A total of 155 reporters have been successful in the April 2005 National Certificate Examination – a pass rate of 55 per cent.
To
pass the NCE and qualify as senior reporters, journalists have to be
successful in four sections: news interview, speech, newspaper
practice, and logbook.
The pass rate for the news interview
section was 72 per cent, the highest for many years. Candidates had to
investigate a story about possible devil worship at St Mary’s Church,
Oxdown, and an attack on the vicar who interrupted proceedings. The
examiners were impressed with the general quality of stories.
In the speech exam, trainees were asked to report on the closure of post offices and 68 per cent passed this section.
A total of 184 candidates passed the logbook section of the NCE, a pass rate of 94 per cent.
Four
journalists who all passed the spring 2005 NCE have been singled out
for special excellence awards for their work. Danyelle Garside, a
journalist on the Maldon & Burnham Standard, won the Society of
Editors’ award for the best news interview. Sarah Carless, of the
Gazette Series, won the Esso award for producing the best speech story.
Lucy
Stephens, from the York & County Press, won the Ted Bottomley
award, sponsored by the Midland News Association, for the best
newspaper practice paper. The best logbook wassubmitted by Stephanie
Hancock, a reporter on the East London Advertiser.
The following candidates, listed under the centre at which they sat the examination, have now gained the National Certificate.
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