news
Showing that your local news really does matter
A
mid the continuous assaults on the local press through
mounting job cuts and newspaper closures, the NUJ is next month launching a nationwide campaign to demonstrate that local news really does matter. Local news can shine a
light on regional politics and the democratic process and hold regional government and other organisations to account. It can demonstrate that the legal process is working through court reporting. But with the numbers of journalists on local newspapers constantly falling, important meetings and court cases often go uncovered. As we report on Page 4, it is estimated that since 2005 nearly 200 regional titles have been lost. Many newspapers are now produced by small numbers of reporters working across several titles. Starting on March 24th
needs as much participation from journalists and their contacts as possible. Here are some things you can do to: 1/ Send us a 140-character
message (the size of a tweet) saying why you care about local news. 2/ Record a video message
there will be a week of events, conferences and other activities around the UK and Ireland involving journalists and politicians, community groups and other unions. The aim is to highlight the importance to everyone, including those outside journalism who may not be aware of the deterioration of the industry. For the campaign to have the biggest impact the union
of up to three minutes on why you support the campaign or why you are proud to work in local journalism. 3/ Send examples that show how news coverage in your area has been able to make a real difference – stories and photographs that have helped save a library, hospital, fire station or other amenity; or stories that have exposed corruption. 4/ Volunteer to organise
events in your area. Please contact our
campaigns department with anything that can help –
campaigns@nuj.org.uk www.nuj.org.uk/tags/ local+news+matters
The Journalist tops 60+ poll
members maintain contact with the union. Some 93 per cent said their primary contact
T
was The Journalist; the NUJ website came second with 65 per cent, branch newsletters third with just over 50 per cent and branch
he Journalist easily topped the poll in a recent survey carried out by the NUJ’s 60+Council to find out how older
meetings fourth with nearly 30 per cent. Other key findings in response to questions about how the NUJ could better assist older members, included: create opportunities to mentor younger journalists and have contact with students; organise social events & special events, and encourage NUJ training in digital skills for older journalists.
RIGHTS IN THE GIG ECONOMY A
s more journalists become freelance either by choice or
circumstance, the NUJ’s London Freelance Branch is staging a debate on responses from the unions.
The debate will feature Guy Standing, a professorial research associate at the School of Oriental and African Studies; Ursula Huws, Professor of Labour and Globalisation at
Hertfordshire Business School and NUJ member; Mags Dewhurst, chair of Independent Workers of Great Britain who won a legal battle against CitySprint over being
treated as self-employed; Nicola Hawkins, council member for actors’ union Equity; and John Toner, NUJ freelance organiser. The event is on March 11
from 5-9pm at Conway Hall, Red lion Square, London. To register please email
pamelam@nuj.org.uk.
“ ”
For the campaign to have the biggest impact the union needs as much participation from journalists and their contacts as possible
in brief...
TRINITY MIRROR CUTS MORE JOBS Trinity Mirror is making 78 redundancies across its Trinity Mirror and Local World titles and creating 44 new roles including 17 for video journalists and producers. The company said the move will improve efficiency and boost digital revenue. The NUJ has raised concerns about the impact on staff and on quality journalism.
PUBLIC HEARING CALL FOR CELTIC MEDIA The NUJ has called for a public hearing into the proposed acquisition of Ireland’s Celtic Media newspaper group by Independent News and Media plc. The union wants a hearing so that the Oireachtas committee can make an informed submission to the Broadcast Authority of Ireland which is carrying out a phase two investigation into the proposed transaction.
SANDS TO EDIT THE TODAY PROGRAMME Sarah Sands, the editor of the London Evening Standard, is to be the next editor of Today, Radio 4’s flagship news and current affairs programme. She will replace Jamie Angus, who has been appointed deputy director of the BBC World Service. She is the second woman to edit the programme.
NO PAY RISE AGAIN AT EXPRESS AND STAR Richard Desmond has refused staff on the Express and Star newspapers a pay rise, making it almost a decade since they received an across-the-board increase. The NUJ chapel, which had asked for an increase of four per cent, said that the cost of living is now about 25 per cent higher than when a pay increase was last achieved.
THE SCOTSMAN MARKS 200 YEARS The Scotsman last month celebrated 200 years since its first edition. The daily newspaper, which is now owned by Johnston Press, was launched as a publication which aimed to be honest, useful and independent.
theJournalist | 03
NUJ
MA G A ZINE OF THE NA TIONAL UNION OF JOURNALIST S
WWW.NUJ.ORG.UK | AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2016
front page
hold the
Journalists as others see us
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