Since September 1990, the Nouvelles school has been teaching journalism to students from all over France. Recognized by the state since May 10, 1995, it can now boast of training its students, in two years, for a profession, and making them immediately operational in the job market. “Here, we learn journalism, we don’t learn for the sake of learning,” insists Marie Boselli-Goujon, the director of the institution.
Teaching at Nouvelles is much more practical than theoretical. There are indeed courses on law, press history, economics, politics, and institutions (mostly in the first year), but most of the classes are devoted to reporting and interviews, current events awareness, learning how to write for radio and print, as well as TV and radio news briefs. “The Nouvelles spirit is about accepting that we are no longer students, but already journalists!” the school’s brochure emphasizes.
In fifteen years, Nouvelles has adapted to the evolution of the profession: “written” articles have become shorter, radio news briefs have shortened from 1’30” to 45″, and TV news flashes have emerged with the proliferation of cable channels that use this format. As a result, the young graduates are perfectly seasoned when they leave school: “Today, 80% of the students who have passed through here have their press card, and 85% have found a job in the year of their graduation. If the student is really determined, they will succeed…”
Regarding the press card, Marie Boselli-Goujon adds: “You are truly a journalist only when you have your press card. It is vital, necessary, it’s a recognition of the profession. It grants rights, but it also imposes duties, and it requires adherence to a code of ethics.”
During this two-year course, students must complete two mandatory internships (nothing prevents them from doing more, particularly between the two years). Therefore, the school is in close partnership with both local and national press. “The reputation of the school is good, it seems to me,” the director continues. “The local press is generally of good quality, but I do not want to linger on specific cases, each media is a privileged partner. Moreover, I strongly hope that online press will develop, because currently the quality of news sites is too unpredictable. That’s why I view the arrival of a media like Nice-Premiere, with a promising concept, very favorably.”
As for future projects, Nouvelles might one day perhaps offer a third year of specialization, in a specific field (like sports, for example). But that remains to be seen. “Meanwhile, we are already renovating Nouvelles’ Internet portal, a real showcase of the school. We have also hired new professors for this academic year, as a bit of fresh blood never hurts, and we have equipped ourselves with a dozen digital recorders. The rest will come later…”
Nicolas Pelazza
