08 Informed


News Update


Give women a sporting chance


Women have made great strides in breaking into sports journalism, but more needs to be done and broadcasters must start to take women’s sports seriously. Anna Kesse, a sports writer for Te


Guardian newspaper, told a conference organised by NUJ Wales Training and held with Cardiff Metropolitan University and women’s charity, Chwarae Teg, that women gaining prominent roles had helped to make 2018 “a year of change”. During the past 12 months, footballer


Alex Scott became one of the leading soccer pundits working for BBC and Sky Sports; Vicki Sparks became the first women to commentate on a live match at a World Cup for the BBC; and cricketer Isa Guha was the first woman to commentate on a men’s cricket test match for Sky. “I have a lot of praise for the likes of


Alex Scott who has now become a role model for many women in the sports media industry, but there is still a


lot more that needs to be done. Only three women journalists from the UK went to the 2018 football World Cup as reporters; that needs to change,” said Anna, who also emphasised the importance of joining a union such as the NUJ.


Hockey player, Beth Fisher, a freelance


for BBC Wales Sport, said access to information on women’s sport needed to be improved: “It is easier to get hold of Wales and Arsenal footballer Aaron Ramsey than it is to find out about some women’s sport results or fixtures,” she said.


Sue Butler, S4C sport commissioner, said: “Why put Women’s Six Nations matches at 11.30 in the morning? It is important that broadcasters and sport governing bodies work together to give women’s sport as much publicity as possible.” Cardiff Met student Alexandra Richards said she would like to see more men covering female sports.


FAW


Changing Times Cuts at Te Times and Te Sunday Times are expected as Rupert Murdoch’s request for the papers to be able to pool editorial roles was sent to the government. Te NUJ is now taking part in a consultation about News UK’s atempt to override legal undertakings established in 1981, when he acquired the papers, to prevent the company from sharing resources across


the two publications. Te Department of Culture, Media & Sport said the changes requested by News UK “would permit a greater sharing of resources …including journalists between the two papers”.


Alamy rates Intervention by the NUJ led to photographic agency Alamy to drop plans to reduce commission on pictures from 60 to 50 per


cent. Natasha Hirst, chair of the NUJ photographers’ council, said: “Alamy is still ripping off photographers but the NUJ welcomes the partial company climb- down on commission rate cuts. Te person who does the work should receive the majority of the income that is generated from their efforts.”


Press freedom A Labour amendment


seeking extra protections for journalists in the Crime (Overseas Production Orders) Bill was voted down during the report stage of the Bill in the House of Commons. Te Bill would permit the government to allow foreign governments to apply for access to information stored in the UK and allow the authorities to access the content of journalists’ electronic communications.


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