Fp163:Free Press Template Changed Fonts.Qxd.Qxd

Home , Flat Earth News (book)

fp163:Free Press template changed fonts.qxd 01/05/2008 10:45 Page 1 FREE Press No 163 March-April 2008 £1 Journal of the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom Media safety fears over China Olympics

By Barry White

n mid-April, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) undertook a four-day official visit to China. The mood of the delega- tion was positive, anticipating the Iprospects for a new era of dialogue between Chinese and Western journalists. But after a series of high-level meetings the IFJ says concerns remain over the safety of journalists and media staff in the run up to the Olympics. “It has been a sweet and sour experience,” said Aidan White, IFJ general secretary. “We are impressed by a new willingness to talk through our differ- ences over press freedom and journalism, but the problems facing reporters on the ground cannot be ignored.” The IFJ met with Chinese state officials as well as leading media and the government-backed All China Journalists Association and talked to a number of foreign correspondents, IFJ general secretary Aidan White: ‘Sweet and sour’ experience in China some of whom have found themselves threatened in the wake of Chinese “Our key aim is mutual understand- Olympics gesture. China must deliver anger over foreign media coverage of ing. We may not get agreement but talk- on its promises and open the door to a disturbances in Tibet and the Olympic ing issues through allows us to chal- durable process of dialogue and co- torch rally, which has run into protests lenge the prejudice and hostility that operation among journalists,” said on its way through some major world puts journalists at risk.” White. “Change is inevitable and jour- cities. The IFJ mission also met with the nalism can play a vital part in con- “In the last few weeks some journal- Beijing Olympic Committee to discuss fronting ignorance, misconceptions and ists have been threatened and there has arrangements to protect journalists. hostility along the way.” been an increase in violations of prom- Around 30,000 officially accredited The members of the mission were: ises to let media work without interfer- and non-accredited journalists are Aidan White, Gabriel Baglo (IFJ Africa ence,” said White. “It’s time to lower expected in Beijing for the Games. Director, Senegal); Mogens Blicher the temperature and start talking about After the Games in August, the IFJ Bjerregård (President, Danish Union of making journalism safer and take aims to work closely with China’s jour- Journalists); Arne Konig (Swedish reporters out of the political crossfire.” nalists to ensure that promises of press Journalists Federation and Chair of the The IFJ is planning immediate fol- freedom made before the games and European Federation of Journalists); low-up work on actions to ensure jour- new guidelines giving journalists the Ulrike Maercks-Franzen (Deutsche nalists’ safety during the Olympics and right to work freely will remain in Journalisten Union-Verdi, Germany); to establish a framework for joint place. The IFJ says there have been Michael Klehm (Deutscher Journalisten actions designed to improve communi- more than 200 violations of these Verband, Germany); Nikos Megrelis (IFJ cations between Chinese journalists guidelines since they were introduced Executive Committee, JUADN, Greece); and their colleagues overseas. last year. Christopher Warren (Federal Secretary, “We have our eyes wide open in this “We recognise and welcome steps Media, Entertainment and Arts process and we have raised concerns taken to allow journalists to work Alliance, Australia); Don Gasper (Hong over journalists in jail,” said White. freely, but this must not be a one-off Kong Journalists Association).

FREE Press March-April 2008 1 fp163:Free Press template changed fonts.qxd 01/05/2008 10:45 Page 2

News Berlusconi wins again His record is dire – Berlusconi: conflict of interest

but he dominates after Berlusconi’s Forza Italia the media, writes coalition won virtually all the Sicilian seats in parliament a Granville Williams Sicilian Mafioso was over- heard on a police wiretap say- here is a single striking ing, “Beautiful, all the candi- fact about Silvio dates my friends, all of them Berlusconi’s record in elected.” Two former mem- government. He was in bers of the old Christian office for just eight Democratic Party who were monthsT in 1994, but during his convicted of corruption, but second period between acquitted of collusion with 2001–2006 Italy’s economy the Camorra, returned to par- went into rapid decline. Ten liament and sat on the anti- years ago Italy was second Mafia commission. only to Germany among the One explanation for leading five European Berlusconi’s election victory economies. Now it has fallen was the weak performance of behind Spain and Greece. It is said: “If Italy were a candidate Neapolitan equivalent of the Romano Prodi’s fragile centre- deeply ironic, to put it mildly, for EU membership, such con- Mafia – are big in waste dis- left government, in office for that his election slogan was centration of power would be posal, with 43 per cent of only 23 months. It did begin Rialzati Italia (“Get Up, Italy”). an obstacle. Since it was a Italy’s trash and toxic waste to tackle the appalling state of If Berlusconi’s economic founder member in 1957, nei- ending up in Campania, the public finances, but only by record is dire, so too is the ther governments nor the region of which Naples is the raising taxes. way he exploited his unre- European commission dare capital. Gomorrah by Roberto But the central explanation solved conflicts of interests as raise this issue.” Saviano, published in 2006, for Berlusconi’s success is his a media entrepreneur and Berlusconi has been both sold 700,000 copies and grip on Italy’s media. Through politician. Berlusconi’s near the beneficiary and promoter became a best-seller in Italy. It his Mediaset empire he con- monopoly of commercial tele- of a culture of illegality and described the ways in which trols most of Italian private vision, his publishing empire short-termism during his Campania has been turned television, a point reinforced and other commercial inter- years in power. Take for exam- into a kind of inferno with all by the January European ests make him Italy’s richest ple his announcement to hold the illegal burning of trash Court of Justice ruling that person. his first cabinet meeting in and dumping of industrial competition was smothered in Bill Emmott, former editor Naples to symbolise his deter- waste. Italian broadcasting. Now of the Economist, printed the mination to resolve the city’s The Camorra benefited through his political interfer- 2001 cover “Unfit to govern rubbish crisis. It is a problem from Berlusconi’s moves to ence in the RAI public broad- Italy” after a long investiga- which his party is complicit limit the power of magistrates casting system he will again tion into Berlusconi’s finances in. who were investigating his have influence over some 90 and legal entanglements. He The Camorra – the own financial affairs. In 1994, per cent of Italian TV. Whistleblower Vanunu seeks asylum in Norway

By Barry White surrounding the Israeli nuclear arsenal. considered interference in Israel’s He was released from prison in April internal affairs and a “sign of the sraeli nuclear whistleblower 2004, but with severe human rights generally anti-Israeli sentiment in Mordechai Vanunu has repeated his restrictions based on those operated by Norway”. Irequest for asylum in Norway. the British during their mandate in Israel neither confirms nor denies However, Norwegian officials are Palestine and later taken up by the having the Middle East’s only nuclear holding out little hope that this request Israeli authorities. weapons under a policy of “strategic – his second – will be successful. Denied the right to leave Israel, ambiguity”. Vanunu, whom Israeli authorities Vanunu has given many interviews to Declared a prisoner of conscience by have barred from leaving Israel, sent non-Israeli journalists and was Amnesty International, Vanunu has his application to Norwegian Prime prevented from celebrating Christmas been mentioned as a possible recipient Minister Jens Stoltenberg early in April. in Bethlehem. In 2007 he was sentenced of the Nobel Peace Prize, which is His previous asylum application to to a further six months in jail for granted annually in Oslo. He was Norway in 2004 was rejected. violating the terms of his parole. nominated in 2004 by Irish Nobel Peace Vanunu was convicted of treason and According to some press reports, he is Prize winner Mairead Corrigan. sentenced to 18 years in jail for telling due to appear in Court again in mid- The University of Tromsoe in north the Sunday Times newspaper in 1986 May and could be returned to prison. Norway granted Vanunu an honorary about his work as a technician at The Norwegian daily Dagsavisen has doctorate in 2000 and its rector Israel’s main atomic reactor. His cited an Israeli diplomat as saying that recently said that he would be willing disclosures exploded the secrecy giving Vanunu asylum would be to employ Vanunu.

2 March-April 2008 FREE Press fp163:Free Press template changed fonts.qxd 01/05/2008 10:45 Page 3

News Government prepares for convergence

By Granville Williams thinking about convergence. Indeed ownership in the age of convergence. the message from Intellect in its Public service values and content y the time you read this the submission is clear: “Policies and should be at the heart of any Department for Culture, Media and regulation are still seen by many development of broadband BSport and the Department for players to either inhibit or impose infrastructure. How this can be Business, Enterprise and Regulatory unnecessary costs on business…The achieved should be a key part of the Reform will have organised three challenge now is to continue to policy debate. Policies driven by Convergence Think Tank seminars, regulate new content platforms and purely commercial, market-led with more proposed. The purpose of providers as lightly as possible…’ priorities will marginalise and weaken the seminars, and a good deal of other The CPBF in its submission public service content. It is vital in the activity by Ofcom and Intellect, the highlighted points which need to be converged media world that citizens trade association for the UK part of the policy debate. have the choice of a diverse range of technology industry, is to prepare for The impact of convergence on high-quality public service the next Communications Act and put ownership must be considered. Major programming provided free from in place a new regulatory structure for changes are taking place in patterns of commercialism. converged media. ownership as a result of convergence. Universal access to broadband Clearly something important is Big telecommunications companies internet and digital broadcasting must happening, even after we discount like Orange and BT are bundling their be a policy priority. According to some of the more extreme predictions broadband services and offering on- Ofcom’s The UK Communications of the impact of convergence. The demand TV services. Online virtual Market 2007 more than half of UK seminars are dealing with vital issues worlds and video gaming are households had broadband access by but ones which, to judge from the vast becoming targets for either March 2007. However whilst more majority of participants, are being acquisition or further development by people are clearly able to access more shaped by the big players in telecoms, global media groups such as Vivendi and more sources of news and IT, and broadcasting media. The and Sony. information, the National Consumer seminars were first proposed by the The new information providers – Council report Consumer Futures former culture secretary, James search engine companies, telecom (2007) identifies that the elderly and Purnell, and have been picked up by companies, internet service providers, poorer families are excluded and his successor, Andy Burnham. It is clear and the like – play an important role in vulnerable. that this series of seminars is unlikely the selection, organisation and flow of The full submission for the to produce any radical new proposals information and therefore need to be Convergence Think Tank seminars is or sharp redirection of Government brought into a new analysis of media on the CPBF website: www.cpbf.org.uk Gongadze NUJ promises support verdict for terror investigator he NUJ annual delegate March, when they demanded ‘welcome’ conference in April to see his notes. Subsequently Tpledged full support to a the Manchester Crown Court he International Feder- journalist who faces ruled in the police’s favour, ation of Journalists (IFJ) “unprecedented legal action” after the judge heard the case Thas welcomed the convic- by the police under the “in camera”. tions of three Ukrainian Terrorism Act 2000. An appeal was launched in policemen who witnessed the Shiv Malik has spent years the High Court in London in murder of journalist Gyorgy investigating terrorist groups mid-April, which was being Gongadze, but has called on Gongadze: murdered based in the UK and has pub- heard as Free Press went to authorities to find and prose- lished articles in the Sunday press. If successful, the case cute the person or people who by agents of the state for his Times, the New Statesman could go to a full judicial ordered his killing. journalism,” said IFJ presi- and Prospect as well as review in the High Court. In mid-March, the court dent Jim Boumelha. broadcasting on the BBC. NUJ general secretary handed down convictions and “However, the people who He is now the subject of a Jeremy Dear has warned that jail terms of 12 years to two ordered Gongadze’s killing court order under the the police now see journalists policemen and 13 years to one are still free. It is time for the Terrorism Act to hand over as “simply another tool of policeman for their roles in authorities to take action to notes of an interview with intelligence gathering”. Gongadze’s murder. In its bring these people to justice.” Hassan Butt, a Manchester- “This case is of enormous judgement the court said that Gyorgy Gongadze was kid- based former member of an importance to the future of the killing had been ordered napped by four policemen on Al-Qaeda linked organisa- investigative journalism” he at the highest level of the min- 16 September 2000. His tion. Malik is basing a book told Press Gazette. “The istry of internal affairs and beheaded body was found upon Butt’s experiences. If police argue that it would be that the motivation was politi- later in the woods outside of Malik does not comply with in the public interest for them cal and related to Gongadze’s Kiev. Since then the NUJ and the court order, he faces jail. to obtain Shiv’s notes, yet journalism. IFJ have campaigned tireless- Malik’s London home was such action would fundamen- “These convictions confirm ly to bring those responsible to raided by Greater Manchester tally undermine the ability of that Gongadze was murdered justice. Police on the morning of 17 journalists to do their work.”

FREE Press March-April 2008 3 fp163:Free Press template changed fonts.qxd 01/05/2008 10:45 Page 4

Interview

checking has been reduced to a joke procedure where journalists pick up, or sometimes make up, an allegation, trot off to the other side, get a quote and stick it in the paper. “That does not amount to checking. That does not enable them to get to the truth. In fact what it allows them to do, is that with the exception of serious LIFE ON libels, they can publish any damn allegation they want because it’s covered up with a denial. That’s not checking. That’s not getting to the truth. It’s dis- gusting.” So Davies can meet the accusations from people like former Observer editor Roger Alton and David Leppard from the Sunday Times who say he didn’t ask them for their side of the story by FLAT pointing to the enormous amount of checking he did into the stories about them. He worked on the book for 18 months non-stop, with eight researchers, including a team at the journalism department at Cardiff University. (He got outside funding for the Cardiff research but paid for the EARTH rest out of his own pocket). There are half a dozen stories that he checked in extravagant detail, to the extent that his subjects were effectively bang to rights. Davies is a reporter who likes to get Guardian freelance Nick Davies’s into long-term investigations, into areas like crime and social problems. He scorching critique of contemporary decided on this one, he says, because of the coverage of Iraq, the constant British journalism, Flat Earth News, assumption that there were weapons of mass destruction that threatened the west, in the run-up to the invasion of has created a sensation in the 2003. “I wanted to see why the media put out so much falsehood. media world. He tells CPBF co-chair “For better or worse” – this will sur- prise some people – “I am pro-war, and the problem with [the stories about Tim Gopsill why he wrote the book Iraq’s] WMD for me is a journalistic one. What irritated was that in the 12 months after the invasion, as it became increasingly clear that the WMD didn’t ick Davies has taken up smok- countries around the world, getting in exist, that the media with very, very ing again – and stopped, and touch, generally saying ‘Thank God you few exceptions debated that as though started, and stopped again. It said that. Let me tell you something it were merely a problem of intelli- is not the stress from the that’s going on in my place’”. gence agencies and government. attacks on his new book, Flat But the British media being what Whereas, of course, the misinformation NEarth News, that has done it, he says – they are, it is the critics that made the had a third corner to it. The global virtually all the response has been posi- early running. Flat Earth News goes for media. And you stand back and ask the tive – but there has simply been so what he calls the “Fleet Street question that any hack would ask: much of it: hundreds of emails, invita- Establishment” – the Sunday Times, ‘Why? Why did that happen?’ tions to speak at meetings – two or Observer, Daily Mail and the Press “I started off with absolutely no idea three a week – press, TV and radio Association (PA) – which have been of where I was going to go. My formula, interviews ... He is feeling the kind of “pouring invective down on the book”. whenever I start with one of these long- pressure that the book says is brought It accuses them variously of concocting term projects, is always the same. You to bear on the mass of working journal- stories by dubious means, of running ask obvious questions of accessible ists themselves. stories they know to be untrue, and of people. And because I’m researching an For our industry, Flat Earth News is generally following the rules of what industry in which I’ve worked for 31 something of a sensation – and if it’s Davies calls “churnalism” – the prac- years, I’ve got some ideas of my own not, it ought to be. It brings up truths tice of continually regurgitating based on my own experience, and also about our work that have long been unchecked stories that may or may not I know masses of hacks so I know what underground – understood by journal- be true, which passes for journalism in they say. And I have this vague idea ists but not often openly expressed. the much of the British press. that it’s something to do with what Davies found “a huge camp of journal- “Our job is to check facts to get to the we’re now calling churnalism.” ists, print and broadcast, national and truth,” he says, “but in the world of “And asking obvious questions of local, from this country and numerous churnalism with a ‘ch’ the process of accessible sources, there are soon four

4 March-April 2008 FREE Press fp163:Free Press template changed fonts.qxd 01/05/2008 10:45 Page 5

Interview

national papers on the PA, the source of more news copy than everything else added together, and the agency’s inade- quacy for the task. A group of nine PA correspondents, journalists who are highly esteemed for the accuracy of their work, wrote a hurt and angry letter to the Press Gazette, but Davies says: “I’m not attacking PA reporters. I’m saying they are honest in intent, and I think that agency reporting tends to be accurate. But newsrooms need to recognise that PA is not trying to tell the truth. All PA is trying to do is to be accurate. I quoted the editor saying what’s important is what’s between the quote marks.” It’s the oldest problem in journalism: how to report someone who is lying. “If Blair makes a speech you can produce an accurate account it, that is one thing,” Davies explains, “but you may well not be telling the truth.” But papers depend on PA. They can’t Nick Davies: ‘The book is not an attack on individual journalists’ cover every single story themselves. What are they supposed to do? “Well, separate leads pointing towards these guys were running false stories, but you have a decently staffed newsroom stories.” On the Observer’s stream of why? So then I start contacting with the right objectives, you set aside articles backing the invasion, written by Observer staff. I spoke to a dozen some reporters to go out and check the political editor Kamal Ahmed and secu- Observer staff. And you slowly start to truth.” This is now approaching the rity specialist David Rose, for instance, get this picture of what was going on heart of the matter, which is, what are he says: “I did a massive media data- inside that newsroom. So then I get journalists, and the NUJ, supposed to base search on everything that David onto David Rose. Long, long conversa- do about it? Rose had written, everything that tions with him about exactly how these Davies doesn’t claim to have the Kamal had written. Masses and masses false stories were passed into the news- answer. “I think there’s no way out of of checking to see whether these stories paper. And then I have a long conversa- this. With a very few exceptions the are true. So there’s a story by Kamal tion with Kamal, and a detailed book is not an attack on individual jour- which says, ‘Downing Street sources exchange of memos, and then I took the nalists at all. It’s an attack on the struc- say that next week there’s going to be a whole lot to [deputy editor] Paul tures that constrain them. As long as report from the Strategic Studies Webster, and said, ‘let’s talk through all newspapers, broadly speaking, are in Institute saying such and such. So then this’”. the hands of these big corporations, I get the report which is published three It has to be said that spending so they will impose their logic on us and I days later, and it doesn’t say such and much time and effort on a single project don’t see a way out of that in the real such at all. is well beyond the opportunities open world. “So, you look around for the correc- to most journalists, so how would a “A lot of outsiders think ‘Ah, it’s tion. It wasn’t there. So now that’s churnalist have done it? “Well if you because you’re all cynical liars. You becoming a little bit more solid. These take the current convention,” says couldn’t care less.’ I’m afraid to say Davies, “what I would do is I’d collect there are some cynical liars in our pro- all this anecdotal evidence, and then I fession, but most journalists are not. would ring the editors and say, ‘is it Most journalists want to tell the truth. true that your journalists are so over- There are still a lot of seriously good worked that they don’t check most of journalists working in British media. their facts and recycle a lot of second- “But every time any one of those hand material?’ Well I didn’t do that good people says to their newsdesk, because it’s a complete waste of time. ‘You have to give me time to work on The Press Gazette rang those people this difficult story’, or ‘this story may when they were publishing extracts not sell newspapers, but it’s important, from the book and asked ‘Is it true?’ and so you have to give me space’, every they said ‘Absolutely untrue. It’s all time somebody wins a battle like that garbage.’ Marvellous.” we hold back the tide of churnalism. “When you’ve got the story right, and “And in that context a well-organised people are stung by it, they can’t com- union in an office can be important. plain about the story, so instead they And if the union keeps staffing levels in find something else to complain about. an office, that would help. We might I talked to Kamal through every single not be able to stop the papers, but we allegation – he then gets on his high can negotiate, we can do our best.” horse and says ‘Nick didn’t listen to So the NUJ does have a job it can do? what I said’. So all that happens is that “Yes,” he says. “There’s something to be the angle of criticism moves.” fought for.” Davies says he makes “a distinction between accuracy and truth”. This is This article first appeared in the April the point of one of his most discomfort- issue of Journalist, the magazine of the ing revelations: the reliance of British National Union of Journalists.

FREE Press March-April 2008 5 fp163:Free Press template changed fonts.qxd 01/05/2008 10:45 Page 6

News Tories back licence fee top-slice

By Barry White ing ... with the BBC continuing to and the system is now working better receive the vast bulk of the licence than it once did. But that’s not to say he Conservative Party has come out fee.” It also says the BBC must reduce there isn’t an ongoing need to make in favour of “top-slicing” the its website dominance or risk crowd- sure the press acts responsibly.” Tlicence fee, with some cash being ing out innovation. In the same interview Cameron handed to other broadcasters to pay for The paper also backs local televi- came out in favour of extending the children’s television and current sion, arguing it should be given greater Freedom of Information Act to include affairs programmes. prominence by policy makers. The private bodies carrying out The “vast bulk” of the £3.2bn raised party paper was published days before Government functions, a review cur- by the licence fee would still go to the Ofcom launched its second public rently under Government considera- BBC, the Conservatives’ latest paper on service broadcasting review on 10 tion, following public consultation broadcasting said. Shadow culture sec- April. launched last autumn. However, he retary Jeremy Hunt has called for a Meanwhile in an exclusive inter- did not link this extension to the PCC, new public service broadcasting com- view given to the Press Gazette pub- which remains exempt from the act’s mission to be formed to “more-fairly” lished on 11 April, the Conservative provisions. distribute revenue from the licence fee. leader David Cameron gave his support Details of the CPBF response to gov- The paper states: “Other organisa- to press self-regulation and the Press ernment on why the PCC should be tions should only be able to bid for Complaints Commission (PCC). “We subject to the Freedom of Information licence fee money in specific areas have no plans to change self-regula- Act may be found at the CPBF web site where plurality of provision [is] lack- tion. I think the PCC has settled down at: www.cpbf.org.uk Media ‘more open to manipulation’

By Mick Gosling even the most basic research. This makes Large corporations and their public it almost impossible for them to chal- relations companies can cover their t a London meeting organised by lenge Downing Street misinformation, tracks and concoct phoney front groups Media Workers Against the War in particularly in relation to the Iraq war. to conceal their business interests. But AApril. Investigative journalist Nick Davies worked on the book with this almost palls into insignificance Davies, discussed further the strong reac- researchers from the Journalism alongside government spending on spin tion to his book Flat Earth News. Department of Cardiff University. Their and propaganda. His work was drubbed in the media. In statistical analysis found that 54 per cent The CIA has an annual spending of particular, his contention that the of British home news stories are based over £265m on propaganda alone (three Observer ran false stories outraged pro- mainly, or exclusively upon, copy gener- times the entire budget of all the British prietors and senior editors alike. But his ated by public relations officers and security services). It claims 400 “assets” argument was quietly welcomed by organisations. within the media, and during the Cold many underpaid and overworked jour- Perhaps of even greater concern is War it had it had assets in at least one nalists who shoulder a heavier workload their finding that the core information in newspaper in every country. and churn out more and more stories on only 12 per cent of stories is actually Public relations and propaganda, said a daily basis. checked at all. This, Davies argues, Davies, explains “how we ran so much Davies said this increased pressure makes the news media “hugely vulnera- rubbish in the run up and during the Iraq leaves journalists with little chance to do ble” to manipulation and disinformation. war”. Ofcom launches second public service review fcom has launched its second media industries including broadband fall”. That option is not supported by review of public service internet providers (at a time when Ofcom or public opinion which Ofcom Obroadcasting PSB. It is set against a serious money is also needed to says favours competition between background of falling investment by upgrade the nation’s broadband public service broadcasters. ITV in PSB, uncertainty over the future networks); giving PSB’s advantageous Overall Ofcom is looking for a new funding of Channels Four and Five and advertising rates; direct Treasury public service broadcasting system to falling investment by these channels in funding and top-slicing the licence fee be in place before complete digital the lead up to complete digital (supported by the Conservative party switchover in 2012 (and therefore switchover in 2012. and some New Labour MPs). before a new Communications Act) and The review has been brought Of course the current trends could is cracking on with its consultation forward two years due to Ofcom’s continue, but as Raymond Snoddy which closes on 19 June. concerns about declining advertising pointed out in The Independent on 14 This consultation is about the future revenues and investment and the April, this would mean accepting that of public service broadcasting in the threat this poses to future commercial commercial broadcasters become UK. Its importance cannot be PSB and UK-made programming. “more and more commercial” and “as a underestimated. The report offers a number of result the BBC would be the sole public The CPBF will be responding and our options for future funding; income service broadcaster and the overall submission will be placed on our web from spectrum sales; a tax on some provision of such programmes would site at www.cpbf.org

6 March-April 2008 FREE Press fp163:Free Press template changed fonts.qxd 01/05/2008 10:45 Page 7

News Future uncertain for Channel 4 By Patricia Holland with suspicion. Although the communi- recently changed its approach. Its idea cations regulator Ofcom is required to of a brand new Public Service ill Channel 4 and its family promote and support public service Publisher, which would be the major of channels still be able to broadcasting, its preferred approach provider of competition for the BBC in give us Dispatches and has been to turn to the market an all-digital world, has been aban- Channel 4 News as well as wherever possible. Some within Ofcom doned. Deal or No Deal and – and also within the Government – Instead the regulator seems to have WCelebrity Big Brother as competition have suggested that, come analogue accepted that Channel 4 should be sup- gets tougher and digital switch-over switch-off, the BBC may no longer have ported, so that it can continue to pro- looms? the right to their hallowed licence fee. vide, as it has done for the last 26 According to its energetic new pro- They say, why not share it out? “Top- years, a public service which comple- motional document, Next on 4, yes it slice” it, redistribute it, turn it into ments and challenges that of the BBC will. And it will also continue to “contestable funding”. That would be a because of its remit to promote inde- nurture new talent, look for fresh per- simple solution. pendence, innovation and diversity. spectives, commission innovative for- But there are other possibilities on Ofcom recognises that new funds mats like Meet the Natives and chal- the cards, which have been floated by must be found, which is encouraging. It lenging dramas like Shameless and Ofcom in its recently published Review has not dismissed the notion of top-slic- Skins. In addition, it plans to develop of Public Service Broadcasting (April ing the BBC licence fee, which is less new content for teenagers and to 2008). They include direct public fund- encouraging. It is rather depressing to increase its output of documentaries. ing from the Lottery or elsewhere; free read that “increased advertising minu- Sounds good. But there’s one important access to broadcasting on the digital tage would appear to offer most value drawback – money. spectrum; and levies on commercial to Channel 4 in the short term”. Like all the terrestrial broadcasters, broadcasters and other commercial Let us hope that all the new talent Channel 4 faces an uncertain future in services. This last suggestion has been and innovative programming we’ve the shift to an all-digital television pro- forcefully put by campaigning organi- been promised manages to squeeze in vision, due to be completed by 2012. sations including the CPBF, but seems between the expanded ads, that But the channel is in a special position. to have been taken more seriously by Dispatches and Channel 4 News con- Although 80 per cent funded by adver- Ofcom since it was proposed for the tinue to flourish, that pressures from tising, Channel 4 is a non-profit-mak- French broadcasting system by those who welcome the chance to ing public corporation. It has a special President Sarkozy. weaken the BBC will be resisted, and remit to make programmes which are Ultimately the Government makes that we can preserve a channel which innovative, diverse, educational and decisions about public funding. But is worth saving. distinctive – a remit which was Ofcom does the research, samples pub- The CPBF will be making these renewed by the 2003 Communications lic opinion, weighs the options, and points when it responds to Ofcom’s Act. Such programmes don’t come makes recommendations. Ofcom has Review. cheap, and they don’t necessarily appeal to advertisers, at a time when advertising funds are shifting to the internet and are distributed across an increasing number of television UNISON BOOST FOR channels. In addition, the implicit subsidy which comes from free access to the broadcasting spectrum is worth CAMPAIGN APPEAL progressively less. Projections of its future income estimate that Channel 4 Our media ownership project financial appeal – outlined in will be facing a serious shortfall by the last issue of Free Press – received a boost at the end of 2012. The channel themselves put it at £100m. So, what is to be done? How February, when UNISON agreed to make a further grant of can it possibly fulfil its remit and £13,250. This brings UNISON‘s contribution to our media develop all the innovative new services ownership work to £26,500. But we still need more cash to it has promised? The obvious answer is a public realise our campaigning objectives. Please send your subsidy of some sort, and this is what donations to the CPBF national office: Channel 4 has asked for. But it means there is a real danger that the channel might find itself in competition with CPBF the BBC for viewers’ money. It could end up with what Liberal Democrat 2nd Floor peer, Tom McNally described as a Vi & Garner Smith House “squalid squabble” with the BBC, at a time when the BBC itself is weakened 23 Orford Road by a licence fee settlement lower than it Walthamstow needed. Channel 4’s dilemma should be seen London in the context of broadcasting policies E17 9NL which are heavily market-driven, and which treat any type of public funding

FREE Press March-April 2008 7 fp163:Free Press template changed fonts.qxd 01/05/2008 10:45 Page 8

News New terror bill is threat to journalists By Barry White voiced by journalists and campaigning try, a move supported by the Society of groups including Liberty and the Editors. nother year and another Anti-ter- Newspaper Society. The bill is expected to complete its rorism Bill is working its way According to the Press Gazette the Commons stage in late May or early Athrough Parliament. So far the Society has written to home secretary June, so there is still time to write to media coverage has mainly concentrat- Jackie Smith expressing concerns your MP expressing your point of ed on the proposed powers to give the about the bill in the newspaper indus- view. police the right to hold suspects for up to 42 days without charge, an increase from the present 28. But the bill, if passed, would also threaten the right of journalists to report or obtain information on the armed forces. This could be applied to journalists investigating corruption in arms procurement CPBF AGM 2008 and the relevant clause (69) contains no public interest defence, only that; “it is a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to This year’s AGM will be held on Saturday 19 July prove that they had reasonable excuse for their action”. from 10am at: The bill would also give police the power to remove any documents, which in practice means any computer NUJ Headquarters or camera, for 96 hours regardless of where they might be legally privileged Headland House or the subject of journalistic qualified 308-312 Gray’s Inn Road privilege. This represents a direct threat to the confidentiality of sources. London WC1X 8DP Sections 64 threatens the right of journalists to report some inquests by providing for them to be held in secret. Please make a note in your diary This would be an additional power to that already in existence where the Further details in the next issue of Free Press public can be banned in cases affecting national security. Objections to the bill, which had its second reading on 1 April, have been Free Press is edited by Julie-ann Davies on behalf of the National Council

MEMBERSHIP RATES PER ANNUM AFFILIATION BY ORGANISATION a) Individual membership £15 f) Fewer than 500 members £25 b) Unwaged £6 g) 500 to 1,000 £30 c) Supporting membership £25 h) 1,000 to 10,000 £50 JOIN (includes free CPBF publications) i) 10,000 to 50,000 £115 d) Institutions (eg libraries) £25 j) 50,000 to 100,000 £225 THE CAMPAIGN FOR (includes 10 copies of FREE Press) k) Over 100,000 £450 PRESS AND I/We want to join the CPBF and enclose a cheque/PO for £ ______Name ______BROADCASTING Address ______FREEDOM ______Postcode ______Tel ______Email______Organisation (if applicable)______CPBF website: www.cpbf.org.uk email: [email protected] Return form to CPBF, 2nd floor, Vi and Garner Smith House, 23 Orford Road, Walthamstow, London E17 9NL Tel: 020 8521 5932

8 March-April 2008 FREE Press Printed by Wernham Printers 020 8808 1677