The Voice of the Listener & Viewer (VLV) has announced its fifth Student Essay Competition in association with Channel 4 Television.
Competition Information
The competition is supported by The Voice of the Listener Trust.  Winning entrants in the two categories each receive £400.  The two winners and the two runners-up will also be given the opportunity to enjoy two weeks work experience with leading television production companies.

Jon Snow, presenter of Channel 4 news, will lead the judging panel.

Broadcasting is changing more rapidly than ever before.  Digital television and broadband have already brought an explosion of new services which threaten the survivial of the commercially funded public service broadcasters ITV, Channel 4 and Five, with implications for the BBC.  At the same time, new technology enables more and more people to generate their own content through podcasts, blogs and vlogs.  So, does the concept of public service broadcasting any longer have meaning?

VLV invited entries for its 2010 Student Essay Competition from students studying for a UK registered undergraduate or postgraduate degree, or similar professional qualification, on the following subject:

"In the world of internet blogging, anyone can produce a news story.  Assess this view in relationship to the standards demanded from professional journalists and explore the prospects for traditional news providers"

Entries shall be submitted as a written essay of a maximum of 2,000 words.  There is an entry form which must be completed (see here) and full entries are to be sent to VLV Ltd, PO Box 401, Gravesend, Kent DA12 9FY - mark the envelope 'Student Essay Competition'.  The closing date for entries is Tuesday, 1st June 2010.  There is no entry fee - see full rules of entry.