11 February 2009

The face of the news

T
he most recent in a long line of distinguished guests
to Coventry Conversations, Jon Snow spoke to a
crowded auditorium on Friday.
Jon Snow’s visit was a memorable one, not only
for those students and audience members who were
able to hear him speak but for Jon Snow too. “that was a great
session..quite unlike anything else I’ve done...Wonderfully
diverse audience in age ethnicity and the rest..a great tribute
to Coventry university..where else would we find such media
action and comprehension?”
He shared stories of his interviews and successes, gave ad-
vice to the journalism students present and an insight into the
working world of Channel 4.
Despite having spent more than 30 years working in the
media industry and having interviewed some of the big-
gest names, Jon admitted that he still gets nervous. He said:
“You’re most anxious about interviews that matter. I was very
uncomfortable on the television for years, but if you do it
enough you can do it with ease.” He added, “The hardest thing
Photos: D Cox

is actually to relax and be yourself.” His advice to budding jour-

nalists battling with similar nerves was to get into a position
where they’re relaxed in interviewing.
Recent years have seen the news evolve into a 24 hour-a-
day, instant access entertainment medium but the changing
face of the media is something Jon Snow has become quite
familiar with over his long career; his interviews, articles and
“A great tribute to blog (channel 4’s Snowmail) are all easily accessible online. He

Coventry University - can see a future for the industry, though it may be quite differ-
ent; “The question is; are we a website with a TV channel or a
where else would we find TV channel with a website? I think we’re a website
with a TV channel now.”
such media action and
comprehension?”

Turn over for more

O
 On to a winner
„„ New journalists have been given a chance to shine at
Coventry University this month. The Ernest Petrie Prize for
Excellence in Journalism is in its second year at Coventry

Pihoto: courtesy Graham Harwood

and this year it produced 9 winners.
Ernest Petrie, Pro-Chancellor of the university and Presi-
dent of the Scottish Newspaper Publishers Association, has
kindly donated £6000 to support the internal competition
for 3 years. Winners were awarded £300 each with £100
awarded to second and third places.
John Mair is the Chairman of the competition’s panel
of judges. “The quality was very good,” he said. “In these
troubled times for the media industries, any small help we
and Ernest Petrie can offer our students is welcome. Con- 2009 WINNERS
gratulations to all of them.” MA winners:
Announced at the conclusion of last week’s Coventry Anand Mohan;
Conversation, Jon Snow was kind enough to present the Danielle Cox;
winners with their cerificates. Patricia Resende
One of the MA winners, Patricia Resende, said “I was really honoured to receive my award
from such a famous journalist.” An international student from Brazil, Patricia says that the BA (3) winners:
Jason Craig;
prize money will also come in useful “It’s good because it’s so expensive living here.”
Daniel Berry;
„„ Everyone has the chance to be published here at CU - with student publications like the Iain Green
Buzz needing your stories. Send in your stories to thebuzz@fsmail.net

Our finest
BA (2) winners:
Joanne Ostrowski;
Laura Collier;
Sophie Bray

chronicler?
Born Eric Arthur Blair on 25 June
1903, George Orwell was a British
journalist and author. After a brief
career in the Indian Imperial Police
he decided to become a writer and
moved to Paris where he supported
himself with a series of menial jobs.
His first book, ‘Down and Out in Paris
and London’, described his experi-
ences. He adopted the pseudonym
George Orwell, shortly before its
publication in 1933, possibly to spare
his family’s own name.
‘Animal Farm’. As well as working as
“War is peace.
Freedom is slavery.
an author and for the BBC, Orwell
was editor for the Tribune and a Ignorance is
prolific journalist. Described by the
Economist as ‘perhaps the 20th strength” - 1984
century’s best chronicler
of English culture”, more
than 50 years after his
death George Orwell s
still an important figure
in both literature and
journalism.
Pihoto: www.ucl.ac.uk

After a mixed political his- George Orwell: England’s finest

tory Orwell worked for the BBC as a journalist?
‘propaganda writer’ before produc-
ing two of the most famous novels Professor Richard Keeble, 25th
of the 20th century - ‘1984’ and February 13.00 ETG34

The student and staff newsletter of the Media and

Communications department of Coventry School of Art
and Design
Written and edited by Danielle Cox
Submissions are invited, please send any articles to
thebuzz@fsmail.net
Thanks to John Mair, Dan Berry and Jason Craig