The long and short of it
Amid rumours that an unnamed university in Yorkshire was contemplating scrapping its shorthand journalism course, James Mitchinson, editor of The Yorkshire Post, sparked a debate on Twitter in January: is shorthand still an essential skill for reporters? ittle did James Mitchinson know that his tweet on January 17 2020, would end up garnering so much attention. Among working journalists in the UK, it set up two bitter factions: those in favour of shorthand, and those against. Pete Clifton, Editor-in-Chief at Press Association, was quick to mention on Twitter that all job applications to PA without a shorthand qualification “go straight in the bin”. On the other hand, Jacqui Merrington, Editor-in-Chief at Reach PLC, tweeted that when she interviewed trainee journalists, what made the best ones stand out was not their shorthand skills, but their understanding of what makes a great story and how to tell it. “You can teach shorthand. You can’t teach instinct,” she wrote. Which brings us to the question: is shorthand necessary in a world of mobile phones, recording devices and transcribing apps? Or has the world of fake news made it ever more essential? Mark Alford, Director of Sky Sports News, believes that shorthand is a brilliant skill that gives journalists a definite advantage over those who do not have it “in this ultracompetitive industry”. He says: “I’d advocate all prospective journalists acquiring the skill. Effective and reliable note-taking in this era of distrust and mis-information is essential.” He also takes shorthand into account when considering the overall quality of a candidate applying for a job at Sky Sports News. “It is preferable but not essential,” he adds. Marlene Lewis, who taught shorthand at Cardiff University for 25 years, unsurprisingly thinks that shorthand is vital for journalists. “You are able to write quickly, and then your transcription of your notes is quicker too. I also think it shows editors that a person is hardworking and dedicated. When they see that they have shorthand they are really impressed,” she says. Richard Ward, who teaches both undergraduates and postgraduates on the Teeline shorthand course at City, believes that technological developments don’t change anything. He argues: “Even when I was learning shorthand a long time ago, people were saying that audiotape recording was going to replace shorthand. They were saying that it was dead but it wasn’t, and it still isn’t.” Ian Johnston, a student on the MA Newspaper Journalism course at City, believes that while audio recorders are helpful in some situations, they’re not always
the best option. “I’ve found that people clam up whenever you shove a phone or recorder in their face, especially when doing vox pops. Interviewees seem more relaxed by a notebook and pen, so it can help you to get better interviews,” he says. On having shorthand as a basis for hiring, Ward argues that a lot of the editors acknowledge that it is tough, having learnt it themselves. “Someone with the sheer determination to continue and get that 100 words-perminute is someone that they’re looking for,” he says. But if there are journalists who support shorthand, there are also those who believe it is an unnecessary skill. “One of the main things no one ever mentions about journalism is that almost anyone could do it,” says Will Morgan, who studied MA News Journalism at Cardiff University in 2019. “Because of this, this journalistic profession loves to throw up arbitrary barriers to entry so that they can thin out the applicant crowd. Shorthand is one of those barriers.” Morgan is taking his National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ) shorthand exam next month in order to secure a job at a news agency in southern England. They would not hire him without a shorthand certificate. “It’s annoying because I’m sure Woodward and Bernstein wouldn’t have needed to understand Teeline word groupings to break Watergate,” he adds. To the relief of aspiring journalists who did not take up shorthand, not all employers focus on that particular skill while hiring staff. Holly Baxter, editor and columnist at the Independent Opinion desk (US), says she never learnt it and after 10 years working as a journalist and editor, hasn’t needed it. “I think having it as a compulsory part of a journalism curriculum is madness. Some people who will never master shorthand will still be incredible journalists,” she says. “Also, editors who hire based on whether someone can do shorthand are just hiring on snobbery. Not everyone can afford to go to journalism graduate school – I didn’t – and they still make good editors and writers.” Not all journalists may need to use shorthand during their career, but for those who do choose to learn it, it is not a waste of time. It is a skill that can be used at any time, anywhere, and that is what makes it relevant today despite technological and digital advancements. But is it essential? We will let you decide.
“I’m sure Woodward and Bernstein wouldn’t have needed Teeline to break Watergate”
•
59
XCITY MAGAZINE
L
Written by Shruti Khairnar & Mared Gruffydd