Today, newspaper circulation continues to decline. With iPads and apps etc, people are more inclined to check the news online, than go out and buy a newspaper. The invention of the iPad has added to the idea of people interacting with the news. News online includes podcasts and video which can be more appealing to some, particularly those of a younger generation who are technologically minded.

An article on the Press Gazette on 19 November 2010 highlights the importance of iPads and iPhones to news circulation. The article entitled ‘The Economist launches first iPhone and iPad apps’ says The Economist aims to have 1 million digital subscribers in the next 3 years. This shows that newspapers know that the future of journalism is online. The Economist follows numerous online newspapers altering for today’s converged environment, including the Guardian, the Times and the Financial Times.

In an entry on the Guardian’s Organ Grinder blog on 15 November 2010, Dan Sabbagh said: ‘No wonder, then, that James Murdoch said on Friday that his company’s “flagship newspaper products” were his titles’ iPad apps, because it is in the multimedia newspaper that the future has to lie.’ Multimedia news reporting is being recognised as the way forward in the journalism industry.

In our first live rolling news day we didn’t use podcasts but on the day we were assessed we used them to announce the day’s headlines. In this day and age, news websites are being updated all the time, therefore it is important to make the reader aware of the most important stories of the day. A news summary in audio form allows them to see what it available and therefore decide what they want to follow up. If a news provider does this then I think it works in their favour. Sometimes a news website can be overwhelming to the reader as there is so much information offered to them. If an online newspaper can give them a taste of what is available using a podcast I think it is more likely the reader will remain on their website.

Looking at our assessed live rolling news day, the mistakes we had learned from previous news days really helped us. With only 2 hours to source original stories a conscious effort was made to arrive before our start time of 9am. The job of editor had been assigned before our 2 hours began which helped everything else fall into place a lot quicker and more easily. Everyone knew what position they were in before they began.

Putting an original article together under pressure is difficult. I quickly learned that if you have a short time span to write your story, you should have everything prepared before hand – quotes transcribed, the angle of your article decided etc. It took a lot of time to firstly, find the most suitable quotes on my dictaphone, then try and listen correctly to what was said during the parliament committee meeting I had attended the previous day. It took so much time to do this, and then write the article; 2 hours went passed extremely quickly.

A good team that interacts is key to running a live news day. Our editor on numerous occasions went around people to see if they were managing so no one was left to struggle on their own. The sub editors and picture editor communicated well with others which was encouraging and helped to get copy in successfully.

Looking at the content, a variety of stories were uploaded including political, local, sport and entertainment. However, I think some of the content lacked originality. With so many news providers, there is a lot of competition. If you want to beat your competitors, you have to provide something different for your readers. A lot of the stories were follow ups from current news. For example, the student protests in London which has been heavily covered in the media and Mark McGhee, the Aberdeen football club manager, and his refusal to resign. Nevertheless, the Susan Boyle book signing article had original quotes from people who attended the event. Although this story was most likely covered by other journalists, no one else would have these exact quotes.

A video was also uploaded with the content to Edinburgh Napier News showing the highlights of the British University Dryslope championships. Together with the podcasts, as a group of acting reporters, I felt we made a good attempt to meet the multimedia aspect of what live rolling news is about in this converging media world.

UK transport minister Mike Penning has said there is an opportunity for Westminster to devolve powers of school transport to the Scottish Government if it is believed it will bring down the number of children injured and killed in school bus accidents.

Penning was the second Westminster minister to have ever given evidence at Holyrood. At the public petitions committee meeting he said : “As I read the papers, I was really surprised by some of the comments from local authorities, not just in Scotland but around the UK, about what they can and cannot do, because the legislation is specific on that.”

There has been a lot of confusion from local authorities over the powers they have involving their ability to improve safety of school buses. Previous to the meeting, Penning had met with Ron Beaty a North East petitioner for school bus safety. The minister said that when Beaty contacted local authorities, they said: “We can’t do that.” Penning found this worrying as in fact they could.

The minister said he wanted the issue of vehicle signage resolved by using retrosignage on school buses. Instead of light being reflected, it is absorbed by the sign and is let back out. Penning made it clear if this was to work, bus companies must remove signs when buses are no longer transporting children to and from school.

He said: “We do not want to use the big stick all the time, but if companies continually ignore the fact that they should remove signage when the vehicle is not being used as a school bus, we will ensure that they do not ignore it any longer.” He claimed that signage is something that can be sorted immediately, even if it is decided that powers are to be devolved, as it is a problem throughout the UK.

In current legislation, drivers of school buses are allowed to use hazard flashing lights as well as additional lights of unlimited size to warn drivers of children getting on and off buses.

The concern expressed on the committee was that many motorists do not know what the flashing lights indicate.

Stewart Stevenson, the minister for transport, infrastructure and climate change said: “We have research that suggests that when most drivers see a vehicle—even a bus—with flashers going, they believe that the vehicle has broken down. The wider issue is ensuring that drivers consider what they are being presented with.”

Penning said: “Any grey areas in the legislation with regard to what local authorities can or cannot do will be alleviated in literally a few weeks’ time when I write to them … telling them the exact situation to ensure that they cannot in any shape or form say that they have not been informed … it will be for others, particularly parents, to follow up the issue.”

In Wales responsibility of school transport has already been devolved. The Welsh model was used positively by Penning and others giving evidence at the meeting.

Refering to the model Stevenson said: “I would rather copy than innovate—it is cheaper, and we know what the likely outcome is.”

Penning said: “School transport is an area in which there could be benefits to communities and lives could be saved if the Scottish Government wished to take that competence.”

Stevenson will now talk to Keith Brown, the education minister who is expected to decide whether the Scottish Government will make a formal request to the Scotland Office at Westminster for the devolution of school transport.

The Scottish Government is to be asked to open an independent inquiry into the conviction of the Libyan, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi who was found guilty of the Lockerbie bombing in 2001.

Many people, including highly qualified lawyers, believe Megrahi’s Kamp van Zeist conviction of the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 in December 1988 was a miscarriage of justice. 1600 people have signed a petition for an inquiry to be opened.

Yesterday, members of Justice for Megrahi gave evidence to the Public Petitions Committee. It agreed to act on the petition and write to the Scottish Government on their behalf.

Campaigner Dr Jim Swire, whose daughter was killed in the terrorist attack that claimed 270 lives, nearly 22 years ago said: “I am the only person here who has met Mr Megrahi at all recently. I met him about a month or six weeks ago. It seemed to me that he felt ashamed at having dropped his appeal.”

He continued and said: “I think that he was feeling ashamed because he knew that I, as a representative of the relatives, believed that his second appeal to the High Court here would cause a re-evaluation of the verdict against him, and he and I both felt that that re-evaluation would almost certainly lead to the overturning of the verdict, so he felt ashamed that he had withdrawn his appeal.”

Megrahi’s first appeal was rejected in 2002 and in 2009 his second appeal was dropped soon after it began. This was just before it was announced by Kenny Macaskill that Megrahi was to be released on compassionate grounds due to his terminal illness.

Swire said: “The failure to institute an inquiry would perpetuate an indelible stain on the reputation and standing of the Scottish justice system at home and abroad.”

 Justice for Megrahi believes that the evidence that lead to Megrahi’s conviction at the Scottish court in Netherlands in 2001 was insufficient for a conclusion to have been drawn. There was also no jury involved in the trial.

Swire said: “I am satisfied that this man was not involved … I am sad to see the name of Scottish justice dragged down by the case.”

Canon Patrick Keegans, also a member of Justice for Megrahi said: “All who are involved with it—those who died, their families and all who are part and parcel of the community, which seeks a justice system that looks after it—need the truth and justice to allow themselves to be at peace. Otherwise, we are still back on 21 December 1988 in the darkness.”

A protest against the killing of dolphins and whales in Japan has been held outside the Japanese Consulate in Edinburgh.

The demonstration was part of a global initiative by an international organisation, Save Japan Dolphins. Protests were carried out earlier this month in cities including Melbourne, Miami, San Francisco, London and Paris. A message was sent out online looking for supporters to organise these events in their cities.

 In Edinburgh around 20 people, made up of students and the general public, protested with posters outside the consulates office during their opening hours of between 2-4.30pm with the aim of their message being sent back to the Japanese Government in Tokyo.

The protest was organised and support was gathered by Edinburgh Napier student, Lucas Ruzowitzky who is in his first year of studying environmental biology.

He said: “A bit of irony with this whole issue is that this year has been declared the official year of biodiversity by the United Nations and they recently had a summit about this in Japan of all places on how to try and slow down the rate at which animals are going extinct. Whaling and dolphin hunting was not on the agenda at all during the summit from what I’ve read. Funny really.”

Protestors outside the Japanese consulate in Edinburgh

The International Whaling Commission regulates global whaling. In the 1980s a ban on whaling was agreed but countries were still allowed to whale for scientific research. The Japanese Government claim it hunts for scientific reasons. This has been proved to be untrue as whale meat is still sold for consumption in Japan.

 The small fishing villiage of Taiji on Japan’s coast has been highly publicised for its killing of dolphins. The dolphin hunters herd dolphins into a bay named the Cove where many of them are slaughtered.

 Ruzowitzky said: “Dolphin trainers from aquariums from throughout the world come to this place and select the individuals that they want because you can’t breed dolphins in captivity. The dolphins get stressed so all of them are caught from the wild and the ones that aren’t selected, they are killed for consumption.”

Every year Japan goes to the southern ocean around Antarctica on a whaling hunt for scientific research and they also allow hunting of small dolphin and whales off of their own coastal waters.

 Ruzowitzky said: “They go there and kill them which is actually illegal under international law because that is an ocean sanctuary. So they are not allowed to kill any whales down there.”

When asked to comment on the demonstration, the Japanese Consulate spokesperson said: “I have asked the chief officer and he has said we cannot comment on the issue.”

This month’s demonstration focused on campaigning against the hunting of dolphins in Japan as small dolphins are not classified as whales by the International Whaling Commission. Another protest is to be held outside the Japanese Consulate on 5 November for whaling as a whole. There has been talk by protestors staying until midnight hours.

The style guru that every girl wants as their best friend, Gok Wan arrived at Ocean Terminal, Edinburgh where a queue of fans grew from one end of the shopping centre to

(Photograph: Niomi Fraser) Gok as he browsed the Ocean Terminal Shops

 the other in anticipation of their books being signed.

Gok’s television shows have created a feisty but lovable persona that has warmed to young and old, male and female around the UK. His friendly, caring character was shown on Saturday. He acknowledged anyone that acknowledged him. As he passed fans before the book signing he joked with them: “Very good book I hear.”

Sharon Tucker, 28, from Edinburgh, said: “I watch all his shows and I think he is great. I think everybody should have a Gok. He is like a wee fairy godmother, he tells you what to wear.”

Gok was in Scotland to promote his autobiography Through Thick and Thin. He had done a book signing in Glasgow’s Braehead Shopping centre earlier in the day and was in Edinburgh for a 5 pm signing in conjunction with Waterstones.

His early arrival gave him time to walk around the shopping centre. Gok went in and out of shops, browsing through racks of clothes like any other shopper on a Saturday afternoon. He wore a stylish yet casual outfit with his green and cream cardigan complimenting his fitted brown trousers.

 Tucker said: “He is obviously very down to earth. It makes him just like you or I.”

 A small crowd of fans waited at the door of each shop before following Gok as he moved onto the next. He looked at home in his natural environment.

(Photograph: Niomi Fraser) Fans of all generations came to meet the style guru. (right-left) Friends Kevin Farquharson and Simone Learmonth

 Each time he emerged, the screaming of young girls could be heard from throughout the shopping centre. Many of the fans who queued were of a younger generation than of the most regularly featured woman on Gok’s programmes How to Look Good Naked and Gok’s Fashion Fix. Even men were queuing to see television’s face of fashion.

Kevin Farquharson, 39, from Edinburgh, came to see Gok as a surprise Christmas present from his friend Simone Learmonth, 42, also from Edinburgh.

 Farquharson said: “My friend here has bought me the book and we are going to get it signed.” Farquharson is a huge fan of Gok Wan but he came to the shopping centre not knowing what his friend had in store for him.

Learmonth said he watches Gok’s programmes: “religiously”.

When asked during the book signing if he was happy with the turnout of fans Gok enthusiastically replied: “Really pleased!”

The event was well organised. Although there was not enough time for fans to have photographs taken with the fashionista, a system was set up so they were able to get personalised autographs inside their books.

Phil Longson, a member of Waterstones staff, said: “It has been hectic but a lot of fun, as far as I know everything has been absolutely fine, no hiccups or anything.”

(Photograph: Niomi Fraser) Gok as he greated fans with: 'How are you?" as he signed their books

On numerous occasions Yasmine went round people to see if they were managing. I thought this helped to keep everyone together, and so no one was left to struggle on their own. I was having difficulties with my article and I felt that as an editor, Yasmine made herself seem approachable.

The day previous to our live rolling news day, I had attended a Public Petitions committee meeting as the Scottish Parliament to try and get a fresh story. I was lucky I had seen that meeting on the Parliament website as they were hearing evidence from campaigners who are part of ‘Justice for Megrahi’. It took a while for anything to stand out in the meeting, but once Dr Jim Swire, who lost his daughter in the Lockerbie bombing said “I met him about a month, 6 weeks ago. It seemed to me that he felt ashamed at having dropped his appeal.” I knew there was a story there.

The issue I found on the live rolling news day was trying to get the quotes I needed off of my dictaphone. It took a lot of time to firstly, find the most suitable quotes, then try and listen correctly to what was said. It took so much time to do this, and then write the article; 2 hours went passed extremely quickly. I know that in this day and age, news is put out as quickly as it comes in, but for me it was really difficult.

However, when I looked round at everyone else, they seemed to be getting really into it. It was a contrast to our first ever practice live rolling news day. People were on their phones, getting quotes for their articles, the situation felt more real.

Yasmine wanted everyone’s first copies in by 10-15am which I thought was a good idea as it allowed enough time for any adjustments to be made and any major issues people were having to be sorted. Nearer the end of the 2 hours, you could also see that the sub-editors were playing their part. Both of them separately came and spoke to me which was encouraging.

Looking at the content that was uploaded, I think there was a good balance of political, sport, entertainment and local news. The two audio clips highlighting some of the issues covered in the articles was a nice addition for the reader. I think it was important that not all the content was written. In today’s online news, you never just see written articles. The use of video and audio i.e. podcasts, are key ways of producing news on websites, particularly if the news content is aimed at people of a younger generation.

A week previous to our first live day I was given the job of picture editor which I was extremely happy about. Photojournalism is a part of journalism that I am enthusiastic about. Often I think an image can be a lot more powerful than words and when you take or find a great image, it can be really rewarding.

In order to make the best start on the live rolling news day, during the week leading up to it, I kept in contact with the editor as he was given story ideas which enabled me to come up with potential images. It also gave me the opportunity to take some original photographs. There was a story on pylons and Topshop which allowed me to do this. Of course mostly everyone had different stories on the day and so I had to source images from the internet. The problem with only having 2 hours was it limited the quality and relevance of the photograph to its matching story. If I had more time I could have sourced more effective images.

I made sure I went around everyone in the class to recap their story idea and to find out if they had an accompanying image.  Some people had their own photographs, some found their own and others let me find one for them.

I enjoyed my role as picture editor and I feel I fulfilled the role as best I could in the time we had. Some pictures could have been more interesting but I am pleased that I managed to get around everyone and discuss each of their ideas.

Politics can be exciting at times and if you are lucky enough to choose the right meeting you can get the beginnings of a great story. I have been to a couple of committee meetings so far this semester. I went along to the 6th meeting of the End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill where an interesting point was brought up by Dr Stephen Potts who was representing the Scottish Division of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. In the current bill legislation (as it was introduced), you can be as young as 16 to ask for assistance to end your life. Dr Potts wanted to see the age of eligibilty changed in the bill to 18. He made the committee aware that the majority of Scotland‘s hospitals do not have specifically trained adolescent psychiatrists.  Therefore, this would mean that 16 and 17 year olds would not have the correct support ,not meeting the Bill’s criteria. It is stated in the Bill that in both the First Request and Second Request for end of life assistance, that a psychiatrist has to have personally met the individual asking to end their life and has made sure they understand all alternatives including hospice and palliative care and the consequences of  their choice.

This proved me with a strong story idea. The problem is that euthanasia is a particularly sensitive issue and to make my article the best it could be, the most effective quote to have in it would be from a parent with a terminally ill child. I don’t think I would feel comfortable approaching any parent in that situation. For this reason I think it is best for me to find a different angle on this End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill.

I also attended a Finance Committee meeting, although, I didn’t feel it provided strong enough information to follow up and write an article on.

Out with the Scottish Parliament I think it can be quite difficult to find news stories unless you are in the right place at the right time. There is an arts event on in Edinburgh at the weekend which I am going to attend and try and get interviews with the organiser and one of the contributing artists. It is a 3 day event involving numerous people from the arts including writers, musicians, artists and film-makers so I am hoping there will be a number of angles I could get a news story from.

At the moment, I don’t think my future is writing for a newspaper. If I did write for one I would want it to be a quality newspaper and I don’t think I have the writing skills to do this. Even if I did decide to go down this route, it is difficult to know whether my articles would be printed or not. By the time I graduate, newspapers may have become even less significant as more people rely on news being broadcast and being put online.

I think I either want to work in the magazine industry or in broadcast journalism. They are two areas that really interest me. Although the circulation of newspapers has declined, I think there will always be a market for magazines. If you read a magazine online it would not give the same effect as having a glossy magazine in your hands.

In Stuart Allan’s ‘Online News’, chapter 5, named: ‘Sensational scandals: the new(s) values of blogs’, the comments he makes about Scott Rosenberg’s opinions on blogging particularly caught my attention.

Three quotes from Rosenberg that made me question the effect of blogging on the journalism industry were: ‘newsroom journalists see bloggers as wannabe amateurs badly in need of some skills and some editors’, the ‘rise of blogs does not equal the death of professional journalism’ and ’Good journalists would be fools not to feed off blogs’.

I feel that it is ignorant the way some newsroom journalists view bloggers. There are in fact numerous professional journalists who also work for publications, who have a successful blog. Andrew Sullivan is one example. He is quoted in Allan’s book saying: ‘if the goal of opinion journalism is not ultimately money but influence and readers, the blogs are already breathing down the old media’s neck’. This shows that some bloggers are almost, and in fact it could be argued that they are actually doing a better job than some journalists. I think bloggers are skilled as they manage to cut down information on the internet into interesting, well-sized pieces, so non-bloggers, who have less time, are not missing out.

More and more reporters and editors are looking to blogs for hints and tips for stories which I think proves blogging is not ‘the death of professional journalism’, it is doing the opposite by helping to keep journalism ‘alive’ as journalists struggle through the current difficulties in the industry.

For this reason I agree with Rosenberg when he says ‘Good journalists would be fools not to feed off blogs’.