Hitting the healines

This week's website concerns yesterday's Telegraph.co.uk publication with the headline:

One embryo at a time 'makes IVF less risky.'

The article explains research conducted by a British study which reveals the risk of multiple IVF births is reduced by women having just one embryo implanted during fertility treatments.  The story was also carried online by the Independent (New IVF technique: greater success rate, fewer multiple births) and the Guardian (Fertility clinic boosts safety and success).

The NHS National Library for Health Hitting the Headlines archive describes itself as a directory:

"developed to help you discover and make use of important, good quality health-related newsfeeds."

The archive provides a superb online resource, not only gathering news from various mainstream organisations, but assessing the accuracy of the reports.  While lacking in multimedia, the archive has a trick up its sleeve that few other websites can match.  With its official NHS stance, the articles are able to describe and analyse the evidence and references behind the news, providing links to all references used as well as additional consumer information.

A vital tool for those who really want to understand the news behind the news, the only drawback to this excellent resource is the planned cessation of the news archive as of March 31 2008.  Daily articles will still be available.

A passing craze?

Cards on the the table, I've never seen the point of blogging. Not one to openly share his thoughts or feelings I've never been entirely comfortable with the idea of my words laid out for the whole world to see.

Yet having today being confronted with the premise that it is either "blog or fail" in the world of journalism, I thought I had better give it a go and horribly, I feel I may have become somewhat addicted.

As a trainee journalist I am forever hearing about news pyramids, paragraph length and tight headlines - a blog can free you from all of these. You're introduced to a completely new environment, no longer acting as a reporter but as a commentator.

Unique blogs are rare and there is a wealth of dicussion to be had on any number of topics. Encouraging debate and learning, blogs are the instant digital alternative to the nationals' letters pages.

As part of my degree I have no choice but to blog and yet I don't find it a chore nor do I consider it as work. It's a joy to be free of the restrictions of traditional reporting; a joy I have ignored for far too long.