Free ENPS software boost for broadcast journalism students

The BBC and Associated Press have joined forces with the UK's leading broadcast journalism courses to launch a major free training initiative for the next generation of television and radio journalists.
From September, all journalism courses accredited by the Broadcast Journalism Training Council (BJTC) will be able to install the ENPS news production system free of charge. This will enable undergraduate and postgraduate students to gain practical experience of work in a newsroom environment.
Goldsmith's College, London, London College of Communication, University of Arts, London, Highbury College, Portsmouth, Nottingham Trent University, Sheffield University and University of Central Lancashire will be the first colleges to install ENPS at the start of the scheme. Later, up to 750 journalists a year will emerge from BJTC accredited courses trained in use of the specially-designed software.
ENPS is used in all BBC newsrooms throughout the UK across TV, radio, regional and local outlets. ENPS is also used by ITN to produce the ITV news, Channel Four News, the ITV News Channel and Independent Radio News, and by Associated Press Television News (APTN) and Trans World International (TWI), the largest independent producer, packager and distributor of sports programming in the world.
Welcoming the announcement, BBC Deputy Director of news Adrian Van-Klaveren, said: “The BBC is delighted that ENPS is going to be part of the initial training for broadcast journalists. It's central to our news production process and we very much look forward to the prospect of the next generation of journalists arriving at the BBC already familiar with the system.”
ITN was also keen to endorse the move: "We are delighted that BJTC students will have free access to ENPS, as the practical, hands-on experience will give them a head-start when they enter the hurly burly of the newsroom environment," said Guy Ker, Chief Operating Officer, ITV News.
BJTC Secretary, Jim Latham, added: "This is a terrific deal. BJTC accreditation is all about developing standards required for the workplace. We're now a major step forward in that aim. If a clinching argument is needed, it's this - employers now have to spend less at the induction stage to train recruits on in-house requirements, because they'll already be used to operating ENPS. They're more employable. Everyone's ears should prick up at that. We're very, very grateful to ENPS for this generous offer."
AP's news production systems are the most widely adopted in the world, and ENPS is now used by more than 40,000 reporters, writers, editors and producers in more than 500 television, radio and network newsrooms in 48 countries.
(GB)