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Cumbrian strike action gains political support


NUJ members striking at Newsquest- owned titles in Cumbria just before Christmas have won cross-party political support for their one-day walkout over pay. The newspapers affected by the strike were


the Carlisle News & Star, the Cumberland News, the Workington Times and Star and the Whitehaven News. Tim Farron (pictured right),


former Liberal Democrat leader and MP for South Lakeland, said: “Our local reporters here in Cumbria aren’t just writing about our communities, they are part of those communities – they are the glue that keeps our community together. “That’s the key to a good


local newspaper. We are lucky to have so many excellent journalists writing for fantastic papers and they deserve to be fairly rewarded for the work that they do.” Stewart Young, Labour leader of Cumbria


County Council, said: “Skilled and experienced local journalists are a key part of our democratic structures. Whilst I’ll be the first to say they don’t always make our lives easy, I’ll


clarify that by saying nor should they. “They disseminate information to the public, organise campaigns and, in the finest examples of work, they hold organisations like ours up to public scrutiny. To lose such a crucial link is a major loss for us all.” Rory Stewart, Tory MP for


Penrith and the Border, said: “Strong, vigorous local newspapers are a vital part of local democracy. Journalism is extraordinarily important. We will only keep it alive if we reward journalists properly.” Helen Davison, Carlisle Green


Party chair, also added her support to the strike. Jane Kennedy, NUJ Northern and Midlands organiser, said: “Newsquest are making severe cuts again and again; they are


slashing frontline journalism jobs and paying out thousands in perks to those at the top of company. Newsquest are systematically asset stripping local journalism in this country and they must be stopped.” Newsquest said that the pay dispute dated


back to before it acquired the newspapers in March last year.


“


The NUJ has submitted its first ever complaint to the regulator IPSO over the coverage by The Cumberland News of the strike action at Newsquest’s Cumbrian News titles.


The newspaper’s report of


the strike action, which was published before the strike on December 20, reported comments from the company but not from the union or those about to take action.


calls for a commitment to fairness, stating that the press must take care not to publish inaccurate, distorted or misleading information. The union said that the


We are lucky to have so many excellent journalists writing for fantastic papers and they deserve to be fairly rewarded for the work that they do


Tim Farron MP for South Lakeland


inbrief...


DOOLEY DANCES INTO ROLE AT GRAZIA UK Stacey Dooley has been appointed contributing editor for investigations at Grazia UK. Dooley, a journalist, documentary maker and 2018 Strictly Come Dancing champion, will publish a series of investigations in the magazine throughout this year.


ASAD HASHIM WINS KATE WEBB PRIZE Asad Hashim won the 2018 AFP Kate Webb Prize for coverage of the plight of ethnic Pashtuns and blasphemy issues in Pakistan. The prize honours journalists working in perilous or difficult conditions in Asia, and is named after an AFP reporter who covered some of the world’s trouble spots.


ANDERSON WINS BARRON TROPHY Craig Anderson, who until he recently retired was the long-serving reporter in the Highlands and Islands for the BBC, has been awarded this year’s Barron Trophy. The award recognises lifetime achievement in journalism in the Scottish region.


Strike sparks NUJ’s first IPSO complaint The IPSO code of conduct


company’s reporting of legal industrial action in this way showed the organisation’s lack of commitment to quality journalism, including fair and balanced reporting.


DRUGSTORE CULTURE STAFF QUIT EN MASSE The full five-strong editorial team behind arts and culture magazine Drugstore Culture – including editor and Guardian columnist Matthew D’Ancona – resigned in January. In an email to contributors, D’Ancona and deputy editor Peter Hoskin said the resignations followed ‘instructions from management’ to sack two journalists at the title.


Press Freedom campaign carries on up north


The Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom (CPBF) closed down in November 2018 but CPBF (North) is to continue. It will campaign for strong regional voices in broadcasting, highlight threats


to local and regional newspapers, and support alternative media. CPBF (North) coordinator Granville Williams said: “We will continue to hold public meetings, publish books and pamphlets and maintain close links with the media unions and the wider trade union movement.” The first issue of newsletter MediaNorth was published in December. For more information, contact cpbfnorth@outlook.com


MAIL ONLINE CHIEF’S EARLY DEPARTURE Mail Online editor-in-chief Noah Kotch, a US journalist who previously worked for Fox News, has left the news website after just six months in the job. Kotch started the role in July, saying at the time that he was ‘thrilled to join as brilliant an operation as the dailymail.com’.


theJournalist | 05


AMER GHAZZAL / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO


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