02 Informed


Séamus Says


Tere was a somewhat surreal atmosphere in London. In the run-up to the Coronation many of the streets around Bloomsbury were bedecked with bunting, shop windows proudly displayed royal memorabilia and images of King Charles III seemed to pop up in the most unlikely places. However, inside the conference hall it


Aſter the Covid- enforced break from in-person conferences it was good to be back in Congress House for DM 2023.


was NUJ business as usual, with plenty of heated debates, divided opinions, and a good measure of consensus on the key challenges facing journalists and journalism. It was great to meet so many first time delegates as well as renewing acquaintances with long serving activists from across the union. The opening pictorial tributes to those who had died since our last gathering, were a poignant reminder of the union’s rich legacy and of the responsibility shared by us, who have inherited the NUJ’s proud traditions. The diversity of that legacy was reflected in the member of honour tributes to Chris Mullin, John Lister, and Chris Wheal. When our history is updated labour


historians will record DM 2023 as the conference when NUJ delegates voted to delete the traditional chapel titles from the Rule Book.


The deletion of the titles Father and Mother of the chapel will provide an interesting footnote but of far great significance to working journalists was the sense of urgency with which delegates debated late notice motions on Artificial Intelligence. It is a measure of the speed with which AI has developed over the past few months that the full impact was not felt when the NEC and branches were drafting motions for DM 2023. The ethical and practical implications of AI and the threat to the very future of journalism will be a defining issue of 2023.


The issue of how journalists report on issues of sex and gender led to a fractious debate on Motion 38. On the face of it Motion 38, supported by the NEC,


appeared non-controversial, asking the union to consider issuing a statement on the right of journalists “to discuss all sides of the debate on sex and gender identity including trans rights and gender critical viewpoints.” In the debate opponents of the motion chose to focus on the issue of Trans rights, with the implication that by reporting gender critical comments journalists stand accused of questioning those rights. That was certainly not the intention of the tabling branch, Bristol, or the NEC.


“At a time when debate has become polarised, clear, and ethical reporting is more important than ever, values that have been core and central to the NUJ’s Conduct of Conduct throughout the union’s history.”


Motion 38 was defeated but this does not mean that the union’s policy has changed. The right to report, consistent with the NUJ Code of Conduct remains the cornerstone of union policy. As the General Secretary wrote in a


statement responding to media reports on the DM debate, “At a time when debate has become polarised, clear, and ethical reporting is more important than ever, values that have been core and central to the NUJ’s Conduct of Conduct throughout the union’s history. Journalists accurately reporting any


matter of public interest are entitled to the protection of the NUJ and the NUJ’s NEC will always have regard to the primacy of the Code of Conduct.” The full statement may be found on


Statement from Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary


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