This is for those of you working in windowless newsrooms or offices in industrial estates this grim October Friday evening. It is the view from the new newsroom at the Times of Malta in Valletta and was kindly sent to me by journalist Waylon Johnson (@WayCourt). The newsroom at the Times used to be a windowless and cramped place, now it is open-plan with this vista for the journalists to gaze upon.
A couple of years ago, while at the Inverness Courier, I took this picture and asked if the view from the editor's office was the best in Britain? Now the question has gone international. Which is the best newsroom view in Europe or, indeed, the world? The good news is I will be taking in the Maltese view first hand (and hopefully a bit of sunshine) next month when I have a week back working at The Times. Having just returned from London in the pouring rain, I have to say I am quite looking forward to it.
I have spent the last couple of years working with the Times and Sunday Times of Malta, helping them to restructure their newsroom. As part of this they are now looking for a chief sub to head up their new production department. It's a great job for an experienced newspaper production journalist. If you fancy it, you will need to be able to supervise and train a new team of subs, manage the workflow - and lay out and sub pages. You will also need a grasp of English and grammar that is second to none, as much of the copy is written by people who do not have English as their first language. You will be working for the daily Times of Malta, the Sunday and the website.
It is a demanding job - with long and flexible hours - but with great rewards. These are serious newspapers and you will be working alongside a professional and committed team. Malta is also a great place to be - fantastic weather, great restaurants and stunning historical sites. The package includes help with relocation. Details of how to apply can be found on HoldTheFrontPage and interviews will be held in London in early September.
Thanks to Times of Malta journalist Veronica Stivala for sending this periodic table for typography. The fonts are ranked in popularity from 1-100, plus names of designers, date of origination and family. No prizes for guessing what is No 1.
