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BBC to open its College of Journalism to the public

By Oliver Luft

The BBC is to allow the public to access a series of masterclasses delivered by leading journalists, including Evan Davis, John Humphrys and Robert Peston, under proposals that will be outlined later today.

Rival broadcasters, industry organisations and the licence fee-payers across the UK will be granted access to the BBC’s internal training website as part of a range of partnership agreements to share specialist training and resources.

The BBC College of Journalism’s website will become freely available in the UK and via subscription from elsewhere.

The site – which has been running for three years inside the BBC – covers the craft, skills, ethics and values associated with journalism.

Other ventures include an initiative with Channel 4 to increase understanding of diversity in the workplace and a programme with ITV to improve employability in the media industry for people with disabilities.

The BBC will also share its Multiplatform Foundation training model with other broadcasters and organisations including producer’s trade body, PACT, broadcasting union, BECTU and the Indie Training Fund.

The BBC claims its move is part of an unprecedented strategy give wider access to the corporation’s training resources to support the wider UK media industry.

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The corporation has come under pressure to share know-how and resources with ITV as the license fee has allowed it to remain a robust organisation as revenues fall at other broadcasters.

The new initiative will be unveiled later today at the official launch of the BBC Academy, the BBC’s centre of excellence for training in journalism, production, leadership and technology.

Mark Byford, deputy director general of the BBC, said: “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.”

“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.”

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