7 IRISH BIENNIAL DELEGATE CONFERENCE 2019 Defending Journalism


in Times of Crisis Biennial Delegate Conference 2019


www.nuj.org.uk


From left, Seamus Dooley, Bernie Mullen, Michelle Stanistreet and Gerry Carson and (right) the cartoon drawn for Gerry and Bernie by Graeme Keyes, NUJ member and freelance cartoonist. Photo: Maxwell


Thanking Gerry and


Bernie for their service Outgoing joint IEC cathoirligh, Gerry Carson and Bernie Mullen, were described by Irish Secretary Séamus Dooley as “a great double act”, at a presentation following the Life Members event in


November. Gerry and Bernie were each presented with a


cartoon of them by Graeme Keyes, NUJ member and freelance cartoonist. Séamus said the memento was intended to remind Gerry and Bernie “of your consistent work, nimble movements, and the way in which you have dominated the floor over the last four years in Gerry’s case and two years for Bernie”.


BAI is still considering ban complaint


BAI Chief Executive Michael O’Keefe has advised the NUJ that the Compliance Committee is still considering correspondence from both the NUJ and The Currency news service regarding the imposition of a ban by Communicorp management on selected journalists being interviewed on its radio stations, including Newstalk and Today FM. Communicorp has lifted the ban on journalists


associated with The Currency from being interviewed but a ban on Irish Times journalists remains in place. The Compliance Committee had advised that because the ban was lifted it was not proposed to deal with complaints alleging breaches of the BAI code.


In a letter to Mr O’Keeffe. Séamus Dooley, Irish


Secretary, said the lifting of the ban was in effect an acknowledgement by Communicorp of commercial interference in editorial independence. Mr O’Keeffe accepted requests from Mr Tom Lyons,


chief executive, The Currency, and the NUJ that the Compliance Committee should reconsider its decision not to pursue its investigation. One breach had been acknowledged and another is still in operation. In his letter Séamus said both bans conflict with the core objectives of the BAI Codes since a producer or


presenter cannot provide “independent and informed journalism“ if there is a directive which restricts those whom they may or may not invite to provide facts or opinion, based not on editorial grounds but on commercial considerations. Séamus told the Irish delegate conference in


November that the NUJ would prefer if Newstalk and Today FM hired and paid freelance journalists, but if this was not going to happen editorial decisions should be taken on editorial grounds.


O’Brien libel defeat was good news The outcome of libel action taken by Denis O’Brien against the Sunday Business Post was good news for Irish journalism, the Irish Secretary told delegates. Séamus Dooley said the case was “a vicious


attempt not just to shut down two brave journalists but to undermine the very existence of the Sunday Business Post.” He said: “In an otherwise dark period, the loss of


that court case by O’Brien and his subsequent, unrelated departure from Independent News and Media Plc was good news. The NUJ was opposed to media dominance by any share holder and does not believe that concentration of ownership is good for democracy.”


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