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20 January 2010

Cov Con LIVE with


ALAN RUSBRIDGER
by Diana Teodora Popovici
“I’m the only journalist

T
his session of the Coventry Conversations
managed to gather something over 30 on the Guardian,
journalism students in the Humber Lecture
Theatre, hosting the Guardian editor in- possibly Fleet Street
chief Alan Rusbridger.
Mr Rusbridger spoke about the recession and to actually beg for my
how it has affected newspapers in the UK. Surpris-
ingly he didn´t seem worried about the Guardian pay to have been cut
losing money, he described this as a consequence
of newspapers needing the time to adapt to new down”.
forms of media.
Although Rusbridger is considered one of the

Picture source: http://jessicaelgot.files.wordpress.com


best paid journalists in the country, taking home
£471,000 in pay and benefits in 2008/09; his
answer to one of the questions from the public,
revealed that he was the only one at the Guardian,
after the recession hit, to demand that 10% should
be taken off his salary to compensate the paper’s
losses: “I’m the only journalist on the Guardian,
possibly Fleet Street to actually beg for my pay to
have been cut down”.
Through the conversation, Alan also said he
expects some of the internet content we enjoy for
free today could impose charges for access, but he
doesn´t think that would apply to general news.
“It would be crazy if we were to all jump behind a
pay wall and imagine that would solve things”, he
said.
His attitude and his speech oozed optimism as
he declared that now is a good time to become a
journalist. Rusbridger described a good journal-
ist as someone passionate about his job, as well
as someone curios about the world. He admitted
that he believes this craft still has a future.
Touching on the matter of twitters and blog-
gers or other pseudo-journalistic publications
he pointed the fact that people will still need a
specialised source as a newspaper, TV, etc to rely
on for valuable content.
Alan Rusbridger Editor - in - chief at the Guardian
SuperCar Photographer
by Natasha De Silva

„„ Mike Valente, a leading car photographer in the audience of a time when they would go to the colour
UK, held Coventry University’s 198th Coventry Con- labs and wait until the pictures were ready. “Now we
versation on the 14th of January 2010. He gave the sit at home looking at the pictures and hoping that
21st century Digital-Camera-using-folk an insight into the telephone will ring”, he added.
the days of the film camera. Mike confessed he always wanted to be a racing
Mike, who became a photographer by accident, driver, and said he is now almost living his dream by
said: “I have been taking pictures for as long as I photographing super cars and getting to test them
can physically remember”. His photographic career first hand at photo shoots.
includes the International Musician magazine and He went on to speak about what it is like to be a
Haymarket Publishing, and currently he works as a photographer of cars: “You have to do it to the best
freelancer for magazines, newspapers, car manufac- of your ability, making the car look good and mak-
turers and ad agencies. But his background includes ing yourself look good; because what appears on the
a graduate diploma from the 3D Design at Hornsey page is what people think of your photography”.
College of Art (now Middlesex University) and a job as Mike had some valuable words of advice for those
a trainee scenic designer at the BBC. budding photographers out there, but admitted that
Being in the photographic industry for so long, getting jobs as a freelancer it’s a case of having con-
Mike said he appreciates the digital, but misses the tacts and a good reputation. Finally he said that he’s
camaraderie of the old technology. He reminded the motto is: “Job done first. Enjoy yourself afterwards.”

“You have to do it to
the best of your ability,
making the car look good
and making yourself look
good; because what
appears on the page is
what people think of your
photography”
Pictures source: www.mikevalente.com

The student and staff newsletter of the Media and


Communications department of Coventry School
of Art and Design
Edited by Teo Beleaga
Submissions invited to teo.beleaga@gmail.com
With many thanks to Diana Popovici, Natasha de Silva,
John Lister and John Mair

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