24 A level Media Studies students met around 10 other schools at the Bfi in Southbank on Thursday 11th November to listen to experts teach them about the inner workings of the newspaper industry.

After an early morning coach journey into the heart of London, we arrived at the south bank of the Thames, just next to the London Eye. The British Film Institute held the London film festival a couple of weeks ago and we got to see some of the aftermath of that while we entered the auditorium for a series of lectures & activities regarding the newspaper industry.

Even if you don’t buy a newspaper, or have even picked one up before, their impact on molding public opinion should not be underestimated. We learned about how newspapers are funded, how they reflect world events and how they influence us as we read them (either in print or online versions).

We heard from a guest speaker, Sinead McIntyre (editor-in-chief of The Sun’s Sunday supplement – Fabulous), and we were handed the mic to ask her various questions about her time as a journalist and an editor.

It was great to spend the day in the heart of the capital as well as in one of the most prestigious locations of Britain’s visual arts and culture.

Mr Cain, Team Leader of Media Studies