in brief... news


UNITE POISED FOR LEADER ELECTION Unite, the UK’s biggest union, will begin voting for a new general secretary next month. Len McCluskey, the incumbent leader was in the middle of his second term but resigned, triggering a snap election. His challengers are Gerard Coyne, Unite’s Midlands regional secretary, and Ian Allinson, a workplace activist. Balloting opens on 27 March and closes on 28 April.


CORTES WINS SECOND TERM AT TSSA UNION Manuel Cortes has been elected for a second term as general secretary of transport union TSSA, which marks its 120th anniversary this year. He won 66 per cent of the vote against 34 per cent for challenger Wayne Geoghegan. The turnout was 18.9 per cent.


DACRE STAYS TOP OF EDITORS’ PAY LEAGUE Paul Dacre was paid £1.5 million last year, maintaining his position as Britain’s best-paid newspaper editor. The editor-in-chief of the Daily Mail, Mail on Sunday and Mail Online received £1.44m in salary and fees and a further £59,000 in taxable benefits. The benefits include a company car and fuel.


CNN BACKS INDEX ON CENSORSHIP AWARDS Index on Censorship is being partnered by CNN for its Freedom of Expression Awards this year. The awards, which are in their 17th year, honour those at the forefront of tackling censorship in the arts, campaigning, digital advocacy and journalism. Many winners have suffered persecution including jail, death threats or harassment.


PAGEANT BUYS FROM EUROMONEY Pageant Media, the business information specialist, has bought Hedge Fund Intelligence, a series of business information, data and workflow products, including EuroHedge and AsiaHedge, from Euromoney Institutional Investor. Pageant is one of the financial sector’s fastest-growing providers of news and insight.


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Union calls for parts of section 40 to become law


Most British newspapers including the Guardian, Financial Times and Private Eye, have called for section 40 to be scrapped completely


Crime and Courts Act, which would mean that members of press regulator Impress would be protected from paying their opponents’ costs in libel and privacy actions that reach court even if they win. But the situation for the vast majority of publishers outside Impress would be unchanged. The union said the notion that successfully defended cases could still mean a newspaper had to pay the losing side’s costs was unacceptable. Most British newspapers including the Guardian, Financial Times and Private Eye, have called for Section 40 to be scrapped completely. Michelle Stanistreet, the


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NUJ’s general secretary (pictured), said: “The NUJ believes that partially implementing section 40


he NUJ has backed a partial implementation of section 40 of the


“Ministers should now rule out implementing section 40 in a way that could lead to publishers facing potentially ruinous legal costs. “Therefore, the NUJ favours that the government should partially commence section 40 and keep the elements that apply to publishers outside a recognised regulator under review.” The union has also asked the


would potentially benefit regulators that have established proper systems of arbitration. Those who have not would continue to deal with the courts as they do today. The Government should continue to encourage regulators that do not have effective arbitration in place to establish such systems.


government to proceed with part two of the Leveson inquiry, looking at phone hacking and the relationship between journalists and the police. Michelle said:


“Commitments were made to victims of abuse by the press that have not been fulfilled. “Without the inquiry, the suspicion of a cover-up or a private deal between ministers and industry bosses will hang in the air.”


Letters, page 24


JOURNALIST NUMBERS JUMP BY 20,000 It is the highest total since


he number of people in Britain who describe themselves


as journalists or newspaper and periodical editors has risen from 64,000 to 84,000, according to the Office for National Statistics.


2001 when records became available online. The data is collected annually and covers the April to June period as part of the Labour Force Survey. The figures are estimates


based on a sample of around 40,000 households and 100,000 individuals. Most of the rise seems to


come from self-employed journalists or editors. Those describing themselves as self-employed journalists


or editors increased from 18,000 in 2015 to 34,000. The number who said they


were staff increased from 45,000 to 47,000. The number of public


relations professionals fell from 55,000 to 49,000.


Reporters win Alzheimer’s Society awards T


hree journalists were recognised for “remarkable” efforts to make life better for people with dementia at the Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friendly Awards late last year. Daily Mirror journalist Warren Manger, Bradford Telegraph &


Argus features editor Emma Clayton and BBC Norfolk presenter Nick Conrad were honoured at the awards, which celebrate people and organisations that make outstanding contributions towards improving the lives and experiences of people with dementia. This was the first time journalism was included. Manger won the national category while Clayton took the regional award and Conrad won the outstanding contribution award.


NUJ


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