Memorandum submitted by the Course Leader
for the Trinity Mirror Journalism Foundation Course
Trinity Mirror's courses are held in Newcastle
and Glasgow and provide our trainee reporters with the core skills
they need to begin work as journalists.
Those attending include national and regional
journalists employed at Trinity Mirror's 250 plus titles including
publications such as the Daily Mirror, The Liverpool Echo,
The Western Mail, The Evening Chronicle, Newcastle and the
Daily Record.
Some 50 to 60 trainees attend these courses
each year with approximately 30 others attending shorter satellite
courses elsewhere.
An essential part of this training is a thorough
understanding of the Press Complaints Commission Code of Practice.
All Trinity Mirror reporters are required to
abide by the conditions of the Code and a willingness to do so
is included as a condition of their contracts of employment.
As well as attending formal training sessions,
all reporters sitting their final professional examinations for
seniority are tested on their knowledge of the Code.
A key element in making sure that our young
journalists understand the Code has been the support of the PCC.
Not only does the PCC supply material and advice,
a senior member of the Commission attends every course to lecture
trainees. Until his recent appointment as Acting Chairman this
role has been carried out by Privacy Commissioner Professor Robert
Pinker.
This has proved invaluable in making sure our
trainees understand all aspects of self-regulation including those
parts of the Code dealing with issues of privacy and media intrusion.
I feel that any evaluation of the work of the
PCC should include this important function carried out for ourselves
and many other training providers and academic institutions.
15 January 2003
| 
