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Welsh Assembly sets up media scrutiny body


scrutiny of the media by establishing a culture, Welsh language and communications committee. In a letter to NUJ


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representatives, presiding officer Elin Jones AM said “a strong Welsh media is crucially important to the assembly’s work and the health of Welsh democracy”. The NUJ had called for a media and communications committee to be set up but Jones said the new committee, with its broader remit, would provide “greater prominence to this important area of policy within the committee structure and will ensure that it receives due attention”. In a letter to Ms Jones, the


NUJ stated that “a strong Welsh media is crucial to the democratic process, holds the powerful to account and


he National Assembly for Wales has responded to NUJ calls for greater


months, devolving further policy areas to Wales, a strong Welsh media is as important today as it ever has been.” There was cross-party


support in the Welsh Assembly for the NUJ’s position and members in Wales are looking forward to working with the new committee. The assembly’s decision to


offers a voice to those who might otherwise be ignored”. It added: “The Welsh


Government has law-making powers in areas including health, education, local government, transport, housing, agriculture and the environment and the media is a crucial overseer of the way in which that influence is wielded. “With the Wales Bill


expected to pass through Parliament in the next 12


establish the committee is subject to political approval, but it is expected to meet before the summer recess. This follows a campaign by


the NUJ in Wales to address the media crisis and growing democratic deficit. In November, it launched its Media Manifesto for Wales, calling on Welsh politicians to pay more attention to media policy and, in March, national executive member Paul Scott and Cardiff and South East Wales branch chair Martin Shipton addressed AMs at the Senedd.


“ UNION RECOGNISED AT SOUTH WALES PAPER ”


in Newport. The move follows a long campaign after contact was first made with the newspaper’s publisher, Newsquest Media, in November 2014.


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he NUJ has won recognition at the South Wales Argus


John Toner, the union’s national organiser for Wales, said: “We are delighted that the Central Arbitration Committee [the adjudicating body] has accepted our evidence that the majority of the journalists working at


the Argus wish to be represented by the NUJ. “We look forward to negotiating a house agreement with the Newsquest management, and to having a constructive relationship with the employer that will


benefit our members.” He added: “This would not have been possible without the energy and enthusiasm of Hayley Mills, the mother of chapel, who has worked very hard at recruiting her colleagues to the union.”


University strengthens links with The Voice


ournalism students of Jamaican heritage could receive financial help as


part of Nottingham Trent University’s partnership with The Voice newspaper. The university and the


Jamaica National Building Society, which owns The


Voice, are extending an existing agreement. Under the new


arrangements, students of Jamaican heritage who have an offer of a place at the university will be able to apply for one of three Jamaica National Foundation Legacy


Scholarships worth


£6,000 towards tuition fees and living costs. The Voice


also will offer work placements at its headquarters in London. Voice staff will be invited to


be student mentors and give lectures at the university. The university will offer staff training in subjects such as video skills and media law.


A strong Welsh media is crucially important to the Assembly’s work and the health of Welsh democracy


in brief...


ITN RENEWS WORK WITH CHANNEL 5 ITN is to continue making Channel 5’s news programmes until 2020. As part of the deal, the 5 News team will move to ITN’s headquarters from their studio in London’s Northern & Shell building in which Express newspapers are based. Viacom bought Channel 5 from Express owner Richard Desmond two years ago.


NEWS UK PUMPS CASH INTO VIDEO News UK is to invest heavily in original video across its newspapers. The group said it would create thousands of videos each year for The Times, The Sunday Times and The Sun websites. It plans to produce more than 100 live videos a month, including on Facebook Live. Recently, The Telegraph launced an online video hub producing original content.


VICE PUSHES INTO 44 MORE COUNTRIES Vice News, an international news network aimed at a younger people, has expanded its broadcasting network to include 44 more countries. The move takes its reach to 51 countries.


PROFITS BOOST AT EVENING STANDARD The London’s Evening Standard’s latest accounts show that it more than tripled pre-tax profits.The title, which has a free daily circulation of 900,000, reported a pre-tax profit of £3.4 million on turnover which increased 13 per cent to £71.3 million for the year ending September 2015. It made a pre-tax profit of just over £1 million for the year to the end of September 2014.


FREE WOMEN’S SPORT MAGAZINE LAUNCHED A magazine about women’s sport has been launched in Scotland. The glossy magazine is distributed free across the country. A digital edition is available and its sportswomanmag. co.uk website carries news. The magazine is published by former daily newspaper executive Derek Watson and distribution is planned to reach 20,000 by 2017.


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CHRIS HOWES / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO


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