environmental Health Manager Simon Neighbour said: "Food poisoning kills two people a day in the UK, but a further 120 die from diet related diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease".
The Recipe for Health scheme encourages children to take an interest in eating healthy foods by engaging them in fun activities, such as "Face Fruit" painting, which teaches them the advantages of eating fruit every day.
"Secret Agent" weeks involve children spying on their parents at home in order to educate them about healthy lifestyles outside of school.
The Food Standards Agency has also set up the Cooking Bus scheme, which travels around the country to engage children in interactive cooking sessions in their state-of-the-art mobile kitchen.
Alongside this, children and parents can also visit The Food Standards Agency Eatwell website, which includes information about nutrition, hygiene standards, diet related diseases and exercising.
The Eatwell Plate uses colourful photographs to demonstrate the different food groups that should be incorporated into a healthy diet, such as vegetables, meat, bread and dairy.
The character "Virtual Sam" helps children understand the importance of these food groups through short video clips. She discusses issues such as why children should never miss breakfast, and offers advice on substituting fatty foods for healthier versions, such as having chicken burgers instead of beef burgers.
Interactive elements are also available to help children relate to the information. Games such as The Barbeque Game and The Healthy Lunchbox allow children to test their knowledge on how to cook foods properly, and how to ensure they get enough nutrition from their school dinners.
Quizzes for older children help them identify where to make adjustments in their eating habits, and advice is provided for sensible snacking and eating takeaway foods.
Interactivity is also useful for parents. BMI calculators determine whether a child is scientifically classed as healthy, underweight or obese, in relation to their height and weight.
The calorie calculator shows how many calories can be burnt from doing various exercises, from playing football and tennis, to cleaning the windows and ironing!
Charts and tables are a quick and easy way for people to calculate if their weight is proportional to their height and waist measurement, and what classifies as one portion of fruit or vegetable.
ONE portion = 80g = any of these
1 apple, banana, pear,
orange or other similar sized fruit
2 plums or similar sized fruit
½ a grapefruit or avocado
1 slice of large fruit, such as melon or pineapple
3 heaped tablespoons of vegetables (raw, cooked, frozen or tinned)
3 heaped tablespoons of beans and pulses (however much you eat, beans and pulses
count as a maximum of one portion a day)
3 heaped tablespoons of fruit salad
(fresh or tinned in fruit juice) or stewed fruit
1 heaped tablespoon of
dried fruit (such as raisins and apricots)
1 handful of grapes, cherries or berries
a dessert bowl of salad
a glass (150ml) of fruit juice (however
much you drink, fruit juice counts as a maximum of one portion a day)
Luckily McDonalds, whose Preston’s branch received five stars for hygiene standards through the FoodSafe scheme, offers a variety of healthy foods in its children’s Happy Meals, such as fruit bags and carrots sticks.
The McDonalds website includes a "Be Active" section to "help inspire children to be more active", and the "Eat Smart" section includes a nutrition counter to show customers how many grams of salt and fat contribute to their chosen meals.
Letter sent to premises prior to the launch of Preston FoodSafe
Dear Sir/madam
Preston FoodSafe – hygiene rating scheme
In the last two copies of the newsletter "Good Health, Good Business", I have made reference to a "Scores on the Doors" scheme which will see the hygiene score of food businesses in Preston displayed on the Council website. You are also one of the 134 premises I wrote to last year confirming your previous food hygiene performance, and stating that an improvement was needed.
I am writing to you now to advise you that the scheme has been completed and will be going live next week. At that time, anyone with access to the internet will see your hygiene score.
I am writing to you specifically, as your business is one of 8 which have scored in the lowest two categories – 0 or 1 star rating. At the time of your last inspection, cross contamination was noted as a factor of particular concern, which is part of the reason your premises has scored poorly.
At the time of your next inspection, if you have improved sufficiently, your score will improve. If you are in any doubt as to how you can do this, or wish to discuss the contents of this letter further, you should contact the last inspecting officer, or call 01772 906907.
Yours faithfully
Simon Neighbour
Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner
Environmental Health Manager
01772 906907
Preston FoodSafe – hygiene rating scheme
In the last two copies of the newsletter "Good Health, Good Business", I have made reference to a "Scores on the Doors" scheme which will see the hygiene score of food businesses in Preston displayed on the Council website. You are also one of the 134 premises I wrote to last year confirming your previous food hygiene performance, and stating that an improvement was needed.
I am writing to you now to advise you that the scheme has been completed and will be going live next week. At that time, anyone with access to the internet will see your hygiene score.
I am writing to you specifically, as your business is one of 8 which have scored in the lowest two categories – 0 or 1 star rating. At the time of your last inspection, cross contamination was noted as a factor of particular concern, which is part of the reason your premises has scored poorly.
At the time of your next inspection, if you have improved sufficiently, your score will improve. If you are in any doubt as to how you can do this, or wish to discuss the contents of this letter further, you should contact the last inspecting officer, or call 01772 906907.
Yours faithfully
Simon Neighbour
Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner
Environmental Health Manager
01772 906907
FoodSafe self-assessment checklist
The following table lists all those areas inspectors check when they do a visit.
Wash hand basins - Are they easily accessible? Is there hot and cold water? Is soap available? Are clean hand towels available?
Toilet facilities - Are they separate from food handling and storage areas? Is there ventilation?
Changing facilities - Do staff have somewhere to hang their outdoor coats when they get to work? Are there clean work clothes available?
Food waste - Is food waste stored properly? Is the bin area clean? Is there any sign of rats or mice in the area?
Washing food - If food is washed, is it protected from contamination from other raw food?
Lighting - Is there enough natural or artificial light? Are light tubes fitted with diffusers to protect them?
Drainage - Are drains clear? Are grilles needed and fitted? Are they in good condition?
Washing equipment - Is there a separate sink for washing equipment? Can you use it without contaminating foods that need washing?
Sickness policy - Do you and your staff know when you should not be in work? What are typical food poisoning symptoms? How long should you not handle food for after you’ve had food poisoning symptoms?
Ventilation - Are the kitchen and other food rooms properly ventilated? Does ventilation stop insect pests getting in? Is ducting cleaned properly? How often?
Personal hygiene - Do staff wash their hands often? Do staff wear jewellery? Should they? Are staff wearing a uniform or apron?
Pest control - Are rooms where food is handled pest proof? Do you have electronic fly killers in the right places?
Training & Supervision - Are all staff trained in food hygiene to a level appropriate for the work they do? Do you do any refresher training? How often?
Traceability - Can you identify where different ingredients have come from/ Are they clearly date marked? How often do you check?
Cleaning schedules/checklists - How often do you carry out a deep clean? When does equipment get moved? Are the right cleaning chemicals used? Are there clean clothes for staff to use? Do you have disinfectants and detergents? How should they be used?
General structure - Is the premises in good condition and repair? Are the floors easy to clean? Are there any gaps or cracks in the floor that should be properly sealed? Is lino in good condition, or does it need replacing? Are the walls easy to clean? Are ceramic tiles in good condition? Are some cracked or missing or need replacing? Is paint in good condition? Are there areas of flaking paint that need treating? Are ceilings easy to clean? Are suspended ceiling tiles in place and clean? Is paintwork in good condition? Are equipment surfaces in good condition? Are worktops easy to clean? Are the edges of melamine worktops sealed? Are windows closed or do they have insect screens fitted? Are the frames in good condition? Is paint flaking and needs replacing?
Purchase and receipt - Is the condition of the packaging and food checked? Is the date code checked? Is the delivery temperature checked? What should it be? Is there separation of raw and ready to eat food? How do you make sure your staff do this?
Storage - Are storage temperatures checked? How? What temperature should fridges run at? What about freezers? Is there separation of raw and ready to eat foods in storage? How is this achieved? Is this checked? What happens if food is stored incorrectly? How is the shelf life of food indicated? What happens if food is taken out of its packaging and put into other containers – how is the use by date recorded then?
Preparation - How long are high risk foods kept out of refrigerators during preparation? What is cross contamination? How is it controlled? How do you check staff take appropriate care?
Cooking - How are products checked to make sure they are cooked?
Cooling - What foods need to be cooled at your premises? How long does it take for foods to cool? Where are they placed while cooling? Are they protected form contamination?
Display, sale, hot and cold holding - How are hot foods kept hot? Are temperatures checked? What temperature should they be kept at? How are cold foods kept cold? Are temperatures checked? What temperature should they be kept at? Are any foods kept at ambient temperature? How long for? What time limits are in place for hot foods? What time limits are in place for cold foods?
Distribution from premises - Is there a take-away service from your premises? Do you deliver foods? Have temperatures at delivery been checked?
Food Safety Management System - Do you have a written food safety management system? Have you identified important points in the business where food safety checks should be carried out? Do you have written records of these important food safety checks? When was your written system last checked, to make sure it is still up to date? Are staff familiar with your system?
Wash hand basins - Are they easily accessible? Is there hot and cold water? Is soap available? Are clean hand towels available?
Toilet facilities - Are they separate from food handling and storage areas? Is there ventilation?
Changing facilities - Do staff have somewhere to hang their outdoor coats when they get to work? Are there clean work clothes available?
Food waste - Is food waste stored properly? Is the bin area clean? Is there any sign of rats or mice in the area?
Washing food - If food is washed, is it protected from contamination from other raw food?
Lighting - Is there enough natural or artificial light? Are light tubes fitted with diffusers to protect them?
Drainage - Are drains clear? Are grilles needed and fitted? Are they in good condition?
Washing equipment - Is there a separate sink for washing equipment? Can you use it without contaminating foods that need washing?
Sickness policy - Do you and your staff know when you should not be in work? What are typical food poisoning symptoms? How long should you not handle food for after you’ve had food poisoning symptoms?
Ventilation - Are the kitchen and other food rooms properly ventilated? Does ventilation stop insect pests getting in? Is ducting cleaned properly? How often?
Personal hygiene - Do staff wash their hands often? Do staff wear jewellery? Should they? Are staff wearing a uniform or apron?
Pest control - Are rooms where food is handled pest proof? Do you have electronic fly killers in the right places?
Training & Supervision - Are all staff trained in food hygiene to a level appropriate for the work they do? Do you do any refresher training? How often?
Traceability - Can you identify where different ingredients have come from/ Are they clearly date marked? How often do you check?
Cleaning schedules/checklists - How often do you carry out a deep clean? When does equipment get moved? Are the right cleaning chemicals used? Are there clean clothes for staff to use? Do you have disinfectants and detergents? How should they be used?
General structure - Is the premises in good condition and repair? Are the floors easy to clean? Are there any gaps or cracks in the floor that should be properly sealed? Is lino in good condition, or does it need replacing? Are the walls easy to clean? Are ceramic tiles in good condition? Are some cracked or missing or need replacing? Is paint in good condition? Are there areas of flaking paint that need treating? Are ceilings easy to clean? Are suspended ceiling tiles in place and clean? Is paintwork in good condition? Are equipment surfaces in good condition? Are worktops easy to clean? Are the edges of melamine worktops sealed? Are windows closed or do they have insect screens fitted? Are the frames in good condition? Is paint flaking and needs replacing?
Purchase and receipt - Is the condition of the packaging and food checked? Is the date code checked? Is the delivery temperature checked? What should it be? Is there separation of raw and ready to eat food? How do you make sure your staff do this?
Storage - Are storage temperatures checked? How? What temperature should fridges run at? What about freezers? Is there separation of raw and ready to eat foods in storage? How is this achieved? Is this checked? What happens if food is stored incorrectly? How is the shelf life of food indicated? What happens if food is taken out of its packaging and put into other containers – how is the use by date recorded then?
Preparation - How long are high risk foods kept out of refrigerators during preparation? What is cross contamination? How is it controlled? How do you check staff take appropriate care?
Cooking - How are products checked to make sure they are cooked?
Cooling - What foods need to be cooled at your premises? How long does it take for foods to cool? Where are they placed while cooling? Are they protected form contamination?
Display, sale, hot and cold holding - How are hot foods kept hot? Are temperatures checked? What temperature should they be kept at? How are cold foods kept cold? Are temperatures checked? What temperature should they be kept at? Are any foods kept at ambient temperature? How long for? What time limits are in place for hot foods? What time limits are in place for cold foods?
Distribution from premises - Is there a take-away service from your premises? Do you deliver foods? Have temperatures at delivery been checked?
Food Safety Management System - Do you have a written food safety management system? Have you identified important points in the business where food safety checks should be carried out? Do you have written records of these important food safety checks? When was your written system last checked, to make sure it is still up to date? Are staff familiar with your system?
Preston FoodSafe Google Map
This map shows some of the restaurants and takeaways that were inspected through the Preston FoodSafe scheme. The green markers represents the premises which received five stars, the yellow represent three stars, and the red markers represent those places which received either one or no stars.
View Larger Map
View Larger Map
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
"Journalism is not dead — it’s all over the Internet"
There is no doubt that the world of journalism is currently experiencing an "ice age", freezing out the dinosaurs (newspapers) and making way for an evolution of the digital newsroom.
Some people welcome this change. They are the ones smart enough to recognise that the expansion of online journalism is inevitable, given the inconveniences of newspapers, and who have set up their own blogs in response to this.
Kaye Sweetster focuses on blogs for much of her research on mass communication, and says that "it now appears there is much more to examine in regards to the impact of blogs on society, personal communication, and the media.
"The mainstream press seems to have ended its love affair with blogs in that there are more “scare” stories out there talking about the *dangers* of blogs".
This suggests a more pessimistic view regarding the developments of online journalism; accusing it of pushing journalism towards a point where news is no longer about facts and objectivity, but is more concerned with comments and opinions.
Blogs are an opportunity for users to regurgitate news, and in doing so, taking away the "new" element that is necessary for something to be considered newsworthy.
Robert Niles considers such concerns in his Online Journalism Review Blog, saying that blogs are a ""parasitic" medium, that wouldn't be able to exist without the reporting done at newspapers".
He says: "You bust your rear to get stories in the paper, then watch bloggers grab traffic talking about your work. All the while your bosses are laying off other reporters, citing circulation declines, as analysts talk about newspapers losing audiences to the Web."
An example of news outlets responding to this new demand can be seen on NME's website. The "news" element of the Mariah Carey story is very brief and short, and the website is more focused on showing users the various links that they can follow in order to access more multimedia based material and comments. Links to external websites offer users the chance to listen to songs, watch videos, order ring tones and join forums related to Mariah Carey.
The website also advertises sites such as Google and YouTube to give users even more material based around their topic of interest.
This could lead to the criticism that the digital newsroom is a form of anti-journalism, in which some users are no longer interested in the traditional aspects of journalism, and would rather get involved in a culture where "everyone's" a journalist, so to speak.
However, Niles goes on to say that "even "parasitic" blogs provide value beyond the original news reports they cite, (because) Blogs animate the news for readers that newspapers alone don't always reach."
He uses this "Bloggers vs. Journalists" debate as a basis for explaining the advantages of Google Trends. Here is my example of how often users search "bloggers" in comparison to "journalists" for general searches and news:
It shows that currently, Google users are interested in bloggers and journalists fairly equally, which is a good sign for anyone concerned that traditional journalism is losing out to the more contemporary form of blogging.
However, this still poses problems for print journalism, and as Roy Greenslade points out, many people in this profession are losing their jobs as a result of more advanced technology taking on their previous roles.
He asks the question, is "a future on screen, a future with many fewer journalists?" And evidently, it appears the answer is "yes!" Especially for sub editors, who Greenslade predicts "will be the first journalistic victims of the digital revolution".
So how should people respond to this new "ice age" for journalism? In my opinion, we can only make the most of it. Newspapers are good for long analysis and features, but so is online, which is also much more urgent and immediate, so it should come as no surprise that the digital newsroom is presenting print journalism with tough competition.
And Mindy McAdams agrees, saying that "Journalism is not newspapers", but nor is it "dead — it’s all over the Internet".
Friday, 28 March 2008
Newspapers vs. Blogs
As a Brit, I can't help but notice that there are many American trends that seem to make their way across the pond and begin to influence our culture; films (or movies!), music, fashion, the list is endless. And I'm beginning to worry that their trends in journalism will start to develop over here as well.
The reason that this bothers me is because it's recently been found that a quarter of American newspaper journalists plan to quit their jobs! Roy Greenslade points this out on the Guardian's blog, saying that among the biggest reasons for this were "low salaries, long and undesirable hours, and stress".
But I've got a suspicion that there's more to it than that. They are, after all, newspaper journalists, and it appears that this aspect of journalism is suffering somewhat, following consumers' increasing use of the Internet as their source of news rather than more traditional print formats.
This argument could be developed further to consider that in fact, blogs are one of the best sources of news, particularly when information is required frequent and fast.
Robert Niles supports this, claiming that: "The blog is the ideal format to deliver information in a breaking news situation. There's no reason to continue relying on traditional newspaper narrative formats online when editors could better serve their readers with the far more online-friendly blog format".
This suggests that newspapers are no longer the preferred way of accessing news. But Mindy McAdams has come up with a list of situations when print editions work for her. These include when she is on a long train journey, or when newspapers are delivered to her in hotel rooms. In other words, when she has no other choice!
So maybe the print editions which do work best are the free press; the ones that people don't have to choose or seek, but that just appear at their doorstep for them to leisurely browse through when the adverts come on the TV.
McAdams would probably consider this a worthy argument, as she concluded that "In my current lifestyle, the printed newspaper just does not fit".
Finally, I'd like to take a look at a survey used on Kaye Sweetster's blog. She regularly uses her blog to discuss advancements in the journalism industry, and considers how journalists can make the most out of online resources.
Here, she mentions a survey which revealed that 54% of business journalists interviewed admitted to using blogs for story ideas, and that 72% were using blogs "with varying attributions".
Surprisingly, only 2% said they "would never report on stories starting from a blog", which goes back to Niles's argument that blogs are perhaps the best source of information, for consumers and journalists alike!
The reason that this bothers me is because it's recently been found that a quarter of American newspaper journalists plan to quit their jobs! Roy Greenslade points this out on the Guardian's blog, saying that among the biggest reasons for this were "low salaries, long and undesirable hours, and stress".
But I've got a suspicion that there's more to it than that. They are, after all, newspaper journalists, and it appears that this aspect of journalism is suffering somewhat, following consumers' increasing use of the Internet as their source of news rather than more traditional print formats.
This argument could be developed further to consider that in fact, blogs are one of the best sources of news, particularly when information is required frequent and fast.
Robert Niles supports this, claiming that: "The blog is the ideal format to deliver information in a breaking news situation. There's no reason to continue relying on traditional newspaper narrative formats online when editors could better serve their readers with the far more online-friendly blog format".
This suggests that newspapers are no longer the preferred way of accessing news. But Mindy McAdams has come up with a list of situations when print editions work for her. These include when she is on a long train journey, or when newspapers are delivered to her in hotel rooms. In other words, when she has no other choice!
So maybe the print editions which do work best are the free press; the ones that people don't have to choose or seek, but that just appear at their doorstep for them to leisurely browse through when the adverts come on the TV.
McAdams would probably consider this a worthy argument, as she concluded that "In my current lifestyle, the printed newspaper just does not fit".
Finally, I'd like to take a look at a survey used on Kaye Sweetster's blog. She regularly uses her blog to discuss advancements in the journalism industry, and considers how journalists can make the most out of online resources.
Here, she mentions a survey which revealed that 54% of business journalists interviewed admitted to using blogs for story ideas, and that 72% were using blogs "with varying attributions".
Surprisingly, only 2% said they "would never report on stories starting from a blog", which goes back to Niles's argument that blogs are perhaps the best source of information, for consumers and journalists alike!
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
If you can't beat them; join them!
Singer Madonna has announced that she will release her next album via mobile phones, after previously refusing to allow iTunes to release her music.
This suggests that she's beginning to understand the importance of the digital world to the success of her career, and that ideas which she previously avoided, such as allowing consumers to download her material, are actually the most affective way of making her money nowadays.
So this led me to think about the future of journalism, how digital developments are vastly affecting this industry, and what changes journalists must make in order to sustain their careers.
A good example of using the online medium to its full potential can be seen on MTV's website, where a news story about "American Idol" offers much more than just the article in text format. In the middle of the text is a video, showing the TV performance that the article is referring to, and there is also a list of "related videos" and photographs.
Links within the text take users to other news stories on the website, as well as giving them the option to look at the MTV "newsroom blog", which users can become more involved in. Comments about the story are added at the end, showing that users like the idea of interactivity.
But Robert Niles has a slightly different approach. Although he agrees that online journalism is becoming an ever influential factor, ("discussion communities, blogs, wikis and other websites are drawing readers' attention from old media information sources"), he's noticeably more positive about it than Greenslade appears to be.
Niles believes that tutors of journalism should take a more active role in teaching their students about the new ways of presenting news, but says that "teaching them how to report, write, edit and produce news stories, even in multiple media, is not enough", because students need to learn how to compete within the journalism industry.
He bases his discussion around the idea that students will be more productive if they are encouraged to write about something which they are passionate about, and to learn how to maintain that passion throughout their writing and their journalistic lives.
While this may be a good starting point, it doesn't really adhere to his concept of competition, as it's my understanding that to get my foot through the journalism door, I'm going to have to write about things that I'm certainly not passionate about, or even totally bored by, from time to time.
But I suppose that if Niles can teach his students to appreciate the sheer joy that can be obtained from journalistic writing, then hopefully they will be able to put a more interesting spin on a somewhat dull story in the future.
Only time will tell...
This suggests that she's beginning to understand the importance of the digital world to the success of her career, and that ideas which she previously avoided, such as allowing consumers to download her material, are actually the most affective way of making her money nowadays.
So this led me to think about the future of journalism, how digital developments are vastly affecting this industry, and what changes journalists must make in order to sustain their careers.
Mindy McAdams discusses these musings in what she refers to as the "iPod moment for newspapers", where she argues that "what happened to the music business, will happen to the news business".
She takes these ideas from Charles Arthur, who says that: "as the music industry has seen the destruction of the album ... now people just go for tracks. I think that in the same way, newspapers will find themselves driven down towards “the article” — as happens already online."
Roy Greenslade, The Guardian's online Blogger, believes that print journalism is dying as a result of new online communities, and says that print journalists need to recognise how to use this online medium to their advantage, rather than allowing it to push newspapers aside for good.
He says: "Unless traditional newspaper publishers can find a way of securing substantial online revenue streams, by attracting sufficient eyeballs for their editorial content, there is no future for them. That's the challenge."
And I agree. It seems to me that print journalists need to embrace this developing industry of online journalism, because it is happening, and it is affecting the ways in which people access their news. There is no way of preventing it, so if you can't beat them; join them!
A good example of using the online medium to its full potential can be seen on MTV's website, where a news story about "American Idol" offers much more than just the article in text format. In the middle of the text is a video, showing the TV performance that the article is referring to, and there is also a list of "related videos" and photographs.
Links within the text take users to other news stories on the website, as well as giving them the option to look at the MTV "newsroom blog", which users can become more involved in. Comments about the story are added at the end, showing that users like the idea of interactivity.
But Robert Niles has a slightly different approach. Although he agrees that online journalism is becoming an ever influential factor, ("discussion communities, blogs, wikis and other websites are drawing readers' attention from old media information sources"), he's noticeably more positive about it than Greenslade appears to be.
Niles believes that tutors of journalism should take a more active role in teaching their students about the new ways of presenting news, but says that "teaching them how to report, write, edit and produce news stories, even in multiple media, is not enough", because students need to learn how to compete within the journalism industry.
He bases his discussion around the idea that students will be more productive if they are encouraged to write about something which they are passionate about, and to learn how to maintain that passion throughout their writing and their journalistic lives.
While this may be a good starting point, it doesn't really adhere to his concept of competition, as it's my understanding that to get my foot through the journalism door, I'm going to have to write about things that I'm certainly not passionate about, or even totally bored by, from time to time.
But I suppose that if Niles can teach his students to appreciate the sheer joy that can be obtained from journalistic writing, then hopefully they will be able to put a more interesting spin on a somewhat dull story in the future.
Only time will tell...
Tuesday, 18 March 2008
Using Blogging to its full potential?
This week, I intended to write about the final of ITV's Dancing on Ice competition, which was won by ex Hearsay member, Suzanne Shaw. However, as I was sifting through the blogs to see if anyone was surprised/happy that she's won, I came across a number of blogs devoted to celebrities'.....babies!
Blogs such as "Celebs and Bubs" , and the "Celebrity Baby Blog" really do prove that people can blog about anything, and that a phenomenon which started out as a way to engage users into commenting on news, has now become more of a way for people to just generally gossip about things that most people (such as myself), consider unimportant, and equally uninteresting!
Kaye Sweetser's Blog regularly talks about the different advantages of online journalism, blogging in particular, and how the digital newsroom is vastly affecting the way that people perceieve and use journalism.
So I wonder why it is then, when people are given the opportuinity to use their skills and voice their opinions to achieve positive outcomes, that people think it's OK to use up Internet space to talk about celebrities' babies, who may be cute, but haven't really done anything worthwhile discussing, have they?
Sweetster mentions Joshua Micah Marshall, who recently won an award for his investigative journalism as a result of using Blogging as a way to encourage his readers to report on the US Attorney firing scandal. Now that is using blogging to it's full potential!
(Although, included in his profile is a photograph of him holding a baby, so I guess if he thinks it's OK to focus on babies just as much as the celebrity themselves, then maybe it is. He is, after all, an award winning Blogger!)
Blogs such as "Celebs and Bubs" , and the "Celebrity Baby Blog" really do prove that people can blog about anything, and that a phenomenon which started out as a way to engage users into commenting on news, has now become more of a way for people to just generally gossip about things that most people (such as myself), consider unimportant, and equally uninteresting!
Kaye Sweetser's Blog regularly talks about the different advantages of online journalism, blogging in particular, and how the digital newsroom is vastly affecting the way that people perceieve and use journalism.
So I wonder why it is then, when people are given the opportuinity to use their skills and voice their opinions to achieve positive outcomes, that people think it's OK to use up Internet space to talk about celebrities' babies, who may be cute, but haven't really done anything worthwhile discussing, have they?
Sweetster mentions Joshua Micah Marshall, who recently won an award for his investigative journalism as a result of using Blogging as a way to encourage his readers to report on the US Attorney firing scandal. Now that is using blogging to it's full potential!
(Although, included in his profile is a photograph of him holding a baby, so I guess if he thinks it's OK to focus on babies just as much as the celebrity themselves, then maybe it is. He is, after all, an award winning Blogger!)
Thursday, 21 February 2008
Jeremy Kyle vs. Jerry Springer
Jeremy Kyle was welcomed onto our TV screens with open arms a few years ago, hailed for his "no nonsense" approach and reinvention of British talk show culture. Viewers relished the fact that he actually argued with his guests instead of trying to be their "new best friend" like our old favourites, Sally Jesse Raphael and Trisha (who was promptly moved over to channel five).
But we’ve once again followed our "build them up to knock them down" routine, as we’ve done with so many other "celebrities". This time, it’s the Tories who’ve taken a shot, claiming that Britain is in danger of a "Jeremy Kyle culture", with too many people failing to acquire a substantial education and bring up a legitimate family.
Fair enough, but why drag Kyle into the equation?
Probably because he’s so well known now, from his "You’re a disgrace and a cheat, madam!" comments, to his infamous lie detector tests, that he’s the only way that the Conservatives can relate to us!
It was meant to be pure entertainment, but has somehow now crossed over into politics, and it’s becoming an issue of entertainment vs. reality.
We watch shows like "The Jeremy Kyle Show" because it presents to us a world that isn’t too far from our own, a world of divorce, one-night-stands, teenage pregnancies and drug or alcohol abuse. Most of us can relate to the guests, (or remain utterly shocked and disgusted at the thought of living such a lifestyle). Either way, our acceptance to the way we live and of our own values is reinforced.
But Kyle’s "smacks on the backsides" don’t seem to be working, and Conservative blogger Steve Green describes these daily antics as a "freak show" and a "blood sport". He explains his outrage at the amount of "bleeping" that occurs throughout the show to cover up the swearing, (this coming from a guy who uses the word "crap" in his blog). If Steve really wants something to complain about, he should take a look at our friends across the pond.
American talk show "Jerry Springer" is much worse than "Kyle" for the amount of swearing. In fact, it’s often unclear what the guests are actually arguing about due to continuous bleeping. They even have to "fuzz out" a large proportion of the show because of the amount of boobs and bums their guests seem to enjoy exposing.
Atleast Kyle tries to get to the route of the problem and offers counselling afterwards; Springer just stands there with a smile on his face, letting the bodyguards do all the legwork for him.
The Conservative’s argument stands that there’s a substantial "lack of male role models" in this country, with too many "unemployed, welfare-dependent, drug-dealing men". But let’s try not to get confused over the difference between entertainment and politics.
Let politics be politics, and let Jeremy Kyle stick to what he does best – entertain!
But we’ve once again followed our "build them up to knock them down" routine, as we’ve done with so many other "celebrities". This time, it’s the Tories who’ve taken a shot, claiming that Britain is in danger of a "Jeremy Kyle culture", with too many people failing to acquire a substantial education and bring up a legitimate family.
Fair enough, but why drag Kyle into the equation?
Probably because he’s so well known now, from his "You’re a disgrace and a cheat, madam!" comments, to his infamous lie detector tests, that he’s the only way that the Conservatives can relate to us!
It was meant to be pure entertainment, but has somehow now crossed over into politics, and it’s becoming an issue of entertainment vs. reality.
We watch shows like "The Jeremy Kyle Show" because it presents to us a world that isn’t too far from our own, a world of divorce, one-night-stands, teenage pregnancies and drug or alcohol abuse. Most of us can relate to the guests, (or remain utterly shocked and disgusted at the thought of living such a lifestyle). Either way, our acceptance to the way we live and of our own values is reinforced.
But Kyle’s "smacks on the backsides" don’t seem to be working, and Conservative blogger Steve Green describes these daily antics as a "freak show" and a "blood sport". He explains his outrage at the amount of "bleeping" that occurs throughout the show to cover up the swearing, (this coming from a guy who uses the word "crap" in his blog). If Steve really wants something to complain about, he should take a look at our friends across the pond.
American talk show "Jerry Springer" is much worse than "Kyle" for the amount of swearing. In fact, it’s often unclear what the guests are actually arguing about due to continuous bleeping. They even have to "fuzz out" a large proportion of the show because of the amount of boobs and bums their guests seem to enjoy exposing.
Atleast Kyle tries to get to the route of the problem and offers counselling afterwards; Springer just stands there with a smile on his face, letting the bodyguards do all the legwork for him.
The Conservative’s argument stands that there’s a substantial "lack of male role models" in this country, with too many "unemployed, welfare-dependent, drug-dealing men". But let’s try not to get confused over the difference between entertainment and politics.
Let politics be politics, and let Jeremy Kyle stick to what he does best – entertain!
Thursday, 14 February 2008
When America sneezes, Britain gets a cold?
The Hollywood writer’s strike appears to be coming to an end and after three months of debates over how much writers should receive from material accessed over the Internet, I have to ask; how much did the strike really affect the UK entertainment business?
I half-expected the strike to have a hugely negative impact on the UK, leaving us to watch repetitive soaps like Coronation Street and Eastenders rather than looking forward to exciting dramas such as Prison Break and Lost, especially with the mantra that "When America sneezes, Britain gets a cold".
But in fact the opposite appears to be true. The Baftas out-shone the Oscars this year, and British cinema consequently received substantial attention, and deserving recognition. Plus, we’ve got used to waiting around for American films and sitcoms to reach us over seas, and so we’ve managed to become quite patient in that respect.
So now that the strike is coming to end, will UK entertainment once again be pushed backstage? Probably not.
It seems to me that Britain grabbed this opportunity to out-do the States while it had the chance, resulting in anyone who’s interested in the entertainment business being forced to take notice of our small, stubborn country.
Times' Film Critic James Christopher objects to this viewpoint, arguing that just because British film "Atonement" didn't receive as many awards as it was nominated for, and especially as Keira Knightley lost out on the Best Actress award to French actress Marion Cotillard, the Baftas turned out to be a "wasted opportunity" for British cinema.
But still, the Baftas did create a lot media attention and speculation towards British entertainment, and now that it has been placed on the map as a worthwhile competitor for academic acclaim, I’ve got a strong suspicion that it’s going to put up a fight to stay there!
But the issue still remains that people are more commonly accessing material over the Internet, free of charge. And while the Hollywood writer’s debate may shortly be resolved, it may only be a matter of time before other entertainment distributors feel resentment towards this issue.
Many companies use the Internet as a means for advertising themselves to consumers, such as the BBC’s iPlayer. But the BBC makes no additional profit from this, so why put so much money and energy into creating it?
There are advantages to users of course, in that they can access material where and when it suits them, but this could eventually backfire if companies decide to take a stance and refuse to provide their services for free in the future.
I half-expected the strike to have a hugely negative impact on the UK, leaving us to watch repetitive soaps like Coronation Street and Eastenders rather than looking forward to exciting dramas such as Prison Break and Lost, especially with the mantra that "When America sneezes, Britain gets a cold".
But in fact the opposite appears to be true. The Baftas out-shone the Oscars this year, and British cinema consequently received substantial attention, and deserving recognition. Plus, we’ve got used to waiting around for American films and sitcoms to reach us over seas, and so we’ve managed to become quite patient in that respect.
So now that the strike is coming to end, will UK entertainment once again be pushed backstage? Probably not.
It seems to me that Britain grabbed this opportunity to out-do the States while it had the chance, resulting in anyone who’s interested in the entertainment business being forced to take notice of our small, stubborn country.
Times' Film Critic James Christopher objects to this viewpoint, arguing that just because British film "Atonement" didn't receive as many awards as it was nominated for, and especially as Keira Knightley lost out on the Best Actress award to French actress Marion Cotillard, the Baftas turned out to be a "wasted opportunity" for British cinema.
But still, the Baftas did create a lot media attention and speculation towards British entertainment, and now that it has been placed on the map as a worthwhile competitor for academic acclaim, I’ve got a strong suspicion that it’s going to put up a fight to stay there!
But the issue still remains that people are more commonly accessing material over the Internet, free of charge. And while the Hollywood writer’s debate may shortly be resolved, it may only be a matter of time before other entertainment distributors feel resentment towards this issue.
Many companies use the Internet as a means for advertising themselves to consumers, such as the BBC’s iPlayer. But the BBC makes no additional profit from this, so why put so much money and energy into creating it?
There are advantages to users of course, in that they can access material where and when it suits them, but this could eventually backfire if companies decide to take a stance and refuse to provide their services for free in the future.
Friday, 8 February 2008
Why does nobody talk about antidepressants?
I’m led to believe that the use of antidepressants is fairly common these days, and that more and more people are relying on them to help overcome depression. So why does nobody talk about them?
I often hear people boasting of their visits to counsellors, as though representing a glamorous, almost celebrity lifestyle, but they never seem to acknowledge the growing popularity of more controversial methods of dealing with depression, such as prescribed drugs.
It may be that people feel that non-substance methods are more favourable ways of dealing with depression, such as therapy, or changing lifestyle habits to incorporate more exercise and healthy eating, and I wouldn’t disagree that these should be the first steps in fighting depression.
But it has to be recognised that some circumstances require people to use medical treatment to deal with their situations. Yet with so few people discussing these matters, how much do people really understand about antidepressants?
For this Blog, I referred to a Glamour magazine article titled: "What every woman should know about antidepressants." Firstly, the article describes the increased popularity of anti-depressant drugs among British women, before beginning to explain how they’re effective in some cases, but ineffective, and potentially dangerous in others.
A short "quiz" is provided for readers to discover if they may benefit from using antidepressants, and a guide to the different types of pills is also provided.
Initially, the article appears to support the drugs, including various "My pill" stories from women who have had successful experiences after starting their drug therapy, but there are certain warnings too.
I know two people who have turned to antidepressants over the last few years, and have noticed significant improvements for both of them during their treatments. The only problem occurred when one of them believed themselves better and decided to stop taking their medication. It was too soon for this because their treatment wasn’t complete, and they consequently became depressed again.
Side affects of using antidepressants include weight gain, relationship problems and headaches. And drinking alcohol whilst using antidepressants is unadvised.
Alternative methods of dealing with depression are also covered, as discussed earlier in this Blog, such as counselling, regular exercise, introducing more omega-3 into the diet, or trying a "sunshine herb" known as St John’s wort.
There are noticeably varied responses relating to antidepressants in Internet Blogs, with titles ranging from "Life is pleasure with antidepressants", to "All antidepressants to carry suicide warnings".
The dispute over antidepressants is only likely to widen further as their benefits, and negative side affects, are more openly discussed in the media. But unless the "taboo" surrounding this type of treatment disappears soon, it’s probable that many people who could be benefiting from the drugs, or even those who perhaps shouldn’t be using them but are, will remain uneducated about the basic facts and consequently unable to find the treatment suitable for them.
For these reasons, it goes without saying that people should seek medical advice before considering using antidepressants, but they should also remember that ultimately, this treatment could help improve their life, and so should not be afraid to atleast ask about their options as a first step.
http://supermanix.blogspot.com/2008/02/life-is-pleasure-with-antidepressants.html
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/rss/news/article/782682/antidepressants-carry-suicide-warnings/
I often hear people boasting of their visits to counsellors, as though representing a glamorous, almost celebrity lifestyle, but they never seem to acknowledge the growing popularity of more controversial methods of dealing with depression, such as prescribed drugs.
It may be that people feel that non-substance methods are more favourable ways of dealing with depression, such as therapy, or changing lifestyle habits to incorporate more exercise and healthy eating, and I wouldn’t disagree that these should be the first steps in fighting depression.
But it has to be recognised that some circumstances require people to use medical treatment to deal with their situations. Yet with so few people discussing these matters, how much do people really understand about antidepressants?
For this Blog, I referred to a Glamour magazine article titled: "What every woman should know about antidepressants." Firstly, the article describes the increased popularity of anti-depressant drugs among British women, before beginning to explain how they’re effective in some cases, but ineffective, and potentially dangerous in others.
A short "quiz" is provided for readers to discover if they may benefit from using antidepressants, and a guide to the different types of pills is also provided.
Initially, the article appears to support the drugs, including various "My pill" stories from women who have had successful experiences after starting their drug therapy, but there are certain warnings too.
I know two people who have turned to antidepressants over the last few years, and have noticed significant improvements for both of them during their treatments. The only problem occurred when one of them believed themselves better and decided to stop taking their medication. It was too soon for this because their treatment wasn’t complete, and they consequently became depressed again.
Side affects of using antidepressants include weight gain, relationship problems and headaches. And drinking alcohol whilst using antidepressants is unadvised.
Alternative methods of dealing with depression are also covered, as discussed earlier in this Blog, such as counselling, regular exercise, introducing more omega-3 into the diet, or trying a "sunshine herb" known as St John’s wort.
There are noticeably varied responses relating to antidepressants in Internet Blogs, with titles ranging from "Life is pleasure with antidepressants", to "All antidepressants to carry suicide warnings".
The dispute over antidepressants is only likely to widen further as their benefits, and negative side affects, are more openly discussed in the media. But unless the "taboo" surrounding this type of treatment disappears soon, it’s probable that many people who could be benefiting from the drugs, or even those who perhaps shouldn’t be using them but are, will remain uneducated about the basic facts and consequently unable to find the treatment suitable for them.
For these reasons, it goes without saying that people should seek medical advice before considering using antidepressants, but they should also remember that ultimately, this treatment could help improve their life, and so should not be afraid to atleast ask about their options as a first step.
http://supermanix.blogspot.com/2008/02/life-is-pleasure-with-antidepressants.html
http://www.healthcarerepublic.com/rss/news/article/782682/antidepressants-carry-suicide-warnings/
Monday, 28 January 2008
To succeed as a journalist means to be a regular blogger.
As yet I've never been particularly interested in writing a professional blog, based on my assumption that absolutely everybody will access it and the world will be allowed to read my thoughts; an idea which, frankly, scares me.
However, being told that to succeed as a journalist means to be a regular blogger has encouraged me to bite the bullet and give it a go. And so The Digital Newsroom Blog has been created, where I shall attempt to develop my blogging skills whilst learning more about journalism issues and debates from reading other people's blogs and familiarising myself with the general blogging environment.
My main interest in journalism lies with feature writing, particularly magazine journalism, and so I'm interested in evaluating the content of particular pieces and the issues that are covered in, or arise from them. It will also be useful to examine the ways in which these issues are received by users, for which I will search the Internet for comment pieces and opinions from experts of particular fields.
It is my understanding that good journalism, which I'm keen to reflect in my blog, should remain objective. Although achieving complete objectivity is somewhat impossible when writing about something that you're genuinely interested in, and so I appreciate that flexibility for comment and personal writing styles is inevitable.
However, being told that to succeed as a journalist means to be a regular blogger has encouraged me to bite the bullet and give it a go. And so The Digital Newsroom Blog has been created, where I shall attempt to develop my blogging skills whilst learning more about journalism issues and debates from reading other people's blogs and familiarising myself with the general blogging environment.
My main interest in journalism lies with feature writing, particularly magazine journalism, and so I'm interested in evaluating the content of particular pieces and the issues that are covered in, or arise from them. It will also be useful to examine the ways in which these issues are received by users, for which I will search the Internet for comment pieces and opinions from experts of particular fields.
It is my understanding that good journalism, which I'm keen to reflect in my blog, should remain objective. Although achieving complete objectivity is somewhat impossible when writing about something that you're genuinely interested in, and so I appreciate that flexibility for comment and personal writing styles is inevitable.
Also, I have been appointed the task of blogging about current UK entertainment as part of my university journalism course, which to a certain extent refers to the magazine features I will be looking at, but also television, film and celebrities.
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