MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS

WWW.NUJ.ORG.UK | OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2020

THE NEWZOOM Does journalism need offices? Contents

Main feature 12 News from the home front Is the end of the office nigh? News he coronavirus pandemic is changing 03 Thousands of job cuts take effect the way we live and work radically. Not least among the changes is our Union negotiates redundancies widespread working from home and 04 Fury over News UK contracts the broader question of how much we Photographers lose rights Tneed an office. Some businesses are questioning whether they need one at all, others are looking 05 Bullivant strike saves jobs towards a future of mixed working patterns with some Management enters into talks homeworking and some office attendance. In our cover feature 06 TUC Congress Neil Merrick looks at what this means for our industry. Reports from first virtual meeting Also in this edition of The Journalist we have a feature on how virtual meetings are generating more activity in branches “because the meetings are now more accessible. Edinburgh Features Freelance branch has seen a big jump in people getting 10 Behind closed doors involved, has increased the frequency of its meetings and has Reporting the family courts linked up with other branches for joint meetings. Recently, the TUC held its first virtual conference. We have full 14 News takes centre stage coverage of the main issues and those raised by the NUJ. Media takes to innovative story telling As we work from home there’s growing evidence of a revival 21 Saving my A&E in the local economy and a strengthening of the high street A sharp PR learning curve which not that long ago was suffering as consumers opted for large out of town centres. We can only hope that the revival of the local economy stimulates more interest in local news and Regulars helps to bolster our regional media. 14 Looking back to...1924 19 Technology 24 And finally...

Christine Buckley Editor @mschrisbuckley

Editor NUJ Arts [email protected] 72 Acton Street Page Design London WC1X 9NB Surgerycreations.com [email protected] 18 [email protected] www.nuj.org.uk Advertising Tel: 020 7843 3700 Melanie Richards Manchester office Tel: 07494975239 [email protected] [email protected] Glasgow office Letters Print [email protected] Warners Cover picture Page 22-23 www.warners.co.uk Dublin office [email protected] Ned Jolliffe Distribution ” GB Mail ISSN: 0022-5541 www.gb-mail.co.uk

02 | theJournalist news Thousands of redundancies inbrief... REACH SEES DIGITAL REVENUE RECOVERY become a stark reality Reach, which publishes the Mirror and Express and many regional THE NUJ is dealing with Carrie Gracie, the former titles, said that digital revenues thousands of redundancies China editor who with the have begun to recover from the across the media industry as NUJ campaigned for gender effects of the coronavirus, climbing announced cuts reach the pay parity, and Simon 13 per cent year-on-year in the end of their consultative Gompertz, the personal The BBC has made third quarter of this year. Total process. It is the biggest finance correspondent. revenue fell by 15 per cent year on round of cuts faced at one In newspapers, Reach is the biggest number year and print fell by 20 per cent. time as news organisations making 550 job cuts; the of cuts at more than have triggered job losses to Guardian 180; the London deal with the economic support will continue for Evening Standard 69 editorial 1100 across its SOBANDE IS CLAUDIA impact of the coronavirus some small and medium- jobs out of 115 redundancies; “ JONES LECTURER pandemic. More cuts are sized businesses that face the Daily Mail Group 100; operations. Voluntary Francesca Sobande, a lecturer in thought likely at groups that lower demand in the winter Newsquest about 40 redundancies at the digital media studies at the School have not yet outlined job under the Job Support journalists’ jobs. Other cuts of Journalism, Media and Culture at losses such as News UK. Scheme which starts for six are being implemented at corporation have been Cardiff University, will give this Union officials have been months on November 1. Dennis Publishing; Emap; oversubscribed year’s Claudia Jones lecture. She working to get the best deals The BBC has made the Haymarket; Bauer; Conde will focus on ‘the digital lives of in voluntary and compulsory biggest number of cuts at Nast; and Harper Collins black women in Britain’ in the redundancies and are more than 1100 across its among others. lecture which will be recorded later challenging job losses with operations. Voluntary The NUJ launched its News in October. legal action where possible. redundancies at the Recovery Plan early on as the The cuts are being made as corporation have been pandemic began to hit news the Government’s furlough oversubscribed and some organisations with advertising POSTAGE ERROR ON scheme comes to an end on high-profile names are disappearing and print sales REDUNDANCY MAIL October 31. Government leaving the airwaves including falling sharply. Guardian staff waiting to hear about their individual terms for voluntary redundancy were told Pressure over public planning notices that they hadn’t received letters because insufficient postage was THE NUJ has joined calls from the News obligation on local authorities to place come at a very difficult time. paid. They were emailed instead Media Association (NMA) for the statutory planning notices in local The NUJ is also concerned that the after a wait and the deadline for Government to re-think proposed newspapers is worth about £10 million proposals, which are part of the voluntary redundancy was legislation which would scrap the each year to the industry. The NUJ fears Planning for the Future White Paper, extended to October 19. requirement for public notices to be that as the coronavirus is putting could be a way of bypassing local published in local papers. further pressure on an industry already people and their right to be consulted The NMA has calculated that the in crisis, this loss of revenue would on changes to their environment.

RIP Sir Harry Evans, an NUJ supporter Google hands out $1 billionto news groups SIR HARRY EVANS, one of the His greatest successes were Google is to give news organisations most admired newspaper in the 1970s when the Sunday around the world $1 billion over the next editors, has died aged 92. Times broke a number of key three years and allow them editorial The former Sunday Times stories including the independence about content that is editor was a supporter of the devastating impact of promoted on Google’s platforms. It will NUJ although he stopped thalidomide on unborn also allow them flexibility over the being a member when he children and the exposure of format of the story spaces it allocates. moved to a managerial the double agent Kim Philby. The initiative called the Google News position. He wrote of his enthusiasm for the union in Showcase comes amid pressure his autobiography My Paper for a tax on the tech giants to help Chase. Three years ago, he traditional media badly hit by the was honoured at an event coronavirus fallout. celebrating his life and work

REUTERS / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO STOCK REUTERS / ALAMY at the NUJ’s headquarters.

theJournalist | 03 news Fury as News UK photographers’ contract grabs all rights for ever THE NUJ and the British Press Photographers’ Association have claims and costs incurred against the publisher in relation to the reacted with anger over a new contract for photographers who images provided. regularly contribute to News UK titles, which include The Times Photographers were asked to sign the contract or no longer and The Sun. be classed as ‘preferred’ photographers. They say the new contract strips photographers of almost all Natasha Hirst, chair of the NUJ’s photographers’ council, said: It is completely their rights in their commissioned work, drastically “This disgraceful contract is wholly reducing their income. unacceptable and has no place in exploitative. Why a One single fee will give our industry. news organisation News UK exclusive rights to “It is completely exploitative, use commissioned work in strips photographers of most of “feels it needs to perpetuity across Times titles, their rights and will leave them give photographers leaving photographers much worse off. unable to ever resell “Why a news organisation this sort of kicking their commissioned feels it needs to give work themselves. photographers – most of whom beggars belief Additionally, the publisher has have struggled to work because of demanded exclusive syndication Covid-19 – this sort of kicking Natasha Hirst rights to sub-license and resell the beggars belief.” chair, NUJ work in perpetuity. The British Press photographers’ council News UK also wants to have three days’ use of Photographers’ Association non-commissioned images both online and in print publications said: “Publishers imposing new contracts without discussion, for the price of one use. explanation or negotiation is a poor way to deal with For both commissioned and non-commissioned work, the loyal and committed freelances at any time – and to do contract strips contributors of their secondary rights, requires all this when incomes are down and in the middle of a moral rights to be waived and subjects them to an indemnity worldwide pandemic would appear to be both opportunistic clause, which would make contributors, not News UK, liable for and ill-judged.”

Legal bid to get freelances in Covid-19 scheme halted

THE UNION has dropped its The NUJ had sent a claim and then take a pursued along with renewed support scheme would be legal challenge for all pre-action letter but it was further legal view upon lobbying and campaigning. available to 95 per cent of freelances to be included in obliged to lodge a claim receipt of the response. Some freelances, self employed people but the government’s self before receiving a response The Government has especially those who pay tax the NUJ’s freelance office employment income support from the Government. So it stressed its willingness to as PAYE on shifts, have been had found a large number scheme (SEISS) following was agreed with the engage with the NUJ directly, excluded from the SEISS. The of freelances fell iwithin the legal advice. Treasury to lodge a brief which is the route now being chancellor had said that the five per cent.

Ruling against Paul Blanchard

PAUL BLANCHARD, owner of Right Angles PR, which requires members to ‘treat other has been found to be in breach of NUJ members of the union and union staff, with membership responsibilities by a panel consideration and respect and not to take investigating a rule 24 complaint against him actions which would threaten their livelihood by freelance Nick Huber who said he was owed or working conditions’. money by Mr Blanchard. “We note that Mr Blanchard resigned The panel reported to the NUJ’s ruling his NUJ membership on receipt of national executive council: “We uphold the complaint. However, we recommend that Nick Huber’s complaint, and find that if he should re-apply for membership at any Paul Blanchard is in breach of the NUJ time he should provide evidence that he has Membership Responsibilities, clause (b)(i), paid all monies owing to Mr Huber.”

04 | theJournalist news Bullivant strike action saves inbrief... NEIL SETS UP TV NEWS CHANNEL jobs and opens up talks Andrew Neil is leaving the BBC to start a new TV news channel – NUJ members working for Bullivant Media in GB News. He will be the chair and the Midlands have won concessions from the evening programme host at the company and an agreement to future channel, which is aimed at people dialogue after they staged four days of strikes who feel under-served by the in August and September. Plans for five Our demands from existing news media. The BBC had compulsory redundancies were reduced to said that Neil’s show would not three job losses last month. the outset were fair return after it came off air during All editorial workers are union members. and reasonable and the pandemic. They formed a chapel earlier this year amid concerns over unauthorised deductions from “Our demands from the outset were fair “based on the desire wages at the start of the coronavirus and reasonable and based on the desire to to produce quality LYRA MCKEE PRIEST pandemic, targeted compulsory redundancies produce quality journalism that serves our TELLS HIS STORY and detrimental working practices which saw local communities. journalism for our Broadcast journalist Siobhann non-editorial staff taking on editorial work. “That is what our readers want and deserve. Tighe has made a radio The company runs weekly free newspapers Quality journalism makes economic sense and local communities documentary – Heart and Soul – and websites with titles including the Coventry is key to the survival of local media. featuring the priest who gave Observer, Leamington Observer, Rugby “Our thanks to the directors of Bullivant Bullivant Media Lyra McKee the last rites . Observer, Stratford Observer, Solihull Observer, Media for the open and engaging way they NUJ chapel Father Joe Gormley describes Redditch Standard, Bromsgrove Standard, approached discussions once meetings began. the impact of her death on him Worcester Observer and Evesham Observer. By listening to each other, we have been able and the community. Hear it on The Bullivant Media NUJ chapel said: “We to secure a positive and welcome agreement.” BBC Sounds at https://tinyurl.com/ have secured agreement on working practices Jane Kennedy, NUJ organiser, said the y2pmhtds. and been provided with details of the company’s chapel members “have been able to achieve a

editorial structure for the months ahead. range of significant outcomes”. MINGINS MARCUS WHITE STARTS COMMUNITY PAPER unionists who watched the Aidan White, former general TUC and NUJ events go virtual event as it was live secretary of the International streamed from Congress Federation of Journalists and THE TUC’S annual congress congress in the TUC’s due to be held in April this House in London. founder of the Ethical Journalism was scheduled for Brighton 152-year history. year. The finance committee There would usually have Network, has set up a community this year. But, instead of Meanwhile, the NUJ is is considering technological been around 500 delegates newspaper in east London. being beside the sea, looking into virtual options options and dates. in the hall but this year it Newham Voices is being published delegates found themselves for its biennial delegate The TUC congress was held just a few people. monthly with the hope it will logging onto the first virtual meeting, which had been joined by thousands of trade TUC news, pages 6 and 7 go weekly.

Q magazine closes after PR workers more stressed 34 years Q magazine, which was founded in 1986 MORE than three-quarters of PR workers have been putting in by Smash Hits writers Mark Ellen and longer hours than usual during the pandemic, with almost four David Hepworth, closed in the summer out of five feeling more stressed than usual. Two-thirds told the with publisher Bauer blaming the NUJ they had experienced abuse through social media or from impact of the coronavirus pandemic. clients during the pandemic. It follows a review of the publisher’s The NUJ’s public relations and communications council survey UK portfolio during which it was carried out in July found the pandemic has had a significant unable to find a new owner. The impact on the work of PR workers, a specialism where many are magazine’s circulation had fallen to not union members. 28,000 per month from a peak of With most now working from home, it was positive to see that most employers had ensured the right equipment was provided 200,000 in 2001. with two-thirds of the 120 respondents saying they had the screens, chairs, desks, tools or software they would expect if working in an office.

theJournalist | 05 tuc news Fair pay demanded as workers on Covid-19 frontline praised THE TUC congress paid tribute including one in four staff in to key workers who saw the adult social care. country through the Covid-19 A TUC report launched at crisis – and who may have to the conference says: “Despite do the same again this winter. doing the essential work caring Thousands of trade for us and keeping food on unionists watched online as shop shelves through this crisis, workers from all sectors told millions remain underpaid and their stories in a series of without secure employment. poignant videos on the first “Many made huge day of the conference. sacrifices, putting themselves It’s not the great and The TUC has started a and their families at risk… the good who have campaign demanding fair pay Workers who are carrying the for essential workers. It is country through this crisis kept the country urging all trade unionists to deserve to be rewarded fairly.” JESS HURD going, not the hedge write to their MPs in support TUC president Ged Nichols “ of a pay rise and better NHS workers, bus drivers, civil casual workers and low-paid said: “It’s not the great and fund bosses and working conditions. servants, postal delivery self-employed people. They the good who have kept the Currently, 2.1 million key workers and others. The TUC include carers, delivery drivers country going, not the hedge captains of industry workers earn the minimum said these workers deserved and shop workers whose fund bosses and captains of but the labour of wage or less. The TUC believes serious pay increases to importance became apparent industry but the labour of the minimum wage should be reward them for sacrifices during the crisis. working people, people we working people at least £10 an hour for all. they have made. The TUC is calling for an are proud to represent. Public sector workers make Many key workers are in immediate ban on zero hours “The crisis has shown that up 52 per cent of key workers insecure employment – contracts to reduce the those doing the most Ged Nichols and have been central during including people on zero insecurity experienced by important work are often TUC president the crisis. They include carers, hours contracts, agency staff, many essential workers, those paid the least.”

Jobs loss 'tsunami' feared as state scheme ends TUC GENERAL secretary Frances should state support for jobs. It’s they will never work again. “The productivity. The state should O’Grady has warned the better to keep people working, price of unemployment is too subsidise wages on condition government the country faces a paying their taxes, spending high,” she said. that employers pay at least 80 ‘tsunami of job losses’ if it does their wages and helping to The TUC is urging employers to per cent of the normal rate. not act when the job retention rebuild the economy,” she said. bring people back to work using She added: “But there’ll be scheme ends this autumn. O’Grady said the government a package that could include no blank cheques for business, The scheme, which the unions needed reminding of what shorter hours and training. no handouts for boardroom pushed for, has paid the wages of mass unemployment does to O’Grady said the TUC was bonanzas; shareholders must more than nine million workers. a country – crushing young proposing that in return for state tighten their belts. And, to qualify, “The pandemic isn’t scheduled people’s dreams and people in support, firms draw up credible companies must pay their share to end in October so neither their 50s joining the dole afraid plans to rebuild hours and of taxes – here in the UK.”

Anti-racism taskforce launched JESS HURD THE TUC has set up a taskforce to tackle racism. The group made up of members of the general council, will highlight the everyday racism black workers experience and will devise an action plan for change in UK workplaces and within unions. Mohammed Shafiq, chair of the PCS national black members’ committee, spoke in the debate at congress on the general council’s statement about tackling racism. He said lasting change was required: “You cannot have a truly equal society until black workers feel safe and have the same opportunities as everyone else. This requires all of us to reflect on our language, behaviour and outlook towards black communities.”

6 | theJournalist tuc news TUC backs news recovery plan in brief... CARTMAIL BECOMES THE TUC welcomed the TUC PRESIDENT publication of the NUJ’s news Gail Cartmail, who has represented recovery plan to support workers for over 40 years and is innovative, public interest assistant general secretary at Unite, journalism and protect jobs. Congress was elected as the new president of Congress acknowledged the the TUC. In 1983, she was the NGA importance of “trustworthy, acknowledged print union’s first female TUC relevant, impartial news”, the importance delegate and she wants more particularly at times of women and young people to become national crisis. of ‘trustworthy, active in their unions. The NUJ campaigned “ successfully for this to be relevant, impartial recognised by securing an news’, particularly at STARMER TAKES AIM agreement for journalists to AT FIRE AND REHIRE be designated as key workers. times of crisis The government must outlaw fire The plan, From Health Crisis and rehire tactics, Labour leader Keir to Good News, proposes information levy. This is The TUC agreed that Starmer told the conference. He said measures to support and because companies have made no public funding should thousands of workers had been protect jobs by revitalising the huge amounts and exploited be provided to any given redundancy notices then industry and ensuring it is editorial content for years company that was offered new contracts on worse pay grounded in the public good. without paying for its creation. making redundancies, and conditions. “These tactics In an extended session of The campaign will also call paying out dividends should be illegal. They punish good the general council, the TUC for tax breaks for news or resisting union recognition. employers, hit working people hard agreed unanimously to back subscriptions and support for The NUJ’s motion also MATT KENYON and harm our economy,” he said. an NUJ motion calling for a start-ups. Other proposals called for greater plurality in campaign demanding that cover government investment the media and tighter tech giants pay a digital in public interest news. regulation over ownership. GENDER PENSION GAP TWICE THAT OF PAY Research by the Prospect union shows that the pension gap New ideas needed to reach young people between women and men is more than twice the gender pay gap. Sue FRESH thinking is needed to keep news who used to work for a local newspaper buy newspapers or watch TV and they Ferns, Prospect deputy general coverage relevant to young people, group, said the media had changed accessed news through mobile phones. secretary, said it was a scandal that Unite’s assistant general secretary Tony even before the coronavirus lockdown. NUJ general secretary Michelle the government did not even report Burke told a TUC fringe meeting. There had been a boom in the use Stanistreet said at the meeting that the on the extent of the pension gap let Speaking at the Morning Star’s of social media, websites and radio. NUJ was proposing vouchers for news alone have a plan to close it. 'Media and the virus' meeting, Burke, He said most younger people did not subscriptions for 18- and 19-year-olds.

General secretary Union busting called out joins TUC executive UNION busting has no place International that allowed the Michelle Stanistreet, the NUJ’s general in our society and workers company to undermine the secretary, has joined the TUC’s executive should be able to organise NUJ’s recognition bid, was committee. She said it was a time of great without fear of reprisals or unanimously approved. challenge with more people turning bullying, NUJ general The motion affirms the right to the trade union movement. secretary Michelle Stanistreet of workers to be collectively TUC general secretary Frances said in a statement. represented by a union of their O’Grady paid tribute to the role Her comments followed choice and commits the TUC of journalists in society when congress declaring support to campaign to make she nominated Stanistreet for for workers at London-based union-busting moves unlawful. the role. She also said the trade broadcaster Iran International. The TUC’s backing comes at union needed to repudiate threats An NUJ motion condemning a time when one NUJ rep at to journalism from politicians the actions of the British Iran International, who and others. Association of Journalists, helped build an active chapel, which made a secret has been made redundant NUJ recognition deal with Iran and another redeployed.

theJournalist | 7 branches

Meeting online has had some unexpected positive results, says Mark Fisher

Scottish media faced a “clear and pressing problem”, a sentiment echoed by MSP Patrick Harvie, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, who said “to call the threat to journalism a pity would be an understatement”. They asked us sharp questions about detail, but backed our general thrust. How did such cross-party unity come about? Back in March, we had to cancel our NUJ student night at the 11th hour. This happened just before lockdown as we had lost our appetite for public gatherings. I’d been reading about this app called Zoom. McMillan had been thinking the union should come into its own in times of crisis. Putting the two ideas together, we proposed to meet online, not monthly as normal but weekly. We put it to the test on March 24 and have returned every week since. Our aim was to be a reassuring presence for freelances at a time of isolation and financial jeopardy. I like to think we have been that but the move online also produced three significant and unforeseen gains. The first is to do with attendance. Several members who have never been to meetings have become online Virtual times, real results regulars, including those who live out of town. Interestingly, meetings are ay what you like about government must support newspapers now far more likely to be gender the pandemic, but and ensure their long-term survival.” balanced. Going online has given the you’d never have The opportunistic dig at the ruling branch a fresh lease of life. S guessed it would party aside, this was a major victory for Second, distance was no obstacle for result in a small Edinburgh Freelance branch. Only speakers. Our guests have included NUJ NUJ branch writing policy for the three weeks earlier, several of us, general secretary Michelle Stanistreet, Scottish Conservatives. including Joyce McMillan as branch International Federation of Journalists Yet, on 29 June, the party’s press office chair and me as secretary, had met deputy general secretary Jeremy Dear put out a release headlined: ‘Recovery Golden on Zoom to brief him on a and Dame Frances Cairncross, author plan is vital for the survival of version of the news recovery plan we of the government’s Cairncross Review. newspapers’ – a sentiment straight from had tailored to Scotland. That is in addition to a host of NUJ the NUJ’s own plan for the media He had been receptive and engaged staff members and activists – and let’s launched two months earlier. but, even so, we were surprised by the not forget the joint meeting with Like the NUJ’s news recovery plan, speed of the press release. “Yes, will look Cardiff and south east Wales branch, as the press release called for the to include in the manifesto,” he had The Conservative well as with our regular collaborators at establishment of a journalism told us when we wrote to thank him. party put out a Edinburgh and district. foundation. It demanded local We have also enjoyed equally Third, inspired by our speakers and newspapers be conferred with the positive discussions with several key release headlined: galvanised by the frequency of status of asset of community value. It politicians at meetings attended by ‘Recovery plan meetings, we swung into action to also wanted the Scottish government Nick McGowan-Lowe, NUJ organiser “ promote the NUJ’s news recovery plan. to give rates relief to not-for-profit Scotland, and, Frances Rafferty, NUJ is vital for the Led by McMillan, we targeted the publishers and to channel advertising senior editorial and communications Scottish parliament’s culture, into local news operations. officer, as well as branch members survival of tourism, Europe and external affairs “A functioning media is absolutely Simon Barrow and Rob Edwards. newspapers’ – a committee and found we were pushing crucial for a well-functioning Scottish Labour MSP Claire Baker at an open door. As I write, we are democracy,” said Maurice Golden, told us she had asked a written sentiment straight looking forward to meeting cabinet Scottish Conservative shadow question about how government secretary Fiona Hyslop – the economy and culture secretary. “There advertising money was spent. Scottish from the NUJ plan culmination of a speedy, positive and is simply no option – the SNP National Party MP Alyn Smith said the most unexpected campaign.

08 | theJournalist on media

We risk sleepwalking into BBC’s destruction

Inquiry vital into its role and financing, saysRaymond Snoddy

oris Johnson would through optional subscription. Are there better alternatives? like Lord Charles In fact, a financial crisis has already Such an inquiry could look at Moore, his old boss at arrived at the BBC, with hundreds if the BBC’s role in training and B the Daily Telegraph, to not thousands of posts – many of them sustaining large sections of the creative become the next journalists’ jobs – on the line. industries, which could once again, chairman of the BBC but Lord Moore Continuing free licences for over-75s after Covid-19, be among the UK’s has ruled himself out.. on income support will cost fastest growing sectors. Even by the standards of this £150 million a year and that same Carping about the licence fee has government, it would have been an amount will be lost if the government been increasing, as has the bile and appalling choice. goes ahead with decriminalising the antagonism from a self-interested The former editor of the Daily refusal to pay licence fee. right-wing press. Telegraph and biographer of Margaret This seems like a decent thing Yet there has been no vigorous, Thatcher has been an unremitting to do. Alas, the consequences – independent look at the issue since critic of the corporation and has waged intended or otherwise – would be to ‘ 1986 when Mrs Thatcher appointed a war against the licence fee for more destroy the BBC as a national public Sir Alan Peacock to look at the future of than a decade. service broadcaster funded by the licence fee. In 2010, he was fined for refusing to everyone in return for providing The free market economist was pay the licence fee because the BBC did services for everyone. supposed to find that the licence fee not sack Jonathan Ross over obscene A loss of £150 million a year might could be replaced by advertising. Sir messages left on actor Andrew Sachs’ only be the start of it. With the BBC Alan came up with the ‘wrong’ answer phone answering machine. unable cost-effectively to exclude and ended up strengthening the licence There is supposed to be an open and people who do not pay, it is difficult to fee arrangement while talking about transparent process to find a successor know how great the free-rider problem the future on-demand world to come. to Sir David Clementi, who will leave in would become. It hardly needs to be emphasised February. But while Johnson is prime Many might decide they simply will how fundamentally the media minister, if the new BBC chairman is not pay and the BBC would find it landscape has changed since then. not Lord Moore, it will be someone almost impossible to pursue millions It may seem crazy to argue for an similar, perhaps Lady Nicky Morgan, of citizens through the civil courts. inquiry now into the future of the BBC briefly culture secretary, who warned The pressing problem can be simply Out of either when the media and everyone else are the BBC would end up like Blockbuster stated: out of either political malice or in the depths of the Covid and Brexit if it did not reform. ignorance, we are in danger of political malice crises. It is, however, a necessary first Whoever chairs the BBC, it is likely sleepwalking into the piecemeal or ignorance, we step towards informing the debate that they will be put in place to oversee destruction of the BBC – an important about a new BBC royal charter later in the end of the licence fee which is UK institution. are in danger of the decade. guaranteed only until 2027. Before any of this happens – “ It would also provide hope that the Already the political mood music especially decriminalisation – there is sleepwalking into importance of broadcast journalism is running against the BBC and the an urgent need for an overarching the piecemeal and other forms of programme- licence fee. independent inquiry into the role and making in the public interest can be Julian Knight, the Conservative MP financing of the BBC, with particular destruction of the properly assessed.The alternative is to who chairs the culture select reference to the licence fee. BBC watch the BBC being slowly beaten into committee, said recently that the Is a compulsory licence fee still a rump of its former self, more akin to licence fee was “morally on the way relevant and the least bad funding PBS America than the current out”. In future, the corporation would mechanism as the BBC prepares to institution that, sadly, seems more have to make much of its money enter its second century after 2022? valued abroad than it is in the UK. ” theJournalist | 09 court reporting Behind closed doors Louise Tickle on the battles journalists Given that the number of newborns removed from their mothers had increased two-and-a-half times over eight years face in order to report on the family courts and research was showing new mothers were often denied psychological therapies, Cooper knew there was a public interest ome of the most serious, life-changing powers in investigating the doctor’s account. He also knew that if he the state can wield over citizens are exerted read the court papers without a judge’s permission, he would be behind closed doors in family courts. Media in criminal contempt because they contained all the evidence. S scrutiny of these hearings and the judicial Though the mother was in full agreement with his decision-making that changes lives depends on application, seeking that permission involved untold hours of a family judge permitting journalists to investigate and report. work writing legal submissions, plus months of negotiations Often, this means an expensive, lengthy and hard-fought with the other parties. Cooper also had to convince his bosses battle; typically, local authority and government agencies resist that the story merited the expense of legal advice. scrutiny, opposing press applications on what often feels like The barrister briefed by The Doctor magazine spent two the pretext of protecting a child’s privacy. There can be excellent days in court to argue the case, he says. Cooper’s credibility as reasons for not wanting the media to publish details of a case a journalist was advanced in evidence to demonstrate that he but, for state agencies, there can also be self-serving ones. And would treat the sensitive material responsibly. what if the judge’s actions need investigating, when the judge is So, did getting access to the documents make a difference? the only person who can give the media permission to report? “It was massive,” he says. “Any journalist knows that In the past couple of years, however, journalists have shown Keith Cooper: “You can see primary source papers are like gold dust. It uncovered stuff themselves willing to enter into this highly contested arena people thinking that the even the mother didn’t know about – the prejudice she’d – and are making some gains. story can’t possibly be true” faced, how some professionals had judged her. It feels almost Eighteen months ago, The Doctor magazine, unbelievable to read how someone who was confused, hours produced by the British Medical Association, after a caesarian, who hadn’t eaten, was assumed won a court case which meant senior staff immediately to have a mental health problem and that a journalist Keith Cooper could write ‘Born physical cause wasn’t even considered.” of injustice’, a shocking account of how a Other journalists, too, are banging on the closed doors of young doctor wrongly came to have her the family courts. Paul Foot Award winner and now baby removed from her at birth. Sunday Times social affairs correspondent Emily “When you tell people about the Dugan asked for and – after considerable efforts – outline of a story like this, they just was given permission to report on hearings held at pull their faces in – well, it’s just Birmingham’s central family court. At Tortoise, the disgust,” Cooper recalls. “You can see in-depth slow news publisher, Polly Curtis secured them thinking that it can’t possibly be interviews with senior family judges. true – there must be some other reason Often a judge’s outdated views are glimpsed only they took the child away. So, initially, I was because a parties has the financial and emotional met with a wall of disbelief by colleagues but resources to appeal: the case of family judge Tolson, also from some professionals.” who stated that rape within a relationship had not taken

Opening up from page to stage which audience members Earlier this year, he ask social workers and published The Secret SOME parts of the family judge, issued This autumn, it is written, staged and the actors about what Family Court – Fact or judiciary are taking calls family court staff and expected that McFarlane performed in a series of they have just seen. Fiction? This explores for more openness judges with guidance on will publish a formal short plays showing what Clifford Bellamy, a whether privacy rules seriously. how they should deal review into the issue of happens in family courts, circuit judge until his damage family courts’ In October last year, with media applications transparency in the which, unlike criminal recent retirement, was functioning and looks at Sir Andrew McFarlane, to report family court family courts. courts, most people are the most prolific the impact of privacy the president of the cases. The intention was Meanwhile, Judge unfamiliar with. publisher of family court rules on freedom of family division of the to make the process Stephen Wildblood QC, After the judgments and expression not only for high court and the simpler, cheaper and a senior family judge performances, he has therefore, it might said, a the media but also for country’s most senior more accessible. based in Bristol, has run Q&A sessions in transparency champion. the families involved.

10 | theJournalist court reporting

Unsurprisingly, Newman concludes that obstacles put in the way of a journalist going to the original documents to investigate why a serious miscarriage of justice happened are disproportionate. “In any closed system, it’s very easy for abuses to occur, or simply negligence, which doesn’t get picked up,” she points out. It is a situation that is only exacerbated if the media is not allowed to fulfil its watchdog role. It is not only journalists who are agitating for change. In May Behind closed doors 2019, after the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire Show dedicated a week to covering the sometimes fatal risks to children and survivors place because the woman had not physically fought back, could of court-ordered contact with domestic abusers, 120 MPs be reported earlier this year only because the woman won her demanded a public inquiry into how this was being dealt with appeal against his findings – and appeals are held in public. by the justice system. Louise Haigh MP said “full exploration… Meanwhile, I am in the middle of a difficult application to is stifled by a lack of independent, authoritative scrutiny”. report on a family court case for a television documentary. It Haigh called for the repeal of the law prohibiting publication of is taking immense amounts of time and effort – and may not what goes on in family courts, arguing the assumption should succeed. More encouragingly, in a different case, after making It feels like the be that reporting is permitted, subject to anonymity. a simple oral application in the high court, I was given While The Times was severely criticised for relying heavily immediate permission to speak to everyone involved. Subject process is almost on evidence from a child’s mother, Newman’s experience of to me protecting the family’s – but, despite its attempt to “ attempting to do a far more thorough investigation leads her prevent this, not the local authority’s – anonymity, I’m also ridiculously to believe the law places journalists in a double bind. allowed to report all the detail of the case once it concludes. onerous, and I “We have to rely on a parent’s side of things, because we’re The extensive, expensive legal process The Doctor magazine not allowed to see documents; if you want better informed, went through is unfeasible most of the time. Although Cooper just wonder why deeper, more analytical reporting, you have to allow us to see had to keep his bosses on board, at least he was paid – as a the paperwork,” she says. “I have heard what’s going in the freelance, a lot of my time in making these applications goes that is family courts described as ‘Britain’s human rights abuse of unpaid. Sometimes, however, being freelance gives you the this century’ and it may be that future generations do come to freedom to decide to plough on, even though a journalist who see this huge number of children being removed in that way. does this will never see a penny if their application is refused. These are decisions of the absolute utmost importance, yet Even if it does, the fee for this sort of story never reflects the they’re happening almost entirely behind closed doors.” time, skill or risk required to stand it up. Eighteen months ago, freelance journalist Melanie Newman applied to the family court in Southampton for permission to read – not, at that point, to publish – the court bundle in a case where a toddler had been removed from her mother and placed for adoption ” on what the court of appeal later determined had been ‘the slimmest of evidence’. She has just concluded a long, risky court case in which both the local authority and children’s guardian employed QCs to argue against her. “It feels like the process is being made almost ridiculously onerous, and I just wonder why that is,” Newman says. There is an inherent danger, she points out, that “given the time that this process has taken, even if I eventually get permission, will anyone be interested in the story I produce which then will be years distant from the actual events?” Three months after the final hearing, she got judgment. It went against her. Undaunted, she has applied for permission to appeal. If she is allowed to appeal, the case is likely to be heard by the most senior family judge, the president of the family division. Newman had two barristers working on the case for free, plus a solicitors’ firm. The legal profession has also been exceptionally generous with time and expertise when, as a freelance, I have needed help.

theJournalist | 11 homeworking

Neil Merrick on how working from home is affecting journalism News from the home front

t first, the idea of working from home was By the time of lockdown in late March, just a handful of quite appealing. Not only could Richard people were left in the Financial Times’ office near the River Palmer avoid the daily commute to Canary Thames. Many staff were used to working from laptops, so the A Wharf but it was not unusual for him to enjoy shift to home working was reasonably straightforward. But not a beer in his Hampshire garden at around everyone’s work can be done as easily away from the office. 5pm, just before the government’s daily press briefing. “If you’re working from home, you need the right Yet after months of working from home during the equipment,” says Steve Bird, FoC and head of broadsheet and pandemic, Palmer and other journalists began to miss being tabloid production at the FT. “It depends on your home in the office. “You’re not feeling the buzz of the newsroom, environment. If it’s relatively well equipped and you have the TV blaring and people shouting across the floor,” he says. space, it is an easy transition. Sitting on a stool at your Many stories stem from reporters bouncing ideas off one kitchen table is not sustainable.” another, which is less likely to occur when you communicate By delivering the same quality of journalism, staff showed by WhatsApp, Zoom or email. “Stories emerge from You’re not they were able to work flexibly and remotely without conversations with colleagues,” says Palmer, royal damaging the FT as a business. “It’s very important for correspondent and father of chapel at the Express feeling the buzz management to see this,” Bird adds. In most respects, production of local and national titles “of the newsroom, However, journalists with children can experience major since late March has been a major success. Journalists, some problems when working from home, while people who live of whom had to take pay cuts, proved day after day that they the TV blaring alone can experience mental health problems because do not need to rub shoulders in the same building to meet of isolation. deadlines and report news. and people With a reporter and a sub furloughed, the team that After urging people in England to return to workplaces in normally produces Municipal Journal was reduced to five at August, the government changed its advice again, making it shouting across the start of lockdown. A daily video call helps to keep team uncertain whether journalism will become office-based again. the floors members in touch and support staff who live alone and The Daily Mail was among the first to boast how it was might miss human contact, says news editor Dan Peters. producing the paper with an empty newsroom (before later Local government has been at the forefront of Covid-19 accusing civil servants of being workshy because they stories. With a smaller reporting team, Peters writes more preferred to work from home). stories himself – something he generally enjoys.

members of the public was – something that had never There is also less likelihood Going anywhere somewhat patchy. occurred when he attended of speaking to members of the Local democracy reporters trust meetings in person. public, who might attend ZOOM and other video “Being able to sit in my (LDRs),” who cover councils However, being given the planning committees. “You are technology allows journalists living room and watch and NHS trusts for a range of opportunity to ask questions hoping they give you a call to both attend news meetings proceedings anywhere from local media, also see benefits. does not guarantee getting the after reading an article, which and observe events taking Cornwall to Edinburgh has This can include covering two answers. “It’s easier for them to isn’t ideal,” he notes. place anywhere. made it much easier to cover different meetings at the fob you off than when you are On the other hand, there is Owing to the pandemic, local government,” says Dan same time. there in person,” he says. the advantage of slipping many local authorities are Peters, news editor at At a virtual meeting of Bisknell also misses away to do something useful streaming not only cabinet Municipal Journal. University Hospital of Derby chatting to councillors or trust when meetings drag on. and full council meetings Previously, adds Peters, the and Burton NHS Trust, Eddie members in person before “You can keep an eye on the but also smaller committees record of councils in opening Bisknell, LDR in Derbyshire, meetings and finding dinner or make a cup of tea,” and panels. up meetings to reporters and was invited to ask a question off-diary stories. Bisknell says. NED JOLLIFFE video clipstobeshown until theywere two days old. included andnotallowing embargoesonstories placing controlling theflow ofinformation morethan before.This over thesummer, henoticedBuckingham Palacewas government andotherorganisations tomanipulate news. and othermediaevents, therecanbemoreopportunityfor lockdown? With journalists less likely toattend news briefings safely,” says Summers. choose what jobswe goout for, andmake surethey’redone returned tosomethingresemblingnormality. “We pick and to leave homeandreport(at asafedistance)ascommunities economies. Assummerrolled on,reporterswere morelikely businesses appreciative ofcampaigns tosupport local has beensuperb,” headds. have copedandadapted. “The level ofqualityandcoverage morning. Summers isfullofpraisefortheway journalists via Google Meet,while managers typically meetevery different tohave everybody doingit.” with [some]people working fromhome,but itwas slightly says directorDavid editorial Summers. “We were familiar that allstaffshouldwork fromhome. “The ITwas allinplace,” a fewdecided days before lockdown was declared on March 23 same position,” hesays. “There was abondingexperience.” were alsoworking fromhome. “It helped everyone was inthe itwascouncillors, easiertoreachcontacts who, at that time, log in, but you don’t have the same networking opportunities,” this has prosandcons. “You save timegoingtoplacesandjust meeting contacts. While many events are broadcastonZoom, Independent, alsomissesattending presslaunchesand Palmer adds. chances topick up tipsfromcolleagues andpressofficers, far fewer reportersandphotographerspresent, andfewer Even when thepressisinvited toa royal event, thereare While Palmerbegan attending royal engagements again So, has thequalityofreportingsufferedbecause Readers alsowelcomed thequalityofreportingwith News teamsgenerally holdvideoconferencestwiceaday At JPI’s Media’s 23weekly titles inthehomecounties, itwas Providing hehad personal numbers ofofficersand May affairscorrespondent Bulman, at social The

Hangouts and Slack. options include Google WhatsApp and Teams, of choice. technology, there is alot out of bounds? Thanks to colleagues when the office is keeping in contact with Pick your platform WHAT is the best way of Along with Zoom, office isbecoming less valid.” argument that you needabankofreportersbasedinthe to relaxinthegarden beforeitgetsdark.Palmersays: “The filed frombedrooms,andfurtheropportunities more stories now accustomedtoworking remotely. change injournalism and otherprofessions,journalists are than onavoluntary basis,” says Steve Bird. no expectation that anyone willbeasked toreturn,other working fromtheofficestartofOctober. “Thereis in themonths ahead. home. “It makes sensetohave someflexibility,” says Bulman. journalists would splittheirtimebetween theofficeand year, ifat all.Astaffsurvey at The Independent showed that journalists didnotexpecttoreturnthenewsroom this working onarotabasisandwearing masks inpublicareas. tweeted that, at theStandard, staffwere sittingtwo desks apart, Londoners toreturntheiroffices.EditorEmily Sheffield she says. “You canspendallday at staring ascreen.” So maybe therewillbefewer daily commutes infuture, While homeworking isachallenge aswell asamajor At theFT, about 20percent ofstaffwere expectedtostart Calls forflexible working arelikely significantly toincrease But aPressGazettesurvey inAugust foundnearly half of In July, theEvening Standard began acampaign for Google Meet for social the home counties use a headache.” too many choices, it becomes Financial Times. “Ifyou have says Steve Bird of the but not having too many,” platform to communicate, Staff on JPI Media titles in “It’s aquestion of finding a homeworking editorial director. Summers, JPI’s regional connected,” says David way of keeping teams out in the evening. limited opportunities to go lockdown, as people had popular at the start of runs quiz nights, was conferences. events as well as news “The virtual pub is anice The ‘virtual pub’, which the J ournalist | 13 Innovation

Where the news takes centre stage

Simon Creasey looks at the companies at a time when rise of an interactive approach Raising the curtain everyone is trying to figure out how to sustain journalism POP-UP Magazine took filmmaking, radio, to telling news stories as a business,” she says. journalism live 11 years ago photography, art — coming “It’s also a way to reach when it was set up by together to tell stories on edia organisations are constantly on the new audiences, in addition to Douglas McGray, Evan Ratliff, stage in a theatre.” lookout for innovative ways of telling stories, engaging your existing Derek Fagerstrom and The first show was at a to attract new audiences and build audience more directly. It Lauren Smith. 300-seat theatre in San engagement with them. offers a platform for “Doug had come from a Francisco; today Pop-Up M journalists to elevate their The internet opened up all manner of print journalism background, Magazine tours the country different opportunities to enrich storytelling by embedding profiles and gain followers. and later started dabbling in three times a year and “But the biggest thing that audio, video, photography and interactive data and graphics. some radio production,” performs in 1,600-3,000 I’ve observed in my time at One of the latest storytelling tools is ‘live journalism’ events, explains Anita Badejo, seat venues. Contributors are Pop-Up is that it can be a which place the emphasis on the spoken word. executive editor and co-host. paid, with everyone given an much more human way of Some of these events take place in a physical space such as “He found it odd that, at “honorarium” based on the connecting journalists to a theatre, whereas others are held online. With widespread the time, his friends who length and complexity of audiences, and audiences lockdowns caused by the coronavirus pandemic, many were writers didn’t know his their story, which is to stories.” organisers of the physical events have had to switch to friends who were radio multiplied by the number of online-only. producers, and vice versa. He shows they appear in (most A growing number of media organisations across the globe wanted to find a way to storytellers tour with now organise live journalism events, many of which sell out foster collaboration and the show). as soon as tickets go on sale. interaction between As for the question of different types of So what’s fuelling this movement and what’s in it for the why live journalism events storytellers. are becoming so popular, journalists who participate in them? “So, he, Evan, Derek, and Badejo thinks there are a The trailblazer in the live journalism space is US-based Lauren came up with the few reasons. Pop-Up Magazine. This ‘live magazine’ was founded in the late idea of a ‘live magazine’ that “The most obvious is that 2000s by a group of California-based journalists. Just a few would feature journalists it’s a relatively new and hundred people attended the early shows, but last year working in different exciting potential source of Pop-Up Magazine embarked on a nationwide sell-out tour of mediums — writing, revenue for media the US and performed to a live audience of about 35,000

14 | theJournalist Innovation

people. During the lockdown, Pop-Up has moved to promise to the audience is providing online-only content. Exclusive promises you will see and hear Pop-Up Magazine events typically last for about something that’s not been 100 minutes and consist of 9-10 short stories that last around THE BLACK BOX live main stage of the national published before.” 7-10 minutes, told by writers, filmmakers, photographers, journalism event is theatre in Finland and has Stories are enriched by radio producers and illustrators. The stories are brought to organised by Finland’s played to an audience of visuals and sound effects, around 25,000 people. Each life using photographs, films, illustrations and animations largest national newspaper, and the performers are given show typically consists of coaching in public speaking and are accompanied by a live soundtrack composed and Helsingin Sanomat. According to Jaakko eight ‘performers’ from the by a vocal coach. performed onstage by an orchestra. Lyytinen, a feature writer paper talking for around Lyytinen says curation of Most of the other live journalism events around the world who works as a producer on 15 minutes on a host of the event’s content is were inspired by Pop-Up Magazine, according to Jaakko the event, the idea came subjects. considered in the same way Lyytinen, a feature writer at Finland’s largest national about around five years ago “We tend to go for fresh an editor would approach newspaper Helsingin Sanomat, who also produces the paper’s after a member of staff who stories,” says Lyytinen. “Our editorial decisions for the own live journalism show The Black Box. was on a scholarship in paper’s print edition. Lyytinen is a journalist fellow at the Reuters Institute California attended a “Our show always has a for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, Pop-Up Magazine show political story, an where he is investigating the rise of live journalism. He thinks in LA. international story, there is there are several reasons behind the growing popularity of She was inspired by what always something about these events. she saw and suggested culture and there’s always a “We spend so much time with various digital devices that the newspaper produce its human interest story. there is an urgent need to go out, meet people and attend live own version. “So it’s a bit like a newspaper where you come events like music gigs, the theatre and so on,” he says. The first event took place in February 2016 across different sections that “I think there is a strong appeal to that. The other thing is and rapidly found a you might skip across if you this new means [of reporting] is gaining popularity because it large audience. were reading – but you is using the most appealing way of telling stories, which is Today, the paper puts on cannot skip them if you’re in face-to-face – a campfire-type thing. There is more two shows a year on the a theatre.” trustworthiness when stories are delivered on stage and there is a lot more impact and power in live storytelling than in reading or even podcasts.” He adds that, crucially, what these events are also doing is helping to rebuild the general public’s faith in the media. the pandemic, has been the Tortoise editorial team “We are carrying out a survey on live journalism at the Open up hosting digital ThinkIns. followed it up. moment and we’ve already seen that people feel this is “We’re gathering input “What we’re really trying TORTOISE MEDIA hosts from a wider group of people to do is narrow the gap building a new kind of trust and reducing distance between regular Thinkins – described that will then feed into our between people whose the audience and journalists,” says Lyytinen. as ‘open-source editorial journalism at some point later voices aren’t being heard or “We as journalists have not been very good at speaking conferences’ by partner down the line,” says Murray. represented in news and about how we do these things and why they matter. We have Tessa Murray. She cites the recent people who have too much relied on people to read our stories and news and to trust us, An ‘open newsroom example of a story Tortoise of a concentration of the but there is a lot of mistrust towards the media at the committed to slower, ran about sexual assaults on share of voice,” says Murray. moment because of fake news, and there is populist wiser news’ co-founded by a university campus. A “It’s bringing together a former head of BBC News aggression towards the media as well. Live journalism is a ThinkIn attendee spoke variety of views in a room to James Harding, Tortoise new means of rebuilding that trust and therefore it has a about her own experience help inform our position and Media gained nearly 20,000 strong appeal.” the previous summer and also our editorial output.” It’s too early to say with any degree of accuracy what the members within general public’s appetite for live events will be in a post- six months of its launch last year. pandemic world but, given how easily many organisations It hosts regular live have been able to switch physical gatherings to the virtual ThinkIns for members and world, it looks like live journalism events could be here non-members and, during to stay.

She met Pop-Up Magazine to try and make them the best minutes on a variety of Good stories in 3D co-founder Douglas McGray they can be,” says Martin- subjects. The Live Magazine when she was a journalism Kessler. “We augment them team usually commission THE LIVE MAGAZINE fellow at Harvard. with audio and visuals or we people to perform stories, but journalism show, which has She says the events, which find some other idea to make are also receptive to ideas taken place in six countries play to packed audiences, are them shine on stage.” suggested to them. and 17 cities across Europe, all about “good stories that are In the past, Live Magazine Martin-Kessler says was also inspired by Pop-Up well researched and well told”. has even used dancers to performers are paid anything Magazine, says Florence Live Magazine tries to make enrich stories. between €200 and €2,000 Martin-Kessler, its founder stories as ‘3D’ as possible. “We The events normally see “depending on the show and chief executive. spend a lot of time on stories 10-12 people speak for 6-10 the work needed”.

theJournalist | 15 Crosswords crossed the Atlantic in 1924 on a Thursday in late October when a young American walked into the Newspaper Features agency in London EC4 and pitched the idea. He showed some examples which he had compiled. “I was not impressed with the puzzle,” was the instant response of the journalist he met, CW Shepherd, who judged that it was just a GIVE US variation on the centuries-old acrostic in which one reads down several lines of type to pick out letters making a word or expression. This, he thought, would never catch on in Britain, but curious as to why it was a big deal in the US, he agreed to take a look at his visitor’s efforts. As he related in his memoir Let’s Walk Down Fleet Street, Shepherd was highly intrigued by the mysterious black and white squares of the A CLUE! “Crosswords” (he graces them with a capital C) on Jonathan Sale fills in the blank squares on his two-hour commute home. Just as intrigued on the way back on the Friday morning, he took the origin of a classic brainteaser (9 letters) them round to the editor of the Sunday Express. “They are merely a new form of acrostic,” was t is practically a century since Realising that this was not a one-man spy ring the verdict but the editor too agreed to take the the Sunday [clue A: fast like a but a pure coincidence (think of monkeys typing “puzzles” home overnight. On Saturday morning train, 7 letters] became the first Shakespeare) the agents left Leonard and an Express executive rang Shepherd: “They’re I British newspaper to publish a Leatherhead in peace and D-Day remained safely absolutely fascinating. We’ll buy half a dozen and crossword. Since then, this under wraps. start with one in tomorrow’s paper. By the way,” species of brainteaser has generated many cross Who knows? Crosswords might have been a he added, “it has the word ‘honor’ in it, spelt in words from the lips of baffled readers – none top-hole way of smuggling top-secret the American way. You might just take it back crosser than the exclamations uttered by information out of the country, for they had and Anglicise it. And hurry up with it.” shocked MI5 agents in the run-up to the D-Day been a familiar feature in newspapers since the It was only when the overjoyed Shepherd invasion as they stared at the disturbing first “word-cross” (as it was briefly known) sat down with the 49 squares (seven ‘horizontals’ crossword in the Daily Telegraph. appeared in the New York World on December 21 by seven ‘verticals’) that he realised the “One of the USA – 4 letters” was an innocent- 1913. Compiled by Englishman Arthur Wynne problem posed by ‘honour’, press day or no press sounding clue. It clearly referred to one of the (pictured above right), who worked in the paper’s day. As he complained later “You try yourself to states and “Utah” fitted nicely – yet unpleasantly “tricks and jokes” department, this taxed few put an extra letter into the middle of a also. It was the codename of a beach selected for brain cells: “a boy, 3 letters” was “lad” and “animal Crossword.” He ended up cobbling together such one of the landings, as was “Omaha” – and that of prey, 4 letters,” led to “lion”. a drastic reconstruction of the original that he, came up too. The increasingly spooked spooks realised that “Mulberry” was another clue’s solution – and the codename for the floating you write the letter harbour to be towed across the Channel for Cryptic and crafty ‘C’ – the Latin for 100, supply ships. of course – with the A crossword in the paper a few days later was WHAT is a ‘cryptic’ “Puns and anagrams,” the bill. word ‘one’ underneath it, even more devastating, containing as it did crossword? In 1925, agrees Richard Josephy, Josephy gives two you get the “Neptune”, which was how D-Day planners readers of the Saturday former deputy head recent examples. ‘Top of answer ‘cone’. referred to the naval support involved in the Westminster learnt the teacher (and my Amazon is wet – 3, 4 and All this is well landings. To cap it all, Carruthers the answer to hard way from the first brother-in-law). 6 letters.’ above the pay grade of the innocent-sounding “Big-Wig 8 letters” was contribution by a “Wordplay and very A top is something a anyone who struggles to “overlord”, the hush-hush term chosen by (clue compiler who had clever ‘sideways’ woman could wear, such fill in an ordinary B: cigar-smoking Second World War leader, 9 adopted the name of definitions ,” he adds. “In as a blouse, while an crossword. letters) as the name of the entire operation. ‘Torquemada’, the Señor most weeks, I finish all Amazon is probably a However, even Was this a spy’s way, hidden in plain sight, of Big of the Spanish five cryptic crosswords big girl. Josephy is defeated passing on secrets to the [clue C: don’t mention Inquisition. in the Guardian.” This suggests the by the specially the war to them? 7 letters] about the invasion? “Puns, anagrams, rare Many clues in an politically incorrect extra-cryptic MI5 found out the identity of the compiler and literary illusions and ordinary crossword have expression ‘big girl’s crosswords of Azed in sent their best two agents to feel his collar. Why downright unsporting several possible answers blouse’ – someone who the Observer. had he picked on these particular five words? tricks,” snapped of one ‘(tree – 3 letters’ might is a bit wet. “I have glanced they demanded an answer from 54-year-old of those who ventured be ‘elm’ or ‘ash’) but And: ‘One under 100 at them but never teacher Leonard Dawe of Leatherhead, Surrey. into the verbal torture a cryptic clue will could be 99 – 4 letters.’ done one,” he says. “Why not?” replied Dawe. Was there some chamber. have just one that fits This is a ‘down’ clue, so if “Fiendish.” emergency legislation rationing certain words?

16 | theJournalist Looking back to: 1924 SCIENCE HISTORY IMAGES / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

instead of the unknown American, is now Even Sir Max Beerbohm, literary giant and credited with being the first compiler of a author of the novel [clue E: Oxford students British newspaper crossword. make a splash, 7 and 6], was increasingly Most of the clues had three-letter answers, SCIENCE HISTORY IMAGES / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO flummoxed. As revenge, he produced what he such as 1 across, ‘A coin (slang)’ which I’d say is a described as “a crossword puzzle with clues very British ‘bob’, while 4 across was ‘A tree’, so I’d signifying nothing – nothing whatsoever”, such guess ‘ash’. The word ‘honour’, or even ‘honor’, as ‘Nudist’s aunt? 6 letters’. The Times printed it, does not appear. the ultimate crossword. Confusingly, six of the Primitive though the result was, the readers of clues genuinely did have solutions but readers the Sunday Express of November 2 1924 were, in didn’t know which they were. the words of the delighted executive, “all over it”. A yet more extreme version of the clueless So too were other nationals, which rapidly clue was described in The Times by the late Miles developed their own crosswords. Newspaper Kington (before he took his humorous column to Features went on to provide a supply to The Independent). Kington and fellow members provincial papers in the form of blocks or papier of the Instant Sunshine band entertained mâché matrices for ease of slipping onto themselves by doing the Daily Mirror quiz – printing presses. The rest is newspaper [clue D: without being given the complete clues. time past, 7]. hands were signed up to share the load, finally “Who was the first man to blank the blank?” Early in 1930, the top brass of The Times, creating many thousands of them. The team replied, “Captain Webb”, who was which was fighting a circulation war with the Martin recalls his reactions as a boy: “I looked indeed the first man to swim the Channel. Then Telegraph, decided that, like its rival, at them and couldn’t understand the connection came: “What are the young of the blank known The Thunderer would find a crossword to be a between the clues and the answers.” (Adults often as?” “Sardines?” “No.” “Elvers?” “Right.” And useful weapon. feel that too.) His first contribution to journalism finally, “Who was the first man to be blanked by “My son Adrian can do that,” declared was going to post his father’s copy for The a blank?” “Huskisson – run over by a train.” associate editor Robert Bell. And so he did. Times.. Kington and his mates must have had psychic Adrian Bell, farmer, author of 20 books and Later, he made crosswords but with only the powers. Like people who do cryptic crosswords. father of BBC foreign correspondent Martin Bell, answers done. Clues, which were the tricky part, compiled the paper’s first crossword and the were then devised by Adrian. Answers. A: Express. B: Churchill. C: Germans. second and, indeed, every single one until other Bell’s clues became more cryptic (see box). D: History. E: Zuleika Dobson

theJournalist | 17

“It was recorded and produced by Tim Lezard entirely under lockdown,” Simon says, “so it’s something of a technical triumph as well as being entertaining.” tinyurl.com/y/7bfmttf

artsFilm > driver who stole a Goya portrait from Hold onto your hard hats! After the National Gallery. decades of being lost, the original tapes of a groundbreaking film about Comedy > TV > rank and file trade union organising If you missed Hamilton on the Disney Gaining inspiration from, well, I’ll let have been found by researchers. Channel over the summer, here’s the you decide who, why not catch up Builders Crack: the Movie tells the next best thing: Hamilton but it’s with Sky Atlantic’s satirical drama and last year’s general election, story of the London jJoint sites Muppets. And, yes, it’s as surreal as Succession as media magnate Logan answering the question: where does committee, a grassroots network of it sounds. (Brian Cox) steps back from the family the Left – and Britain – go next? bricklayers, electricians, carpenters business? George Orwell was also an NUJ and painters who stood up for member and Penguin is this autumn workers’ rights against gangster Books > bringing out four new volumes of his bosses in the 1990s building industry With all the uncertainty about live writing, cannily mixing his feature- tinyurl.com/y32gtocq performances, I’m on safer ground length books with shorter essays plugging books that will definitely be addressing the same subjects – Spain, published in the autumn. poverty in England and the A decade on from How To Be A dispossessed – with powerful political Woman, Times columnist Caitlin essays and journalism. Recreated by YouTuber Ricky Moran returns with More Than a Alternative histories are in fashion Downes III, it has Kermit in the lead Woman, a manifesto for change and (see Sky Atlantic’s Plot Against America) role, Miss Piggy as Eliza Schuyler, the celebration of all those middle-aged so here’s novelist Curtis Sittenfeld Great Gonzo is Aaron Burr and Fozzie women who keep the world turning. imagining what if Hillary hadn’t met Bear plays the marquis de LaFozette. Moran made her name writing for Bill. In what’s been described as ‘the Other releases are harder to Even Statler and Waldorf get in on the Melody Maker as a teenager, when sliding doors of American politics’, anticipate due to the coronavirus and action, giving their valuable feedback. she may have crossed paths with Rodham sees Sittenfeld doing for the decision of some cinemas to close See if you can last the whole two and rockers Skunk Anansie, led by singer Hillary Clinton what she did for Laura but here are three UK-based films a half hours. Skin. Skin has written a memoir – It Bush in American Wife. Finally, even currently scheduled for the autumn: www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZzDP- Takes Blood and Guts – which tells if you never got into Wolf Hall trilogy gritty northern crime thriller vQXao how a black, working-class girl with a – and why not? – surely this book’s Imperative, starring former rugby Long-term NUJ member and former vision fought poverty and prejudice to title alone is worthy of a place on your league star Keith Mason; London stand-up comedian Simon Hardeman become one of the most influential mantelpiece. A collection of essays stalker story Cordelia, starring Antonia gets in touch to plug his new audio women in British rock. and memoirs from the twice Booker Campbell Hughes, Johnny Flynn and comedy, Hancock’s Lockdown, in NUJ member Owen Jones and prizewinner Hilary Mantel - Mantel Michael Gambon; and London true which he imagines what would best-selling author of Chavs and Pieces - addresses issues as diverse as crime caper The Duke, starring Helen happen if Tony Hancock and Sid James The Establishment returns with Jane Boleyn, Christopher Marlowe Mirren and Jim Broadbent as a taxi self-isolated together. This Land, a reflection on Corbynism and Britain’s last recorded witch.

, Spotlight > promoter had to double the advertising spend (the show number of staff working to sold out pretty much meet all the guidelines. straight away), and yet it A struggle to survive on stage There was no talent spend still lost money.” THEATRES and other Andrew Lloyd Webber, The first socially distanced (I didn’t get paid), and no You can help by donating performing arts venues David Tennant and other gig, when Frank Turner to the Music Venue Trust largely remain closed leading figures have issued performed in front of 200 (https://saveourvenues. because it’s uneconomic for dire warnings about the people at the 1,250-capacity co.uk), Save Live Comedy them to play to socially survival prospects for the Clapham Grand in south (https://savelivecomedy. distanced audiences and to industry if moves are not London in July, was deemed co.uk) and the Theatre fund extra safety measures made to ensure that shows a financial failure. Artists’ Fund (https:// to be covid compliant. can be profitable again. Turner wrote: “The tinyurl.com/yykfq5mn).

18 | theJournalist technology TechDownload Nicholas Fearn on technology for journalists

byte size... LISTEN AT A FROM IPAD TO LAPTOP LOWER COST … While Apple’s AirPods dominate or years, people have been asking if the wireless headphones market, Apple’s iPad Pro could replace a laptop. not everyone wants to pay more F The simple answer has been 'no' than £150. The Huawei Free because the American tech company Buds 3i are cheaper at £89.99, has never offered a keyboard case with a trackpad. It’s been designed for use on your lap and flat offer noise cancellation, 10mm Now, with the Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro, that has surfaces. There is also a smart security feature. large dynamic drivers for great changed. Attached magnetically, it effectively turns Whenever you close the keyboard, it disables your sound quality, silicon buds in your iPad into a fully fledged Macbook by adding a iPad’s microphones to protect audio data from being four sizes, capacitive sensors for keyboard with backlit keys and a fitted trackpad. compromised. tap control, three microphones With cursor control, you can navigate your iPad The Magic Keyboard isn’t cheap, starting at £299. and 3.5 hours of battery life. and highlight items as when using a Macbook. The However, it is worth considering if you’re an iPad Pro https://tinyurl.com/ keyboard sports a so-called ‘floating cantilevered user and want the full laptop experience.It works yxhr2ten design’, which Apple claims will enable ‘smooth with both the 2018 and 2020 iPad Pro models. adjustments of the viewing angle up to 130 degrees’. https://tinyurl.com/yxqy9rop … OR FOR EVEN LESS WITH BLUETOOTH If you want to spend even less Backpack for your kit bottom and sides of the bag so earbud holder. It also has a on wireless headphones but > it doesn’t get damaged if you water-repellent coating, and still want decent quality, Umi ournalists often do a both stylish and practical, the drop it. you can attach it to other Essentials Bluetooth Wireless J lot of travelling, so it STM Myth is one to consider. Other nifty additions include pieces of luggage. Headphones are a great choice. makes sense to have The bag is packed with a a cable routing system, a back Costing £99.95, it is Costing just £39.98, they have a good backpack for your range of features, including panel that ensures weight is available in 18L or 28L versions in-ear design, last up to six various gadgets. If you’re SlingTech Protection. This keeps distributed equally, a dedicated and comes in three colours. hours, come with a charging looking for something that’s your laptop from touching the pocket for AirPods and an www.amazon.co.uk case, are protected against rain and sweat, take one hour to charge and have a connection range of 33 feet. The charging case comes in grey, red and gold. CONNECT WELL AT HOME Amazon.co.uk, £39.98 SHOW THE DATA ith people increasingly working from home and using a SCREEN YOUR EYES ADDS UP myriad of devices, connectivity could not be more FROM GLARE Charts made easy W important. Data is essential for backing We spend a lot of our time For remote workers, mobile phones accessories manufacturer staring at screens, whether on up claims but analysing and visualising Juice has launched a great WFH bundle. Costing £36.38, it offers a laptop, tablet or smartphone. figures requires skills and time. However, three Juice products that the firm says have been “put together for Prolonged device use can using Gyana’s no-code Vayu platform, you maximum connectivity”. result in a range of health can upload, manage, present and share The bundle includes a 3-in-1 problems, including eye strain, data with a few clicks. Gyana, a London- cable with USB-type C, lightning sleep deprivation, headaches based start-up, says Vayu can be used to and micro USB connectors; a 5W and vision-related issues. To analyse social media, news and research wireless Juice Disc charger that address this, Ocushield provides reports “effortlessly”. Users can choose works with iPhone, Huawei and screen protectors that protect from a range of charts, graphs and maps to Samsung products; and a Juice your eyes when you use digital visualise data before sharing it with others. triple charger, which can be used A free version is available. products. They are available to charge three devices at the www.gyana.co.uk/vayu for smartphones, tablets same time. and laptops. www.juice.co.uk/product/ Ocushield.com wfh-bundle/

theJournalist | 19 volunteering

© JULIA CLAXTON 2020 an open mind with callers. Much like when journalists carry out interviews. But are we always as open-minded as we like to think we are? As any journalist who has been reporting for a long time knows, it can make you extremely cynical. Although this can be beneficial, it can affect our ability to listen with an open mind and in a non-judgmental way. Sometimes we go into interviews with preconceived narratives, the roles of hero and villain already cast, looking for quotes and information to firm up our preferred angle. Sometimes there is no avoiding this – but a persistently blinkered approach can prevent us from unearthing a real gem of a story. After 12 years of reporting, the Samaritans helped me to ‘recalibrate’ my listening skills and I found I began to get more out of interviews again. Volunteering as a Samaritan also offered an insight into issues I have reported on numerous times but have been fortunate enough not to have Be a good listener experienced myself. For example, we all know mental health services are stretched and that Listening to people ‘in crisis’ as a Samaritan helped to there are serious issues within adult social care. We have likely interviewed make me a better journalist, says Laura Cooke someone who has been affected by these issues or covered an inquiry or even an t is coming up to 3am But journalists have the potential to inquest if things have gone wrong. and most sensible make excellent Samaritans – we are Samaritans volunteers see these people are tucked up in used to asking sensitive questions, we issues in their rawest form. They are I their beds. are not easily shocked and we know talking to people in the throes of crisis, Yet here I am, stuck how to keep secrets when it matters. We We were told to people who have reached their lowest in a stuffy office in the wrong part of listen to people talk about their own point, some of whom may intend to town, wired up on strong coffee and lives and their experiences for a living. ‘get into the pit’ end their life, others who may have relying on a massive sugar rush to stay There is plenty we can bring to the role. with the caller, to already taken steps to do so. awake as I steadily munch my way In turn, volunteering at the During my Samaritans’ training, through a pile of Jammie Dodgers. Samaritans brought a myriad of benefits, sit alongside them, we were told to ‘get into the pit’ with The silence is broken by a shrill including one I wasn’t really expecting. “ the caller, to sit alongside them, ringing. I pick up the receiver and I firmly believe being a Samaritan removing ourselves removing ourselves from the role of speak the familiar words: “Samaritans, helped to make me a better journalist. from the role of impartial observer. This process helped can I help you?” In case you don’t know the to give me a better understanding of For three years, I helped man the background to the Samaritans, the impartial observer how people find themselves in the phones at my branch of the Samaritans charity was set up in 1953 by London most desperate of situations. As a for a few hours on a Friday night, vicar Chad Varah, who came up with the result, I feel I am able to report on including a regular midnight to 3am idea following a funeral he conducted for these issues more responsibly and with shift, all on the back of a full week on a 14-year-old girl early on in his career. more compassion. the newsdesk of the local paper. The teenager had started her period Taking calls for the Samaritans is one At the time, I kept quiet about but, having no one to talk to, believed of the most difficult but fulfilling volunteering for fear of dissuading she had a sexually transmitted disease things that I have ever done. Although I someone who may need the service and took her own life. This had a have left the ‘frontline’ in favour of a from calling. After all, the thought of a profound impact on Rev Varah, who supporting role in fundraising and journalist poised on the other end of went on to launch what he referred to marketing, some of those calls will the line, pen in hand, waiting for you to as ‘999 for the suicidal’. never leave me. Nor will the weeks of pour out your fears and darkest The Samaritans uses a lot of role play rigorous training, which ultimately thoughts would be enough to put in its rigorous training programme to turned out to be some of the best some people off. drive home the importance of having journalism training I have ever had.

20 | theJournalist public relations

Andrew Draper drew on old and new skills during a vigorous campaign

emergency department.’ This went on every media statement we sent out. Five south Wales health boards had devised the South Wales Plan in 2014, which was driven by austerity. The Royal Glamorgan A&E had been run down gradually and, with the final permanent A&E consultant due to retire, the board saw few options: closure and conversion to a minor injuries unit or reduction to a part-time facility. I trained as a print journalist and, since 1990, my wife and I have run our own business, Nordic International. Journalism is at the heart of it, along with translation services. Like many journalists, I have done PR work, but never anything quite like this campaign. Six months later, I was fielding calls from the BBC, ITV, Walesonline and the local media. I helped arrange interviews with people with powerful stories of how the A&E had saved their lives. A campaign strength was having someone gathering case studies. I also stood in for a live interview with ITV as the chair was shielding and vice-chair was unavailable. Our media statements were, towards Saving my A&E the end, going out in English and Welsh, the translation of which I arranged. I also ensured Welsh speakers hen a campaign sprang posters and leaflets were being were available for interview. One was up to save my local distributed and displayed, banners my children’s former school teacher. I hospital’s accident and were being hung at strategic traffic had to reassure her that her pandemic W emergency department points and orange ribbons and bows hair really was OK when going on TV. in Llantrisant, were being snapped up like hot cakes. It was very Along with the rest of our fantastic south Wales, I decided to offer my Local trade unions offered practical organisers’ group, I was pumping journalistic services. and financial support. The campaign heartening to see so engaging posts to our Facebook group. I believed downgrading the lobbied politicians, the Welsh many members of When the health board finally decided department would result in needless Government and health board officials. the public thanking to withdraw their plans, I drew on my deaths. I thought I could help drum up We had gained a strong presence on “ news agency experience and was some media coverage and help put Facebook and on the streets, and journalists for banging out the story in short takes. pressure on the health board into community organisations began The Facebook group was going wild backing down. declaring support. A petition their work with delight at this rarest of victories. I contacted Len Arthur, chair of the throughout the Rhondda Cynon Taf One of the highlights of the campaign Campaign to Save Royal Glamorgan area – deliberately on paper to involve for me as a journalist was when I called Hospital A&E, and offered to help with those not online – attracted more than for a shout out and thank you to the public relations. He readily accepted. 24,000 signatures. That was quite an journalists (some of whom were in the Little did I know what I was letting achievement during a pandemic when Facebook group) for helping to tell our myself in for. we all had to stay at home. story. It was very heartening to see so The campaign was ballooning. A Initially, I made sure statements and many members of the public thanking Facebook group was set up on the flyers were proofread. When someone journalists for their work. Sunday and, within days, had 10,000 between us and the printers unhelpfully During lockdown, I went on Dan members. A noisy protest at the board’s edited some leaflets, I had to step in and Mason’s course on how to shoot and edit meeting on the Thursday, organised at correct them. I soon earned the video on the iPhone, organised via NUJ very short notice, drew more than 400 nickname ‘Andrew the Grammar’. Training Wales. It came in very handy – I activists with home-made banners and The local media were showing a keen immediately started producing social placards. Many had never protested interest, so it was essential we shaped media campaign videos. about anything before but felt passionate the message. The campaign had clearly In all, it was a tremendous campaign about defending this public service. defined its aim: ‘The permanent that will go down in local history, and I Within a fortnight of starting up, the retention at the Royal Glamorgan was proud to have played my small Facebook group had 19,000 members, Hospital of a 24-hour. consultant-led part in it.

theJournalist | 21 inbox

Email to: [email protected] ç Post to: Please keep The Journalist YourSay... 72 Acton Street, comments to London WC1X 9NB 250 words Tweet to: inviting letters, comments, tweets maximum @mschrisbuckley

H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H my own trade union activism but is a piece of journalism for which I intentionally sought the opinions of Transgender guide transgender journalists.

DENIS CARRIER blocks fair, accurate You cannot call a lost election a success reporting… Re ‘‘Sympathetic writers’ do not help Labour cause” (Your Say, August/ The NUJ code of conduct’s first rule states that a September). Roy Jones writes of journalist “at all times upholds and defends the “Corbyn’s successful 2017 general principle of media freedom, the right of freedom of election campaign”. It wasn’t expression and the right of the public to be informed”. successful. He lost. There are no prizes The second rule states that reporting should be for coming second in UK general honestly conveyed, accurate and fair. elections. Reporting of cases such as White’s (Fair reporting Simon Hardeman and transgender trials, August/September) cannot London Freelance Branch adhere to these rules until Ipso’s biased guidelines are ditched; they are inimical to fair and accurate Stalwart who kept a journalism. diverse branch united Rape is a sex offence carried out by males against I was sorry to read of the death of females and other men. Telling the public — because Sidney Rennert (Obituaries, August/ of Ipso guidance — a male rapist used ‘her’ penis to September page 18). Sidney was a penetrate a woman obfuscates the issue and stalwart of the Press and PR Branch for misinforms readers by pandering to the feelings of many years. the rapist over those of his victim. To demand that As our secretary, he kept together a such a male be referred to as if he were female is group of journalists who plied their compelled speech and obscuring his sex can only be trade on behalf of organisations as offensive to the victim and most of the public. diverse as the TUC (where I worked), Alan Henness the CBI, political parties, public London companies, local authorities, nationalised industries, pressure groups H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H and charities. Yet it was in part thanks to Sidney’s skills that the branch was never beset … but has protected well received by reporters looking to The situation in 2020 has by the factionalism that plagued some highly vulnerable people resist management pressures to degenerated markedly, in my view due of the other London branches in the Prejudiced reporting of transgender produce sensationalist material. to a combination of hysterical ‘debate’ 1970s and 1980s. men and women has real-world Various individuals and groups both in antisocial media and the cynicism of Sidney was kind, gentle and consequences, as I know from personal within and without the union media owners and editors for whom welcoming to newcomers like myself. experience as the son of a transwoman contributed to the discussion, including controversy and sensation sells product. He had a fund of stories from his time who, together with her immediate specialists in journalism ethics. Dr Francis Sedgemore on the industrial beat and, as his son family, was massively damaged by I find it odd that an NUJ activist Former member of NUJ Jonathan rightly says in his obituary, negative media representation. That writing in an NUJ journal makes only Equality Council Sidney brought his reporting skills to was in the early 1970s. Today the passing reference to the union’s own the world of investment analysis – he situation is much improved, thanks in guidelines, and chooses not to discuss Dr Rachel Broady writes: did so not by poring over figures but by part to editorial guidelines and the matter with the current equality The article considers what guidance is asking a company’s executive what he transparent lobbying from the likes of and ethics councils. Reporting available to journalists, including those thought of the current share price and Trans Media Watch. guidelines are problematic for a not members of the NUJ, when reporting what he said – a practice that As a member of the NUJ equality number of reasons not outlined in navigating a difficult and emotional would be frowned on these days. council in 2014, I was responsible for Rachel Broady’s article but the NUJ and subject. I referred to a number of I fear I became the subject of one of the union’s transgender reporting Ipso efforts have, arguably, contributed available guidelines, including the NUJ’s Sidney’s stories when, as a new and guidelines. Much background work to an improvement in media portrayals current guidelines, to inform that precocious chair of the branch, I asked went into that document, which was of highly vulnerable people. discussion. The article was not part of one of the senior members whether he

22 | theJournalist inbox

was challenging my ruling. When was launched – the Kingston Star. Its forced to admit he was, Sidney, as astrologer was Giacometa. It sounded secretary, knew what was required and exotic, incorporated the parent paper’s put the issue to the vote without name and was accompanied by a further debate. My ruling was upheld, byline picture of a dishevelled peace restored and Sidney felt quietly fairground fortune teller. pleased with himself. It was actually written by one of the Mike Smith regular sport contributors. If his copy Can you trust Settle was late, the rest of us in the newsroom would conjure up the dozen Identity of accurate, exotic prophecies. Gratifyingly, Giacometa astrologer revealed… regularly received letters praising her your sources? Jonathan Sale’s anecdote about the prognosticating skills. astrologer being unaware of her Tim Harrison Think tanks can be valuable sources of analysis and research. impending sacking (Written in the Editor, The Good Life But some are more open about who funds them than others. stars, August/September) echoes the We shine a light on the most and the least transparent. apocryphal classified ad: ‘Saturday’s … while the wrong sort of clairvoyant meeting in the town hall fake astrology gets spiked has been cancelled due to unforeseen Jonathan Sale’s feature on newspaper circumstances’. astrology (August/September) Who Funds You? promotes Back in the 1980s, a revamped reminded of my brief (about 15 funding transparency midweek edition of the Surrey Comet minutes) career as an astrologer. among UK think tanks and “Many years ago, I worked for a contract publisher that produced staff political campaigns. We ask

predicted for circa 1936 would in fact come true but the piece as a whole went down so very well organisations to publish with readers that Gordon asked Naylor for more newspapers, including one for a top tips from the celestial movements. Written in the One of Naylor’s next predictions was for a date so soon after publication that it promised to make or break him. It was also a literally catalogue sales firm.” their annual income and explosive topic, a horrorscope warning that “a British aircraft will be in danger between October 8th and 15th”. That month saw the crash in flames of the airship R-101 with the death of most of the passengers. Compilation of its horoscope, far OK, it was a bit early, on October 5. Also, a large declare their major funders. balloon filled with inflammable gas was always an accident waiting to happen. But Naylor’s STARS reputation soon soared into the stratosphere and Jonathan Sale on how newspapers improved Gordon gave him two weekly slots, one of which from being informed by the was for major events such as the above. The their fortunes with astrology columns other strand was the breakthrough: while celebrity horoscopes themselves were not new, Your Stars gave predictions relevant to Sunday n editor phoned his paper’s could have been filed away into the back of a Express readers. movements of heavenly bodies, was a astrologer to tell her that she drawer marked ‘No shit, Sherlock’. However, At first, it was confined to people whose was fired. Naylor went out on a limb a little in declaring birthdays occurred in the week of publication; A “But I had no idea this might that the Leonine lady would grow up to show a later, Naylor devised predictions that applied, as happen!” she cried. ‘scorn of restraint’; this was one way of putting is now the practice, to everyone. The zodiac, the tedious chore passed round the office “That,” declared the editor, “is why I’m it, as I learnt when I was a sub on Queen celestial circuit along which the sun, moon and firing you.” magazine (later Harper’s & Queen) where the planets appear to travel, had been divided into It’s a story I tell sometimes – but about two editor was a chum of the right royal raver. 12 ‘signs’ by the stargazers of Ancient Greece and different editors, so my memory may have let Where Naylor really placed his head on the Babylonia. However, there having been no Ancient me down. I’d be delighted to hear from the block was in predicting that “events of Greek Gazette or Sunday Babylonian Babbler, it and only the most innocuous editor in question or, indeed, the astrologer. tremendous importance will come about near was left to Naylor to deliver the astrologer’s dozen. However, here is a real astrological fact: the her seventh year” and, indeed, they did: she was “This was how the modern horoscope came WhoFundsYou.org creation of the first of the newspaper horoscopes that age when her uncle Edward abdicated. Of into being,” wrote Craig Brown in Ninety-Nine that we know today – by Mystic Meg, Russell course, no one knew in 1930 that an event Glimpses of Princess Margaret, his highly praised Grant etc – was inspired 90 years ago this month VICTOR WATTS / ALAMY STOCK PHOT prophesies were allowed. by the birth of Princess Margaret. This factual nugget was omitted from The Crown series The Daily Star (an but, in astrological circles, the hope is that it Star check: what’s apposite title, in this could be worked into a not-yet-written episode context) is in total as a flashback. agreement: “The more My attempt to enliven this with Of course, the Queen’s younger sister never in store for Librans energy, emotion and cast horoscopes herself – though Mystic Marge “IF YOU’RE fancy free, added kindly: “You’re not you out of doing passion you put into…” would have been a great byline – but by being a last-minute weekend to blame. In fact, you’ve something you have Hang on, that sounds born on August 21 1930, she fortuitously filled a event is where you’ll behaved impeccably… been planning for quite familiar. predictions like ‘your head will fall off gap in the market. John Gordon, the editor of the meet The One,” no one’s perfect.” some time, the more No wonder – it’s by Sunday Express, was faced with the problem of promised Mystic Meg of The New York Post likely it is that they are Grant too or, as they turning ‘not another royal baby’ into a joyful- The Sun, adding hastily, star person clearly hoping your efforts will put it, not quite sounding feature. He came up with the wheeze “although you may not spotted the same fail.” But the stars are accurately in the of asking an astrologer to describe what lay in realise it”. conflict: “The more not standing for that: circumstances, “our this month’ were for some inexplicable store for the new royal progeny. She was one of the someone tries to talk “You must not let very own Russell Grant”. The star of the stargazers, was Cheiro (pictured six horoscopes I read on that happen.” So to the Mirror: “The on facing page) and he had already turned his the same day to see Russell Grant in the more energy, emotion gaze on to Mark Twain and Winston Churchill, what was in store for us Daily Express is equally and…” Let me guess, but he was busy on another job (or planet). Librans (September 3 supportive: “The more that’s our very own reason deleted by the editor. Fortunately, his assistant, RH Naylor, was up for -October 22). energy, emotion and Grant too. wfy-nuj-quarter.indd 1 12/02/2015 14:10 the job and the result on Sunday August 24 was Oscar Cainer in the passion you put into Same publishing ‘What the stars foretell for the new princess’. Daily Telegraph assured your creative goals, the group, same celestial Naylor’s stellar prediction for the baby born me I wasn’t responsible more you will get out of bodies. Nice to get under the sign of Leo (July23-August 22) was that for an unspecified them.” Very true. “Your some harmony in Mark Smulian her life would be ‘eventful’ and, what with “source of friction” and efforts will pay off.” the heavens. Margaret being a princess and everything, this

14 | theJournalist London Freelance Branch

STEVE BELL THE OWNERS

theJournalist | 23 and finally...

Alien lizards in Covid conspiracy shocks

Chris Proctor unmasks the Marsians at the Tattle of Trafalgar

avid Icke was a them to do precisely what he tells reinforce their take on the story. Do reporter with Leicester them. It must be terribly difficult being they want Boris with a finger up his locals, Newsnight and a fascist. I’m honestly not convinced nose or in Churchillian pose? Would D Breakfast Time before it’s worth the bother. they like him statesman-like or manic? he slipped my mind Jeremy Corbyn’s troublesome Finding a manic image was probably and apparently misplaced his own. Last brother Piers (I blame the parents) was not tricky at Trafalgar Square. I imagine month, he returned to the spotlight as arrested for the third time since reporters were in more trouble. Why a star speaker at a rally in Trafalgar lockdown began and fined £10,000. should a conspiracy theorist speak Square. He was urging ‘no more The first time he was pinched was in to the media when we are all lockdowns’ and ‘no to vaccinations’. He May at a protest against 5G, which he manipulated from Mars? If we report was especially incensed about face considers a more likely cause of the that 81,000 jobs were lost in July, how masks – items, he hyperventilated, virus than visiting aliens. He’s not do they respond? sported only by ‘sheeple’. without his shrewd side, Piers. “Who told you that?” His reservations about Covid-19 are NUJ members were also in “The Office for National Statistics.” based on his conviction that it is all a attendance, writing stories and getting “What! You believe an organisation hoax, overflowing mortuaries the pictures. They stuck out like an headed by a supernatural Madagascan notwithstanding. He maintains that Anunnaki at a bar mitzvah on account ground gecko?” the deception was organised by of their wearing face coverings. It was a You can’t win. The government must extraterrestrial reptiles, the Archons pleasant juxtaposition to see the have felt like that with its hokey-cokey (or possibly the Anunnaki), who arrived goodies in masks and the baddies in holiday disruption scheme. I’m sure on earth 6,000 years ago. full view. If it catches on, it should they meant well and once, I’d decided All well and good, but then he also dramatically improve police to stay at home this summer, it proved believes the royal family are lizards. I detection figures. a tip-top spectator sport. It was like know Prince Andrew is giving Icke all Journalists’ responsibilities in watching a strange game of unlucky the support he can on this one but I attending events like this provoked an dip. I pictured experts with a list of still feel it’s unlikely. interesting debate on the union’s countries on one side of the table and a Amazingly, his 10,000-odd audience Facebook page. Some brave soul pack of cards on the other. Each listened to him without visibly questioned whether, given the risk of Finding a manic country is dealt three cards and, if they cackling. But then I fear not all the spreading infection, we should refuse get two colours, visitors have to self assembled anti-lockdown protesters to turn up to mass photoshoots and image was probably isolate for a fortnight. Watch out were of rational bent. I was especially spurn snapper packs. But how could we not tricky. But why for spikes. concerned for the folk grouped around do this with our picture-focused And why a ‘spike’? Isn’t a spike the the flag of the British Union of Fascists. industry constantly demanding new should a conspiracy thing you put middling stories onto? Yes, fascists demanding liberty. Isn’t images? One suggestion was to allocate “ Or a tool favoured by Vlad the Impaler? that a little like vegetarians insisting on a single snapper to each job. But then theorist speak to Incidentally, Prince Charles has their steaks tartare? The Mosleyites we’d need to agree how to divvy out reporters when we frequently boasted that he is the demand for freedom was nicely the fee and, far more importantly, who great-grandson (16 times removed) of encapsulated by the attendee who should take the shot. are all manipulated the skewering Vlad, through the lineage pointed out: “Everyone can’t go to pop Good luck sorting that one out. from Mars? of Mary, consort of George V. The prince concerts until Boris Johnson says so.” Photographers can argue for days remains tight-lipped about speculation So they want the right to do exactly about lighting, angles and concerning a reptilian torso. as they please. Equally, they seek a backgrounds; and different outlets are Lizard-fancier Mr Icke continues to society with a leader who will force all looking for particular images to monitor the situation. 24 | theJournalist ” Moved house or changed your email address? Tax Consultants We are an established firm based in the City, specialising in handling the taxation and accountancy affairs of freelance journalists. We have clients throughout the UK. We can help and advise on the new changes under Making Tax Digital including helping to set up the MTD compatible software and bookkeeping. Our services include accounts preparation, tax reporting, business start-ups and advice on possible incorporation, payroll services, management accounts, bookkeeping and more. Please let us know. You can update your membership For further details, contact us on record on the website nuj.org.uk or T 020 7606 9787 email [email protected] E [email protected]

Advertise in The Journalist ABSW membership: enjoy a full range of To advertise contact: benefits including access to journals, professional Nick Page development and networking events. Financial advice for hacks from a hack 01428Advertiseand 685319 qualified financial / 07789178802 adviser. Contactin • Develop your professional network in Nigel Bolitho ofEmail BV Services, authorised the UK and across the world and regulated by the Financial • Raise your profile in our online directory [email protected] ConductJournalist Services Authority. Email: [email protected] • Access science journals, news resources Phone 01954 251521 and our Jobs Board • Join ABSW professional training and networking events Financial advice for hacks from a hack and qualifiedTAX CONSULTANTS financial adviser. Contact • Submit your work for an ABSW Award We areNigel an established Bolitho of firm BV Services, based in theauthorised City, specialising • Help safe-guard and improve standards in in handlingand theregulated taxation by and the accountancy Financial affairs of science journalism freelanceConduct journalists. Services Clients Authority. throughout the UK. For furtherEmail: details [email protected] contact: 020 7606 9787 JOIN ONLINE TODAY SOUTHWELLPhone 01954 TYRRELL 251521 & CO www.absw.org.uk/pages/9-membership

TAX CONSULTANTS We are an established firm based in the City, specialising in handling the taxation and accountancy affairs of freelance journalists. Clients throughout the UK. For further details contact: 020 7606 9787 SOUTHWELL TYRRELL & CO HOLTS Auctioneers are Europe’s leading specialists in fi ne modern and antique guns. We also include militaria, edged weapons and related accessories in our quarterly auctions. We are pleased to offer a FREE VALUATION DAY Tuesday 3rd November London Gun Services 498 Kings Road London, SW10 0LE  Our next auctions will be held on: Monday 7th December 2020 Antique Guns & Accessories Tuesday 8th December 2020 Fine Modern Sporting Guns & Accessories

Tel: +44(0) 1485 542 822 londongradecoffee.com www.holtsauctioneers .com

Amazing New Technology Lamps take the strain out of reading. Back by popular demand. The Reader ultra high de nition reading lamp. The Craftlight 1.5 mtr Company high better by design.

Add a second lamp Unlike a traditional lament bulb, Virtually no heat for and consumes our lamps produce a brighter more just 6watts £59.95 concentrated light which will transform your reading experience. converts to Small and large print will appear crisp table or desk lamp and clear with more vibrant colour. Elegant all metal antique brass The focussed beam of light is similar nish. to direct sunlight and is ideal for reading books,magazines,newspapers, along with hobbies including painting, jigsaws, sewing and much Very more. low Each energy ecient lamp can convert heat British to half height to be used as a desk or Design table lamp. Making it the essential lamp for your home.

TO ORDER or for more information. The Reader visit www.craftlights.co.uk was £96.00 look under newspaper and magazine o ers for special o ers. Now only or call 01502 587598 £69.95 for help or advice. inc p+p Life without journalism? Unthinkable.

Journalists are working on your behalf to keep you up to date on Covid-19, providing information, insight and challenge. Many are facing an uncertain future at a time when journalism has never been so important.

#supportjournalism

journalistscharity.org.uk