[cma-l] BBC to offer journalism masterclasses free online

[CMA-L]

By James Robinson, The Guardian, Monday 14 December 2009

The public will be able to gain online access to masterclasses
delivered by some of the BBC's best-known journalists, including John
Simpson and John Humphrys, under plans to be announced later today.

BBC executives plan to let licence-fee payers use the corporation's
internal training website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/journalism/), which
includes thousands of hours of material, as part of a range of
partnership agreements. Rival news organisations and broadcasters will
also be able to use the material.

The BBC claims the website is the most comprehensive of its type in
the world. Other journalists who contribute material include the BBC
business editor, Robert Peston, and the security correspondent, Frank
Gardner.

This initiative will be unveiled later today at the official launch of
the BBC Academy, the corporation's dedicated centre of excellence for
training in journalism, production, leadership and technology.

The BBC will claim the new initiatives are part of an unprecedented
strategy to develop partnerships and give wider access to the
corporation's training resources and skills to support the wider UK
media industry.

The website is part of the BBC College of Journalism, which has been
running for three years as an internal BBC resource. It teaches basic
journalistic skills as well as ethics and values. The site will be
available free within the UK, and by subscription elsewhere.

Other ventures expected to be announced at the launch include a joint
initiative with Channel 4 to increase understanding of diversity in
the workplace through a series of workshops. The BBC will also team up
with ITV to give people with disabilities a greater chance to find
employment within the media industry.

The BBC will make its Multiplatform Foundation training model
available to other broadcasters and organisations including the
independent producers' trade body, Pact, and the broadcasting union,
Bectu.

Today's BBC Academy launch will be attended by the director general,
Mark Thompson, and the deputy director general, Mark Byford, who
chairs the academy's board."The BBC is determined to support the wider
UK media industry through difficult times and by sharing valuable
training resources like the College of Journalism we can help to
secure the best standards and learning in the world," Byford will tell
attendees at the launch.

"These new measures build upon our video news syndication, Radio Live
Player and other partnerships to support the media industry which is
why we are extending our partnership commitments in training to work
with other organisations in a challenging media landscape."

The BBC says the new initiative demonstrates that it is willing to
help commercial competitors. The corporation has come under pressure
to share resources with ITV and others because of the financial
security the licence fee guarantees at a time when rivals are
struggling in the wake of falling revenues.

The BBC's Charter agreement with the government also includes a
responsibility to train the broadcasting industry.

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/dec/14/bbc-college-of-journalism

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