Informed NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE issue 18 February 2016


Local News Maters Week: Now’s the time to get active


Welcome to the latest edition of NUJ Informed, this edition is dedicated to the union’s ongoing local news maters campaign. We have been running the campaign


for the past few years and at delegate conference (DM 2016) the union agreed to hold a week of action that will champion local news as an essential component of society, democracy and citizenship.


Kicking off on Friday 24 March and running until Saturday 1 April, the campaign plans already include a series of events in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. We want to involve thousands of NUJ members, reps, chapels and branches from across different sectors of the media. Tere’ll be events, conferences and


activities taking place every day of the week and NUJ members from all parts of the local media – newspapers, online, start-ups, radio, TV, photographers and communications – are geting involved. We want to reach out to politicians, community groups, sister unions and many others who recognise the vital


Local News Maters, our campaign demands:


1. A short, sharp, national, parliamentary inquiry into the state of local news


2. Local papers should be treated as community assets


3. New rules to prevent local media outlets from closing overnight – they should be offered to potential new owners, including local co- operatives, with the time available to submit a bid for alternative media ownership in advance of any closure


4. Action by government and employers to stem the relentless job cuts


5. Increasing investment, from a range of sources, for quality local journalism.


role of the local media. Tis union-wide campaigning activity is aimed at galvanising our collective voice to put pressure on media companies and other decision-makers who can stop the cuts and increase investment in quality local journalism. We only have a few weeks to make the plans to ensure all the necessary preparations are put in place. Now is the time to maximise participation and our potential impact. We want to celebrate, defend and organise a powerful public campaign to show that local news maters to everyone – and we need you to help and take part. Tere has never been a beter time to stand up for local journalism and get active in the NUJ.


More information: NUJ campaign web page: www.nuj.org.uk/campaigns/local- news-maters-week/


Connect:


Join the NUJ Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/ nujournalists/


Join the NUJ Linkedin group: www.linkedin.com/groups/21814


Follow us on Twiter: @NUJofficial and the hashtag for the campaign: #NUJ-LNM


Also in this issue:


Michelle’s Message Page 4-5


Newsquest Updates Page 8-9


Local News Maters Checklist Page 12


Red Engine


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