NCTJ backs Local Newspaper Week

The National Council for the Training of Journalists has backed Local Newspaper Week, a annual event organised by the Newspaper Society supporting independent local journalism.

The National Council for the Training of Journalists has backed Local Newspaper Week, a annual event organised by the Newspaper Society supporting independent local journalism.

Local Newspaper Week this year takes place from 10 – 16 May. The theme of this year’s event is ‘Your Voice’, with a focus on the importance of journalists to be trusted by local communities to hold public bodies to account.

Kim Fletcher, NCTJ chairman, speaking on behalf of the charity, which provides gold standard multimedia journalism training, gave his backing to Local Newspaper Week, joining Sir Harold Evans, who last year supported NCTJ training, and sporting celebrity Gary Lineker.

Kim Fletcher said: “Life on a local newspaper gives journalists a practical grounding in sourcing news, making contacts and interviewing real people.

“Every day NCTJ-trained journalists on local newspapers across the UK scrutinise public bodies, hold civil servants to account and ensure transparency in the legal process.

“The NCTJ is proud to support local newspapers and the role they play in maintaining our society as a fair, liberal democracy where every person has a voice which can be heard.”

Newspaper editors will be able to download Kim’s full quote from the Newspaper Society website http://www.newspapersoc.org.uk/blog/index.php/local-newspaper-week-2010/

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