inbrief... news


ITN CHIEF EXECUTIVE HARDIE TO LEAVE ITN chief executive John Hardie will leave at the end of the year after nine years as the head of the company. Hardie, whose remit covers ITV News, Channel 4 News and Channel 5 News, joined ITN from Disney. In 2016, according to the company’s annual report, he was paid more than £700,000.


FACEBOOK MOVE MAKES PRINT A LIKE Facebook has made its first move into print with a quarterly publication aimed at business leaders. However, the company said its print marketing product was not a magazine, although it runs interviews with business people. Grow by Facebook was launched in the UK in June.


BBC WORLD SERVICE INCREASES AUDIENCE The BBC World Service has increased its audience by 10 million to 279 million. Last year, the service made its biggest expansion for more than 70 years, adding 12 languages to its news service, supported by a £289 million funding boost from the government.


HELEN THOMAS HEADS BBC ENGLAND Helen Thomas has been appointed director of BBC England, a new role designed as part of the corporation’s policy to reflect all of the UK’s nations and regions. She will have editorial and operational responsibility across all non- networked TV, online and radio output in England. She has been editor of BBC Radio Humberside, and head of regional and local programming in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire.


ROCHDALE ONLINE MARKS 20 YEARS Rochdale Online, which claims to be the oldest hyperlocal news website in the country, has celebrated its 20th birthday. It says it has an average 160,000 visitors a month, up from 58,000 in 2011.


06 | theJournalist


RTE freelance and staff contracts too alike, law firm review finds


An independent report into Irish broadcaster RTÉ’s freelance contracts said that as many as one in four contracts with freelances and contractors should be reviewed because they were similar to those of full-time employees. The report by law firm Eversheds Sutherland


found inconsistencies in certain roles where some people have been hired as staff and others engaged to work as contractors with fewer employment rights such as sick pay, pension rights, access to trade union representation and maternity and paternity leave. Séamus Dooley, NUJ Ireland secretary, said


the report’s findings vindicated the stand taken by the union over several years about employment contracts at RTÉ. The union also wants a review of self-employed contracts in the commercial print and broadcasting sectors. The NUJ’s campaign on employment


contracts at RTÉ has been backed by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. Both groups are now calling for an urgent implementation of full employment rights and compensation


payments. RTE said it would implement the report’s recommendations and introduce new policies and procedures. Dooley said: “This report shows that a


significant number of workers trapped in inappropriate contracts have employment rights and must have their status corrected. “We accept that it will


take time to address the individual issues, involving a minimum of 157 cases, including 106 deemed ‘high priority’ by the independent legal advisers. “The RTÉ group of


unions must be fully engaged in this process. Line managers must never again be allowed to act as if they had the right to refuse employment rights based on unspecified criteria.” He added: “The issue of bogus self-


employment is a major feature of the media industry. RTÉ is not unique in this regard. The Department of Social Protection should consider carrying out a sectoral review of media organisations in the commercial print and broadcasting sectors.“


“ Picture your pitch for TV success


It may seem obvious, but ‘think visually’, was a key take-home message from award-winning freelance investigative journalist/TV producer Greg Lewis and ITV Cymru Wales’ editor Nick Powell at a networking event organised by NUJ’s Cardiff & South East Wales branch to celebrate National Freelancers Day. Powell’s ‘What are we going to see?’ is the right question to ask, Lewis agreed. Also key is finding an independent company to work with in partnership, and looking for programme gaps that commissioners need help filling. Pitching is difficult, but sticking to one or two sides of A4 helps said Lewis, who transitioned


from print to TV. But what is often hardest is TV commissioners sitting on your ideas – sometimes for many months. Zoe Thomas, news editor, promised she would give straight answers when she takes up her new post as editor, English language programmes at ITV Wales’ Cardiff Bay hub in September.


Bob and Gerry go for gold


Long-standing Belfast NUJ branch members Bob Miller (left) and Gerry Carson were recently awarded gold badges for services to their union, writes Brian Pelan.


Both members have worked tirelessly to support fellow NUJ members and deserve their award. The two members were presented with the gold


badges and framed pictures at a recent Belfast NUJ branch meeting.


All members at the Belfast


meeting praised the awards decision.


A significant number of workers trapped in inappropriate contracts have employment rights and must have their status corrected


Séamus Dooley, NUJ Ireland


MARK DIMMOCK


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