Your Noon Briefing: MG ALBA, Harry Benson, etc

BEGINS a media release posted on allmediascotland on behalf of the Gaelic media service, MG ALBA (one of the two partners in BBC ALBA): “A new online resource aimed at youngsters between 15-20 years with a keen interest in working in the media, specifically Gaelic media, has been launched [yesterday] by MG ALBA, the Gaelic Media Service.

“The information will provide invaluable advice for enthusiastic youngsters to develop and enhance their skills in the Gaelic media industry be it as a hobby or a possible career choice.

“As well as providing resources on career possibilities, study courses and work experience opportunities, they will be able to learn how some familiar faces in the sector got to where they are now.”

Read more, here.

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A DEADLINE of September 26 has been set for entries to an annual media awards competition for students.

The UK-wide Student Television Awards are being staged by the Royal Television Society.

For more details, click here.

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THE Scotsman today carries a pic of broadcaster, Kate Adie – receiving an honorary doctorate from Queen Margaret University.

And a report about the award – in local newspaper, the East Lothian News – began yesterday: “Internationally renowned journalist Kate Adie and influential theatre director Eugenio Barba have been awarded honorary degrees from Queen Margaret University in Musselburgh.

“Both were invited to the university’s graduation ceremony, held at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall today (Tuesday), to be presented with the degrees of Doctors of Letters.”

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A RECENTLY-retired local newspaper editor has come up with the following five tips, from 25 years in journalism:

1. Trust your instinct;

2. There are two sides to every story;

3. Be impartial;

4. My advice to editors is to build a good team and act as a team; and

5. Try and keep a smile on your face.

More about each of the tips is published here on the website, holdthefrontpage, and are courtesy of Darren Isted, recent former editor of Stevenage and North Hertfordshire newspaper, The Comet.

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ON Friday, allmediascotland pointed readers to a photograph appearing in that day’s Herald newspaper, of its former staff journalist, Melanie Reid, receiving an honorary degree from the University of Stirling for her outstanding contribution to journalism and disability rights.

However, what we failed to mention is that a photograph of her, two columns wide and almost the entire depth of the tabloid page, also appeared that day on the front page of the Scottish edition of The Times for whom Reid now writes.

Reid, who pens a column every Saturday in The Times colour supplement, wrote that she had recently highlighted the plight of her local Riding for the Disabled group, which was struggling for survival “with a less than compassionate landlord”.

She continued: “The generosity of Times readers has left me and my RDA friends almost speechless: thousands of pounds of donations pouring into their fighting fund…”

Reid, who was paralysed after falling from a horse in April four ago, continued: “Thank you not just for the money. Thank you for teaching me, in particular, because I was ignorant, that the real world is a much nicer place than I ever realised. That beneath the surface manifestation of power in politics, celebrity and wealth, lies something with far more heft – the ordinary spirit of humanity.”

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THE photographer, Harry Benson, graces the pages of both The Herald (page 2) and The Scotsman (most of page 3) today.

Began the Edinburgh Evening News yesterday: “Scottish photographer Harry Benson has taken a new portrait of the Queen, describing it as ‘truly a highlight’ of his career.”

It later continues: “Glasgow-born Benson has spent more than 50 years behind the lens and photographed every American president since Eisenhower and worked with countless celebrities including The Beatles, Michael Jackson, Amy Winehouse and Kate Moss.

“His 1964 image of The Beatles having a pillow fight in a Paris hotel room during their international tour has become one of the world’s most-recognised images of the pop group.”

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SCOTS such as Fraser Nelson and Laura Kuenssberg have been named among the ‘top 50 most influential UK journalists on social media’ by the trade website, pressgazette.co.uk.

Says the website (here), the most influential is former Daily Mirror editor – and, more recently, TV host – Piers Morgan.

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SEEN anything you think readers of www.allmediascotland.com should be made aware of? Then just send the weblink to here and we’ll do the rest. All suggestions gratefully received. We’re back at noon tomorrow.

PS Your Noon Briefing is a relatively new venture for allmediascotland.com. We are no longer going to report news, story-by-story. Instead, we are going to find content we hope will be useful, in the belief it will prove to be a more comprehensive service.