York Vision
York Vision (known in previous lives as yorkVision and York Student Vision) is one of two student newspapers at the University of York. It is distinguished from its campus rival, Nouse, by its tabloid design and tone and anarchic sense of humour. It has previously held the title Guardian Student Newspaper of the Year, one of many awards the publication and its writers have accumulated over the years.
Organisation
Unlike many other university newspapers, which have sabbatical editors, Vision's staff is comprised entirely of current students.
The newspaper currently has two editors, Mike Regan and Joe Burnham, and two deputies, Emily Hodges and Andy McGrath. The newspaper itself contains several sections, with comment, features and lifestyle bookended by news and sport.
The recently departed 2006-7 editorial team, led by Adam Thorn and Lucy Taylor, won the coveted Student Newspaper of the Year title at the 2007 Guardian Media Awards. Lucy Taylor also won Best Reporter, whilst Richard Webb won Best Critic for his work on the TV section.
Special Features
Vision has a number of features that help mould its distinct character. These include:
- Interviews: Almost every section of the paper has, at one time or another, secured a top-tier interview. Recent highlights include articles with tennis starlet Andy Murray, political heavyweight Trevor Phillips OBE and a string of musical coups, such as Babyshambles, Johnny Borrell of Razorlight and an interview with 2007's breakthrough indie sensation The Gossip before the NME. The Sport section over the course of the academic year has averaged one interview every two issues. Interviews have taken place with Golfer Lee Westwood, BBC Preseneter John Inverdale , Leeds United legend Peter Lorimer and former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson.
- The Sketch: A satirical feature that takes a sideways look at campus life
- Confessions of a Campus Playboy: An irreverent memoir from an anonymous campus bachelor, detailing his sexual exploits in graphic yet poetical detail.
- The Power List: An annual chart of the most powerful people at the university.
- The Roses Specials: Either an annual pull-out published after the Roses Tournament, or a limited-run, four-page special edition distributed during the tournament itself. The 2008 Roses review was incorporated into the Sport section.
Vision Facebook
Vision was the first newspaper in the country to launch a Facebook application, featuring articles and scoops from York campus on the phenomenally popular Facebook platform. Users can keep up-to-date with the latest gossip on campus, with news updates published on profiles and in news feeds. The application also features a podcast produced in collaboration with the university's student radio station URY, providing a run down of the week's top headlines and big name interviews. The application was developed by Matt Kirman and former editor Iain Withers.
Famous Scoops
Vision has broken some of the biggest scoops in student journalism over the last ten years. Some of the most notable include a national exclusive exposing how the NUS lost £1m of student money[citation needed], how a lecturer was convicted for child porn offenses and how a radioactive chemical from the biology department ended up dumped in a scrapyard.
Successful former contributors
Former Vision editors and writers have gone on to work for a wide range of media outlets, including Reuters News Agency and the BBC, or as freelance contributors to various major newspapers. Many are now in staff positions in both the national and local press.
Ste Curran has become one of Britain's most notable games journalists and currently presents One Life Left, a videogame show on Resonance FM. Curran contributed a series of articles to Edge as RedEye, praised as an 'unmissable example of New Games Journalism' by Guardian Unlimited[1].
Sabey has gone on to become one of the country's most successful tabloid journalists, winning Young Journalist of the Year at the 2004 British Press Awards. His biggest scoops include:
- Sven's Love Triangle
- Prince Harry's Alleged Exam Cheating
- Harry being sent to war in Iraq
Awards
Vision has received an enviable clutch of awards for its writing, design, and in both overall best publication and best small budget categories (due to the lack of sabbatical positions of the paper).
In particular, Vision has received critical acclaim from a number of top journalists, including former Daily Mirror editor Piers Morgan, former BBC Director General Greg Dyke, Channel Four news anchor Jon Snow and Loaded founder James Brown.
York Vision is the current Guardian Student Newspaper of the Year. The paper has won the award four times in the past six years, having held the award from 2002-2004. Vision remains the only paper to achieve the remarkable hat-trick in the ceremony's 26-year history.
In 2006, Vision was named NUS Small-Budget Publication of the Year at the National Student Journalism Awards; with no event held in 2007, it effectively remains the holder of the top prize.
- 2008 Best Reporter: Adam Thorn (Runner up)
- 2008 Best Feature Writer: Anna Wormleighton (Nominee)
- 2008 Best Sports Writer: Alex Richman (Runner up)
- 2008 Best Sports Writer: Tom Sheldrick (Nominee)
- 2007 Best Newspaper (Winner) - Editors: Adam Thorn and Lucy Taylor
- 2007 Best Reporter: Lucy Taylor (Winner)
- 2007 Best Reporter: Adam Thorn (Nominee)
- 2007 Best Sports Writer: Darius Austin (Nominee)
- 2007 Best Critic: Richard Webb (Winner)
- 2006 Best Columnist: Ruth Mclean (Nominee)
- 2005 Best Newspaper (Nominee)
- 2005 Best Small Budget Publication (Nominee)
- 2005 Best Sports Writer: Simon Osborn (Winner)
- 2005 Best Columnist: Jonathan Bray (Winner)
- 2004 Best Newspaper (Winner) - Editors: Jon Bentham and Sam Walton
- 2004 Best Small Budget Publication (Runner up)
- 2004 Best Journalist: Jon Bentham (Winner)
- 2004 Best Reporter: Jon Bentham (Nominee)
- 2004 Best Feature Writer: Jon Bentham (Runner up)
- 2003 Best Newspaper (Winner) - Editor Rob Harris
- 2003 Best Small Budget Publication (Nominee)
- 2003 Best Journalist: Rob Harris (Winner)
- 2003 Best Reporter: Rob Harris (Winner)
- 2003 Best Travel Writer: Jon Bentham (Winner)
- 2003 Best Travel Writer: Rob Harris (Nominee)
- 2002 Best Newspaper (Winner) - Editors: Adrian Butler and Tom Hazeldine
- 2002 Best Columnist: Gareth Walker (Winner)
- 2002 Best Website (Winner)
- 2001 Best Website (Runner up)
- 2006 Best Small Budget Publication (Winner)
- 2004 Best Publication Design (Winner) - Editors: Jon Bentham and Sam Walton
- 2004 Best Feature Writer: Jon Bentham (Winner)
- 2004 Best Arts Journalist: Sam Walton (Runner up)
- 2003 Best Newspaper (Winner) - Editor: Rob Harris
- 2003 Best Reporter: Rob Harris (Winner)
- 2003 Best Arts Journalist: Bella Todd (Winner)
- 2001 Best Small Budget Publication (Winner) - Editor: Tom Smithard
Famous Editions
Vision have produced a number of memorable front pages. These include:
- Lecturer: My Child Porn Shame
- NUS £1.1M Loss Scandal
- Radium Rod Swept Out With The Trash
- Immigration Shambles: 42 Foreign Students Vanish After Arriving in the UK
- York Rape Victim: My Story
- Meltdown: Uni Lose Radioactive Chemical
- ¡Tu No Entras Toffs, Alberto! (That's Spanish For... A Diplomatic Disaster)