By Adam Spartley

HARLOW College opened its doors for two heavyweights in the journalism field today (Tuesday)

Daily Mirror associate editor, Kevin Maguire, and associate editor of The Daily Mail, Andrew Pierce, have each carved a very different path to the same destination, with Maguire’s strong Labour views balanced perfectly against ‘@toryboy’ Pierce’s proud Conservative affiliations.

Andrew Pierce and Kevin Macguire pose with NCTJ students at Harlow College.

The two reporters have become regulars on newspaper reviews and the contrast between their views has become very popular.

‘It’s nice to see opposing ends of the spectrum come together to share a few jokes and political wisdom with the students,’ said NCTJ tutor Lewis Heritage, ‘and whilst not everyone agreed with all their political views, i think every student can agree that they learnt something.’

Watching political debates or opinion based programming on television can be incredibly hard to digest. The warmth that radiates from these two old friends is a gentle reminder that fiercely opposing views can live in (relative) harmony.

Andrew Pierce said: ‘I locked Kevin in a room with my full scale model of Thatcher, and told him that midnight is when her ghost will appear’.

Pierce was clearly revelling in Maguires’ mock discomfort at the memory.

Whilst gently bouncing jokes off of one another, they effortlessly painted the journalism trade as incredibly rewarding and full of constant excitement.

‘People talk about the pressures of our job. And I think, come on, pressure is a cleaner getting up every morning at 4am. I can’t think of anyone who has as interesting a job as mine, the job is as easy or as difficult as you want to make it.’ said Kevin.

‘I agree. And I get the same excitement from my job now as I did when I first started out thirty years ago, and I don’t think there are many people in jobs who can say that!’ said Pierce shortly after, quick to capitalise on a rare, mutually agreed viewpoint.

Testament to their skills as reporters, the talk was thorough and felt much shorter than its hour and a half duration, covering almost every thinkable topic and even answering important questions that no one had asked.

‘I think the loss of local newspapers is incredibly sad and distressing. They are the backbone of any community’ said Pierce lamentably, ‘when I first joined the Birmingham Mail it had a print of 350,000. The last time I visited, it was down to 40,000’.

The topic of print journalism dying is important to any NCTJ student, with the changing face of journalism being something society seems to be naturally adjusting to, whilst the industry seems less natural in transitioning.

‘There are countless online newspapers cropping up every day, credible ones where you can learn your craft and send in your stories,’ added Pierce, seeming to sense the concern in the room and trying to cauterize it efficiently, ‘but you should all be supporting local newspapers anywhere you go.’

Although both men touched briefly on the perils facing print journalism, the mark they left on a room full of aspiring journalists was of assurance, that the students were on the first rungs of a ladder that could carry them as high as their own aspirations.

And every piece of advice given was constructive and sincere.

‘You have got to be nosy….and always, always, punch up’, said Kevin with conviction, ‘And demand answers! They don’t have to answer but you can demand them! And keep demanding them, because there really is no better way to make a living.’