Through a competition, launched by the Eastern Daily Press, BBC Radio Norfolk and Norfolk County Council, some 31 aspiring journalists have been selected to document Norfolk’s celebrations.
(Pictured are some of the successful Jubilee Journalists outside Prospect House with Pete Waters and Dave Powles from the EDP. Picture: James Bass)
Some of the winners visited the EDP’s offices on Rouen Road, Norwich, on Friday March 23 to find out how they will be covering the jubilee.
Congratulating the youngsters, EDP editor Peter Waters, said: “Regardless of what you decide to do later on in life, you will have something to remember the jubilee by. We also hope we will be able to give you a flavour of our history and heritage. It is a very exciting time for you.”
The 19 EDP winners will head to offices across the county to produce a 24-page newspaper, packed with their winning story ideas.
Norfolk County Council deputy leader Ian Mackie said: “Congratulations on your submissions.
“They have been brilliant in capturing the flavours and themes of Norfolk and doing the jubilee proud.”
The stories, videos and radio interviews produced by the journalists will be put in the council’s archive, and Mr Mackie added: “Your work and your names will live on perhaps long after we have left the building. We hope you take the opportunity to use the resources of the EDP and Radio Norfolk.”
Jodie Santer, 22, from Norwich, will be writing her story on how technology has transformed the way media covers the jubilee, after being inspired by her lecturer at the UEA.
“I want to look at how blogging and social networking has changed media,” she said. “I think it will be something really good for my CV.”
Joseph Millar, from Sheringham, will be heading to the office in Cromer to put together a photo essay of people who remember the 1953 Coronation. The 17-year-old, who is studying photography A-level, has already had his first photos published in the EDP through our new community journalism website, iwitness24.co.uk. But he is keen to get more experience.
“Our lecturer at college told us about the competition so I applied,” he said. “I want to get my name out there.”
UEA students are also among our winners, with English literature undergraduate Melanie McGhee, 22, planning to produce a feature on the Queen’s association with Norfolk, while Beth Wyatt, 20, will look at Her Majesty’s visit to the UEA in 1968.
Amid the themes of celebration, 16-year-old Amy Underwood, from Gorleston, will compare people’s experiences of the jubilee today with the silver jubilee of 1977, when the British economy was also struggling.
Judges were also impressed with entries from aspiring graphic journalists. Colin Cheang, from Beccles, and Hannah Green, from Norwich, will work alongside our graphic journalist Annette Hudson to produce a timeline of the UK through the decades since 1953.
The 12 BBC winners will work at the Voices studio in the Forum to learn how to present, use audio and visual equipment and get their piece on air.
News editor at Radio Norfolk Nicky Barnes told the winners: “We have been really impressed by the number of people who have put their names forward.” Their work will be broadcast on BBC Radio Norfolk during the jubilee weekend and on the BBC Big Screen in Chapelfield.
The work of all the jubilee journalists will be displayed in a week-long presentation in the Forum during the summer holidays and published in Norfolk County Council’s Your Norfolk publication.
