Oxdown Gazette
Encyclopedia
The Oxdown Gazette was a fictional newspaper
used by the National Council for the Training of Journalists
for its regional
and local
journalism
exams. Since the 1970s, trainee journalists would have to write reports on fires, floods, rail
crashes and fatal accidents in the imaginary town
of Oxdown. The idea
was to replicate, as far as possible, the sense of local knowledge trainees would have if working for a real paper.
Oxdown was part of Oxshire. Several exam papers focused on crime
committed in the now infamous Riverside Estate, which made places like Hackney
, Peckham
and the Gorbals seem like paradise
. The Oxdown Gazette produced such stories like a crooked Santa preying on the old people of Oxdown, a theft with one robber being fat
the other called Alan and parking problems at the town's racecourse.
In 2006 the NCTJ decided that it would no longer use Oxdown. Instead, a variety of locations and publications would feature in its exam papers. The decision was not well received by some journalists and lecturers who had a sentimental attachment to the fictional town and launched a campaign to save it.
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
used by the National Council for the Training of Journalists
National Council for the Training of Journalists
The National Council for the Training of Journalists was founded in 1951 as an organisation to oversee the training of journalists for the newspaper industry in the United Kingdom and is now playing a role in the wider media.-Purpose:...
for its regional
Régional
Régional Compagnie Aérienne Européenne, or Régional for short, is a subsidiary airline wholly owned by Air France which connects hubs at Paris, Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand, and Bordeaux to 49 airports in Europe. The airline operates in Air France livery, retaining its name in small titles and logo on...
and local
Local
Local usually refers to something nearby, or in the immediate area.It may be used in many ways, some of which are related to this general meaning, others which are not:* Local, local anesthesia* Local, a.k.a. union local or local union* Local, a.k.a...
journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
exams. Since the 1970s, trainee journalists would have to write reports on fires, floods, rail
Rail transport
Rail transport is a means of conveyance of passengers and goods by way of wheeled vehicles running on rail tracks. In contrast to road transport, where vehicles merely run on a prepared surface, rail vehicles are also directionally guided by the tracks they run on...
crashes and fatal accidents in the imaginary town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Oxdown. The idea
Idea
In the most narrow sense, an idea is just whatever is before the mind when one thinks. Very often, ideas are construed as representational images; i.e. images of some object. In other contexts, ideas are taken to be concepts, although abstract concepts do not necessarily appear as images...
was to replicate, as far as possible, the sense of local knowledge trainees would have if working for a real paper.
Oxdown was part of Oxshire. Several exam papers focused on crime
Crime
Crime is the breach of rules or laws for which some governing authority can ultimately prescribe a conviction...
committed in the now infamous Riverside Estate, which made places like Hackney
London Borough of Hackney
The London Borough of Hackney is a London borough of North/North East London, and forms part of inner London. The local authority is Hackney London Borough Council....
, Peckham
Peckham
Peckham is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Southwark. It is situated south-east of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London...
and the Gorbals seem like paradise
Paradise
Paradise is a place in which existence is positive, harmonious and timeless. It is conceptually a counter-image of the miseries of human civilization, and in paradise there is only peace, prosperity, and happiness. Paradise is a place of contentment, but it is not necessarily a land of luxury and...
. The Oxdown Gazette produced such stories like a crooked Santa preying on the old people of Oxdown, a theft with one robber being fat
Fat
Fats consist of a wide group of compounds that are generally soluble in organic solvents and generally insoluble in water. Chemically, fats are triglycerides, triesters of glycerol and any of several fatty acids. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure...
the other called Alan and parking problems at the town's racecourse.
In 2006 the NCTJ decided that it would no longer use Oxdown. Instead, a variety of locations and publications would feature in its exam papers. The decision was not well received by some journalists and lecturers who had a sentimental attachment to the fictional town and launched a campaign to save it.