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Christine Buckley Editor @mschrisbuckley


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02 | theJournalist


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Main feature 12 Journalists face facts New jobs as fact-checkers


A


utumn and the beginning of the new academic year can often feel more like a new start than the calendar new year when everything is quiet post Christmas. Schools and


universities begin afresh after long summers and the political parties kick off new agendas with


their conferences. We hope that the new student journalists will be encouraged to join the NUJ and stay with the union throughout their careers. In one of our features, Anttoni James Numminen looks at how the NUJ can involve students more and help them play integral parts in the union’s processes and democracy. During the autumn conference season, the NUJ played its part in the TUC’s annual gathering which remained – hopefully for the last time – online. We have two pages of coverage of the conference on pages 6 and 7. Continuing the theme of new starts, Jem Collins writes a Starting Out column on how she turned an idea which was triggered by an unexpected plunge into freelance life, into a sustainable business and a full-time job. And our cover feature looks at the rise of a relatively new phenomenon – fact checkers, born from a need to counter disinformation culture. I hope you enjoy the latest edition of The Journalist.


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ISSN: 0022-5541 ”


Cover picture Pete Baker


News 3 Top prize for Philippine and Russian Journalists win Nobel for courage


4 Unions unite over Afghanistan Reporters fearful for their lives


5 Broadcasting diversity ‘woeful’ Ofcom blasts TV and radio


6 Fight against ‘fire and rehire’ Oxford colleagues praised


7 Tax wealthy to fund care Call from TUC’s O’Grady


Features


08 Olympics behind closed doors Overcoming the obstacles


14 Looking to the future The value of student members


16 War of the Worlds panic Was it the media’s fault?


Regulars


21 Technology 22 Obituaries 25 And finally...


Arts Page 20


Ray Snoddy Page 19


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