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NUJ defends reporting of political donation at TUC Cymru congress
TUC CYMRU celebrated its 50th anniversary at its biennial congress in Llandudno in May with the NUJ advocating on behalf of journalism in Wales. The week started on a controversial note as some supporters of the first minister accused journalists in Wales of being motivated by racism in the ongoing coverage of Vaughan Gething’s troubles. News outlets in Wales had reported Gething’s acceptance of £200,000 of donations for his leadership campaign from a businessman twice convicted of environmental crimes. The NUJ told the pre-congress general council meeting that
coverage of the donation from a criminal, the emerging news of deleted phone messages that might be of interest to the UK Covid Inquiry, along with the sacking of a minister who denied being the person who leaked deleted messages was legitimate as they were all matters of public interest. David Nicholson (pictured), who represents Wales on the
NUJ’s national executive, was the union’s sole delegate to TUC Cymru. He successfully moved a motion on public interest journalism in Wales. The union was seeking support for its proposals to the Welsh government to ensure coverage of local news in news deserts and for greater diversity in the workforce. The teachers’ union, NASUWT, supported the NUJ’s proposals
saying local school strikes in Wales were not being reported due to the absence of local newspapers in those areas. The NUJ amended a motion on artificial intelligence to draw
attention to its impact on journalism and what the union is doing about it. The union also spoke in greater detail at a fringe meeting on artificial intelligence. The NUJ amended a motion on culture funding in
Wales to share misgivings at the way the Books Council of Wales gives public money to fund the Welsh magazine
sector. Recently, two long-standing Welsh magazines, Planet and New Internationalist, had to close after losing their grant funding. Nicholson also spoke at a fringe meeting on Gaza about the
work the NUJ and the International Federation of Journalists are doing to support journalists in the conflict. The well-attended meeting was told how money raised by
NUJ members is providing practical help, how the union has drawn the British government and the International Criminal Court’s attention to the high death rate and injuries sustained by media workers in Gaza and the allegations that the Israeli Defence Force might be deliberately targeting journalists. Nicholson was re-elected to TUC Cymru’s general council for a further two years.
NATASHA HIRST “ Steve Bell
The coverage of a donation from a criminal, deleted phone messages and a minister’s sacking was legitimate as they were issues of public interest
06 | theJournalist
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