Exhibit JC42 - The Leveson Inquiry

For Distribution to CPsThe University of London Diploma for Journalism: The Educational Background and Aims ofthe CourseThe annual report of the Journalism Committee for 1930/1 simply statesthat re-organisation in the journalism courses had taken place and thateminent journalists had contributed lectures on special subjects, eachfollowed by an hour’s practical work. One of those lecturing was the foreigncorrespondent H. Wickham Steed (1871-1956), former editor of The Times.Others included J.A.H. Catton on ’The work of the sports reporter’,Leonard Crocombe (1890-1948, 1 St editor Radio Times, 1923-6), editor ofLondon Opinion, and Tit-Bits, on ’Work for magazines and periodicals’,W.E. Hurst on ’Reporting in the Courts’ and T. Cox Meech (d. 1940) on’Note and Leader Writing. ’34A newcomer to the Journalist Committee in 1931 was Mr. Tom Clarke,and one of the first things he had to read was Mr. E.W. Davies’ report onvacation work which declared that students’ lack of shorthand was aserious handicap not only for their vacation attachments but also for theirprospects of permanent employment? 5 Clarke had attended the 1908meeting of the Institute of Journalists in Manchester when the education ofjournalists had figured prominently in the conference proceedings, and hadgiven a series of lecturers on news editing, in earlier years, to the Londonstudents.National Union of Journalists Request on External DiplomaOne of the first topics to attract Clarke’s attention was an applicationfrom the secretary of the National Union of Journalists, Mr. H.M.Richardson (1874-1936), asking if it were possible for working journalists toobtain the University Diploma for Journalism without attending the course,but studying in their spare time, because they could not afford to leavework for two years. The Journalism Committee re-considered thisapplication in February, 1932, and resolved to apply for an ExternalDiploma for Journalism even though there might be difficulties arising fromthe requirement that candidates for such an External Diploma had to beMatriculated in the University. Preliminary discussions were held with thePrincipal of King’s College, which Mr. Richardson attended, along with DrG. B. Harrison, tutor for King’s journalism students.The N.U.J. wanted the External Diploma to rank with the existingDiploma and to be available to provincial journalists either throughattendance at local universities or by means of a correspondence course.In lieu of Matriculation it was proposed that possibly a certificate from aneditor stating that the applicant had been engaged on newspaper work forat least six months might be accepted as a qualification for entry. Statute22 of the University did not allow non-matriculated students to sit forExternal Diplomas but such students could enter for a Diploma under thepurview of the University Extension and Tutorial Classes Council, but thiswould not carry equal status with the full-time internal diploma? 6 To try andresolve the problem a special sub-committee was formed and it met inNovember, 1932, in the Newspaper Society’s Council Room in Fleet Streetand it had before it a memorandum from Mr. Frederick Peaker, an earlysupporter of the course. While he strongly desired to see an External8OMOD100051251