Having completed an English degree at Aberdeen University in June, I was fully aware that I had one more chance to revel in the spoils of what would be my last summer as a student, before I embarked upon what was to be, if not a career, at least something that would fill my pockets in the absence of the all too heavily relied upon student loan. In order to offset the trepidation and prevailing angst, my friends and I avoided the subject of the ‘real world’ at all times and carried on our lackadaisical student lifestyle with vigour, sitting back and watching the last few students slowly dwindle out of Aberdeen. All of a sudden it was my turn to leave!
Having returned home to live with my parents, the next few months weren’t much fun. Sending off about 50 job applications a day and only getting the response of; ‘Dear Benjamin, thank you for your application, however we feel that you do not have the necessary experience for this position’. Now answer me this, how was I supposed to gain the experience I needed if no one would employ me? Slowly it began to dawn on me that I may have to settle for a job in telesales or knocking on doors. I went for knocking on doors (at least this way I’d be outside and keeping fit!)
At 15 I never thought I would be sat where I am right now; at a computer in an office in Birmingham city centre writing about myself. In fact, apart from that I am wearing my own choice of casual clothing, I am pretty much the epitome of everything I swore never to become. I was going to be a rock star and/or writer and although these dreams are not yet entirely out of my grasp, they are not yet providing an income. At the uncertain yet still youthful age of 25, I have just been granted an internship at Big Cat Group, a PR, marketing and events company, that luckily for me offers a place where I can gain the experience that was so desperately sought after. It was the opportunity I had been waiting for and after an interview, a blog post and a trial shift here I am. It’s only my second week on the job but I am thoroughly enjoying the work I am doing. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I first applied for the position, I envisaged three months of photocopying, making tea and fetching biscuits from the shops. So far it has exceeded my expectations and not a photocopier in sight! Its allowing me to think, create and use some of the ‘skills’ that I learned at university and although I am not getting paid I feel that it is at last giving me some direction and control in my life. Maybe I am ready for the ‘real world’, just maybe…
Will the Financial Times change online news?
Millions of people go into work everyday and log onto the online version of their preferred newspaper. They do this because it’s free!
Financial Times editor Lionel Barber has recently said in a Channel 4 news interview that the newspaper industry must charge people for reading newspapers online, and that free content on the web was the biggest mistake the industry has made in the past ten years. Is this the beginning of the fall for the online newspaper?
The FT currently has 117,000 paying web subscribers, which represents 10% of those registered on FT.com. Surely this new approach to online news would result in a huge decline in the online readership.
Lionel wants this future business model to create revenue lost from lack of online advertising which supports the free online content. He also wants other newspapers to do the same. Perhaps this is too little too late?
Many newspapers such as the Guardian, Times Online and many regional newspapers have put time and effort into pushing there online capabilities: creating communities around there newspaper, with thousands of people following them on twitter and interacting with them via blogs and commenting. Will they follow in the footsteps of the FT? Would you pay to read an online newspaper?
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Tagged as Financial Times, FT, Guardian, Lionel Barber, newspapers, Online news, Times online