MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS

WWW.NUJ.ORG.UK | JULY-AUGUST 2019

A world of work

Freelances urged to think globally Contents

Main feature 16 Hello Toyko here Finding work internationally News ummer time is here and many of us 03 Victory for No Stone Unturned pair may be going overseas for a holiday. But if you’re freelance, while you’re abroad Police drop investigation enjoying a break from work maybe you 04 BBC drops most licences for over 75s should consider sending your work Funding only for those on pension credit Soverseas too. Our cover feature for this edition by Ruth Addicott looks at the opportunities, 05 Gannett petitioned over Newsquest and also the pitfalls, of doing work for international news NUJ protests at US shareholders’ meeting organisations. 07 Students’ hopes dashed Also, still in a leisure vein, we’re used to tipping in Media course fails to win accreditation restaurants, but as journalists, we’re not used to getting tips ourselves. But that could be changing as tipping is starting to “find its way into some forms of journalism with readers paying Features in cryptocurrencies if they like a piece. Rachael Revesz looks at 10 Changing lives and attitudes this nascent payment system. George Viner scholarships Our media anniversary feature by Jonathan Sale is a very evocative look at when there was a broadcast sound ban on Sinn 16 Service not included Fein, a time that led to a voiceover boom for Northern Irish Journalists get gratuities actors. 18 Transcription tackled Our news section has an investigation by David Hencke into Taking the pain out of a tedious task Sussex University’s journalism degree and a piece by Anton McCabe on how thorough, local reporting in Enniskillen led to a police investigation. Regulars I hope you find something of interest to read, maybe talkings 09 Viewpoint the magazine on holiday with you! 12 Media anniversary 26 And finally...

Christine Buckley Editor @mschrisbuckley Arts with Attitude Pages 20-21 Editor NUJ [email protected] 72 Acton Street Design London WC1X 9NB Surgerycreations.com [email protected] [email protected] www.nuj.org.uk Advertising Tel: 020 7843 3700 Raymond Letters Melanie Richards Manchester office and Steve Bell Tel: 07494975239 [email protected] Snoddy [email protected] Glasgow office Page 22-23 Print [email protected] Page 19 Warners Cover picture www.warners.co.uk Dublin office [email protected] Gary Neil Distribution ” GB Mail ISSN: 0022-5541 www.gb-mail.co.uk

02 | theJournalist news Victory for No Stone inbrief... JAILED TURKISH JOURNALIST FREED Unturned journalists The jailed journalist ‘adopted’ by the NUJ has been released from Bakirkoy THE NUJ welcomed the move by police in prison in Istanbul. Ayşe Düzkan England and Northern Ireland to finally drop started an 18-month sentence at the their controversial investigation into two NUJ end of January. She was released on journalists who made a documentary about probation in June, but must sign in at the murder of six Catholic men who had been There should be a police station every three days, watching a World Cup match in a pub during undertake unpaid work and cannot the Troubles. an independent leave Istanbul. There had been a public outcry about the investigation into the arrests and investigation of Trevor Birney (pictured left) and Barry McCaffrey (pictured police handling of ORWELL PRIZE GOES right) and continued pressure from the NUJ, had been seized by police in the investigation. “ TO JOINT WINNERS Amnesty International and other campaigners. The two journalists said: “The police have this case Guardian columnist Suzanne Moore The warrants for the arrest of the pair, who dropped the case for one reason only – finally and the deputy editor of Prospect made the No Stone Unturned film about the they accept that by arresting us and raiding magazine Steve Bloomfield jointly Loughinisland massacre in 1994, were our homes and offices, they were the ones Séamus Dooley, won this year’s Orwell prize for quashed by three appeal judges at the High that acted unlawfully. The PSNI put the cudgel NUJ assistant general journalism. The prize is awarded for Court in Belfast after the Lord Chief Justice in the hands of Durham constabulary and let secretary commentary or reporting which Declan Morgan said that they were them loose on us and on press freedom itself.” comes closest to George Orwell’s inappropriate. Séamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general ambition to make ‘political writing into The Durham constabulary and the Police secretary, said: “The manner in which an art’. Service of Northern Ireland then said that they warrants were secured, the execution of those would no longer investigate Trevor and Barry warrants, the severe bail restrictions imposed who were arrested and put on police bail in on Barry and Trevor and the damage done to FALL IN INFLUENCE OF August 2018. They had to appear at police their reputation cannot simply be brushed PRIVATELY EDUCATED stations on a number of occasions to have aside after a High Court judgement which The percentage of top journalists who their bail extended. could not have been more damning. There went to private school has fallen over They have now collected their computers, should be an independent investigation into the past five years. Social mobility phones and documents and other items which the police handling of this case.” charity The Sutton Trust said 43 per cent of the UK’s 100 most influential journalists were privately educated, an 11 per cent drop from 2014. Freelance wins £8,360 holiday pay

A FREELANCE NUJ member won The company had cited its This meant he was entitled to full EVENING STANDARD £8,360 in holiday pay after an standard freelance contract, holiday pay and received £8,360 LOSES £11 MILLION employment tribunal declared he which states that the freelance is in compensation. London’s Evening Standard made a should be classed as a ‘worker’. self-employed and an David Hoey, the employment loss of £11 million for the second David Walsh worked for independent contractor. judge, said Walsh was an year in a row. It made a pre-tax loss Scotsman Publications for several The employment tribunal ruled ‘integral part’ of a team he of £11.6 million in the year ending years and had had requests for that Walsh met the legal worked with and he didn’t have September 2018, compared with holiday pay turned down because definition of a worker, rather an arm’s length relationship with £11.8 million in 2017. Turnover rose he was deemed self-employed. than an independent contractor. the newspaper group. two per cent to £65.4 million.

CHESTER CHRONICLE LEAVES CITY HOME Staff face ‘intolerable’ conditions The Chester Chronicle has shut its office in the city leaving it without a NUJ MEMBERS at the said they don’t know how the remaining staff base in the community for the first Scotsman Publications, which they will manage to get titles questioning how they can time in its 244-year-history. Some includes The Scotsman, the out after fresh redundancies. produce newspapers under 14 staff who worked for The Edinburgh Evening News and The NUJ chapel said: “Since what would reasonably be Chronicle and the North Wales Daily Scotland on Sunday, have Johnston Press was acquired considered intolerable Post in the Sealand Road office are by its new owners, there has conditions. There has been now travelling to a regional office at been a constant process of little or no guidance from our Liverpool, Colwyn Bay or cost-cutting – from closing managers – rather, there has Manchester or working from home. offices to closing titles. This been almost total silence on No jobs have been put at direct risk latest round of jobs cuts leaves what our future holds.” by the move.

theJournalist | 03 news inbrief... BBC drops most free RENNER WINS C4 FELLOWSHIP Solape Renner, a Bloomberg licences for over 75s journalist who began her working life as an analyst for the European SOME 3.7 MILLION pensioners aged over 75 IMAGEBROKER / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO Central Bank, has been awarded the who receive a free TV licence will have to pay inaugural Sarah Corp Fellowship for it after the BBC, which was obliged to with Channel 4 News. The provide free licences by the government, fellowship is in memory of the scaled back its provision. respected foreign affairs producer Households with one person receiving who died in 2016. pension credit will still be eligible at a cost of £250 million per year. The decision was made by the BBC board PAUL FOOT AWARD after the corporation agreed to take on the GOES TO EMILY DUGAN costs of the benefit as part of the last licence Emily Dugan, a reporter for fee settlement. savings while expanding its commercial BuzzFeed, has won the Private Eye In 2015, the government announced that revenue to cope. The decision does, however, Paul Foot Award for Investigative the BBC would take over the cost of providing prevent unprecedented closures of services and Campaigning Journalism for her free licences for over-75s by 2020; this was which would have been required had we Access to Justice campaign. The expected to cost £745 million – a fifth of the copied the government’s scheme.” judges praised her persistence in BBC’s budget by 2021-22. That works out as Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, reporting the human cost of the more than its spending on all radio services, said: “Dumping the BBC with the Dumping the BBC with degradation of England’s justice and or about the same as on the bulk of its responsibility for a welfare benefit was a the responsibility for legal aid system. channels aside from BBC One, or on all its TV wrongheaded act of sabotage by a sport, drama, entertainment and comedy. government that cared little about the impact a welfare benefit was About 1.5 million households could be on our public service broadcaster.“ a wrongheaded act of RUSSIAN REPORTER eligible for free licences. The BBC’s annual report showed some “ FREED AFTER OUTCRY The BBC said: “The new scheme will cost progress over eliminating its gender pay gap. sabotage Russian police have dropped all around £250 million by 2021-22, depending Last year the gap went down to 6.7 per cent charges against journalist Ivan on the take-up. The cost will require the BBC from 7.6 per cent in the previous year. Also one Golunov after an outcry in the media to divert some spending on programmes and in five of the BBC’s top earners were from black Michelle Stanistreet and among journalists’ unions about services alongside continuing to find new and ethnic minority backgrounds. NUJ general secretary his arrest for alleged drugs offences. Golunov is a reporter for the Meduza news website and has conducted calling for greater efforts to investigations into corruption IFJ backs the NUJ over raise awareness about the among Moscow city officials. kinds of threats women snooping and pay gap journalists encounter, online NUJ MOTIONS about It also highlighted the need and offline. INDIAN ASSOCIATION surveillance of journalists and to strengthen the Congress called on the new ELECTS PRESIDENT ending the gender pay gap International Labour IFJ executive committee to Naresh Kaushik has been elected as were passed by the Organisation. raise awareness of and build the new president of the Indian International Federation of Delegates voted to a culture to resist the Journalists Association in the UK. Journalists (IFJ) World coordinate a global strategy surveillance of journalists and Naresh has been an NUJ member for Congress in Tunis in June. and campaign to end to promote technological and more than 30 years and is a former The union highlighted the discrimination in pay and organisational approaches to deputy FOC of the BBC World need for campaigning to opportunities for women avoid it. Service chapel. close the gender pay gap and journalists. They also The NUJ’s Jim Boumelha secure equal pay, and to supported a Palestinian was reconfirmed as the IFJ’s improve employment rights. Journalists Syndicate motion honorary treasurer. SIGHT AND SOUND EDITOR TO DEPART Nick James, editor of the British Film Institute’s monthly magazine Sight Photographers blow whistle on basketball and Sound is stepping down after 21 years. He started at Sight and THE BRITISH Basketball Photographers at the gave the governing body Association and the AIPS Sound in 1995 as deputy editor, Federation has joined a women’s international free images. [Association Internationale de moving to editor just two years growing list of organisations friendly between Great Britain Natasha Hirst, chair of the la Presse Sportive] Basketball later. He said he would pursue that insist photographers and Canada in Manchester NUJ Photographers’ Council, Commission in condemning wider ambitions as a writer, but will provide free images to gain in June were told they could said: “The NUJ fully backs the BBF for seeking to continue to contribute to access to cover events. have credentials only if they the Basketball Journalists’ exploit photographers.” the magazine.

04 | theJournalist news Gannett petitioned over inbrief... BREXIT PUTS PEOPLE OFF THE NEWS Newsquest at US AGM More than a third (35 per cent) of UK people are actively avoiding the NUJ REPRESENTATIVES took their campaign industry, I wanted to act as a reminder that news with a majority (71 per cent) for better resources and conditions at you have some incredibly talented and of them citing Brexit as the reason, Newsquest directly to the publisher’s US dedicated reporters, here and in the UK, who according to this year’s Reuters owner, travelling to Virginia to call for Gannett work their socks off, but ultimately we do that Digital News Report. The proportion and its shareholders to take into account the because we love the papers we work for and I’m here to ask you of news avoiders this year is up views of its 800 UK the communities we serve. 11 per cent on 2017 when the employees. “I’m here to ask you to bear to bear in mind those question was last asked. Amy Fenton (pictured), in mind those committed committed journalists chief reporter at the Mail in journalists when considering when considering Cumbria, and Chris Morley, any changes to the company.” “ BULFORD JOINS REACH NUJ Northern and Midlands Morley highlighted the any changes to the AS NON-EXECUTIVE senior organiser, went to NUJ’s concerns over a hostile Anne Bulford, the BBC’s former Gannett’s annual meeting in takeover bid of Gannett by company deputy director general, has joined McLean, Virginia. hedge fund-controlled Reach, publisher of the Mirror, As Morley owns a small newspaper company Express and Star, as a non- number of Gannett shares, MNG Enterprises. Amy Fenton executive director. Bulford, who left they were both eligible to Gannett shareholders voted Chief reporter at the the BBC in the spring, is chair of question the Gannett board to reject MNG Enterprises’ The Mail, Cumbria Reach’s audit and risk committee and speak in front of board nominees, which and a member of its remuneration shareholders, executives and followed an unsolicited offer and nomination committees. employees. to acquire Gannett for $12 a share in January. Fenton made an impassioned plea to MNG’s failure to secure seats on Gannett’s the audience and explained how she had board reflects a significant setback in LIVERPOOL FC FANS crossed the Atlantic to ask shareholders to its efforts. TO GET NEWS SITES consider Gannett’s “incredibly talented and Fenton warned shareholders against Reach, which owns the Liverpool

dedicated reporters”. allowing MNG to make “reckless and savage AMY FENTON Echo, is launching two fan websites She said: “I’ve travelled all the way from cost-cutting simply for short-term profits” and for Liverpool Football Club England to be here today because, amid all highlighted the poor pay the company’s UK following the team’s Champions the uncertainty and confusion facing our journalists were enduring. League win against Tottenham Hotspur. Ten journalists will work for both Liverpool.com and LFC Stories.

Relocation, relocation, relocation SCOTSMAN PUTS UP THE FINANCIAL TIMES has 30 years at Bracken House, completed its move from Channel 4, which is to shift METERED PAYWALL moved back to its old home a grade II listed building London’s Victoria to new its base from London to The Scotsman has gone behind a of Bracken House in the City near St Paul’s Cathedral, offices in Paddington Basin. Leeds, has said the majority metered paywall after its owner of London 30 years after from 1959. PA was based at in Vauxhall of staff will take redundancy JPI Media said that it would trial it left to relocate to Meanwhile, the Press Bridge Road, Victoria, since rather than leave London. subscriptions because of falling ad Southwark Bridge. Association, which has been 1995 after moving there No senior executives will sales. Readers can now access five The paper previously spent rebranded as PA Media, from Fleet Street. move to the Leeds base. articles for free each week or pay £3 for the first three months when they subscribe, rising to £8 a month thereafter or £72 annually.

Cookson gold story stars at NUJ science award DEAN MOVES FROM ES TO GRAZIA MAGAZINE THE WINNER OF the 2019 NUJ Stephen White award for best communication Rosamund Dean, the acting deputy and reporting of science in a non-science context was Clive Cookson, the FT’s editor of ES Magazine, is moving to science editor (pictured right). Grazia. She has been at the Evening The winning entry by Clive, who has been a member of the union for 40 years Standard’s weekly magazine since was ‘Scientists discover the origins of gold in space’. October. She was previously acting The prize was presented by the NUJ’s northern organiser Chris Morley deputy editor at both Stylist (pictured left) at the Association of British Science Writers’ annual awards. magazine and Grazia, after six NUJ member Stephen White was head of communications at the British years as entertainment director at

TREVOR ASTON PHOTOGRAPHY ASTON TREVOR Psychological Society for 25 years and died suddenly in 2010. Red magazine.

theJournalist | 05 imposed.”

Natasha Hirst Natasha NEC NATASHA HIRST to a an insult is It and people disabled who journalists “ on reported have DWP the for them the misrepresent to of impact appalling credit universal secretary, said: “The said: secretary, does not recognise company but we unions in Ireland by been contacted have for members who work NUJ are the title and they the redundancy by shocked terms being She said that training that training She said development development opportunities. not often are courses lack and providers inclusive of understanding adjustments reasonable help to required which are their fulfil people to This has potential. not only for implications Séamus Dooley, NUJ Irish NUJ Séamus Dooley, resume selling its selling resume edition in international The Irish edition Ireland. of the Sunday Times is unaffected. An NUJ motion on access to professional professional to motion on access An NUJ lobby on the TUC to The motion called delegation the NUJ above Pictured development for disabled workers was well well was workers disabled for development Degele Lynn delegate supported. First-time that people with highlighting spoke, in expected not often are disabilities as journalism such occupations professional career for overlooked frequently and are in the diversity for but also concerned the those industry. practice good promote to and providers training support to workers. disabled employers for Hirst, Guy Thornton Natasha L-R comprised Degele (chair, Lynn branch), (Netherlands and Ann Galpin (chair, branch) Oxford members’ council). disabled News Corp, The Times’ Corp, News was launched in September launched in September was as a digital service 2015 was version a print before added in 2017. it would said publisher, Kevin Stanley, the Nottingham branch social media officer, said: “There’s a said: “There’s media officer, social the Nottingham branch Stanley, Kevin under specialist journalists and lists in progress, is a work The website Visit the site at https://hireanottinghamjournalist. https://hireanottinghamjournalist. at site the Visit wordpress.com. Nottingham journalists for hire for journalists Nottingham promote to website has launched a dedicated of the NUJ branch THE NOTTINGHAM set in Nottingham was a Journalist Hire employers. potential to journalists freelance as staff. no longer working of a rising number of members who are up because companies finding that a number of and we’re in our patch, talent of local wealth that by felt We or major projects. one off events for specialists seeking are of peace organisations it gives members, NUJ who are freelancers promoting credentials. with good, ethical mind, knowing that they’re hiring someone on the site and multimedia. Listings photographers such as writers, headings, area. in the Nottinghamshire or work members who live NUJ to free are The Times’ Irish edition The NUJ’s code of conduct was highlighted highlighted was of conduct code The NUJ’s on who rely journalists are affected Also The Times closes Times The of edition Irish THE IRISH edition of The and the Times has closed in staff majority of the 20 been made Dublin have redundant. the way at the TUC’s Disabled at the TUC’s LED the way THE NUJ the in condemning conference Workers’ campaing and Pensions’ Work Department for credit. universal promote to motion an emergency The union moved criticising the advertising which was campaign in place took launched while the conference May in Bournemouth. Hirst, theNatasha members’disabled on the representative national union’s council, executive the motion: “It moved and injustice is a gross all disabled an insult to people who have their stories shared ethically who have the journalists and to and dismiss to the DWP on them for reported appalling impact of their the misrepresent credit.” of universal damaging system of support members and a message to sent on content produce to pressure who face consider unethical. they benefits welfare up a low income. top to credit universal Universal credit campaign is a is campaign credit Universal delegates say injustice’, ‘gross

JPI Media’s hub in in hub Media’s JPI ournalist

J brief...

the

MEMBER VOTED IN VOTED MEMBER PHOTOGRAPHER NEC NEC PHOTOGRAPHER BY 76,000 BY ONLINE LOCAL PAPER READ READ PAPER LOCAL BACK TO THE TO LOBBY BACK DAILY STAR GOES GOES STAR DAILY AFTER 165 YEARS YEARS 165 AFTER BUTE PAPER CLOSES CLOSES PAPER BUTE CORRESPONDENT CORRESPONDENT OBE FOR BBC ARTS BBC ARTS FOR OBE and Ronan Quinlan won 130. won Quinlan Ronan and per cent turnout, he won 192 votes 192 votes won he turnout, per cent transferable vote system. On a 20.2 system. vote transferable 06 | members using the single single the using members union’s 1,597 photographer 1,597 photographer union’s election was conducted among the the among conducted was election national executive council. The The council. executive national Bedfordshire Midweek. Midweek. Bedfordshire NUJ’s the on seat photographers’ and then its replacement the the replacement its then and the to elected been has Pinder Mark Bedfordshire on Sunday newspaper newspaper Sunday on Bedfordshire publisher Reach closed the the closed Reach publisher went live last November after after November last live went months after its launch. The website website The launch. its after months readers a month on average six average on a month readers website says it is reaching 76,000 reaching is it says website replaced after leaving. leaving. after replaced news Independent Bedford The previous lobby journalist was not not was journalist lobby previous a lengthy application. The paper’s paper’s The application. a lengthy August 2017, received his pass after after pass his 2017, received August Brown, who joined the tabloid in in tabloid the joined who Brown, absence of six years. Reporter Alex Alex Reporter six years. of absence journalists in parliament, after an after parliament, in journalists Edinburgh last year. year. last Edinburgh political of group the lobby, The Daily Star has returned to the the to returned has Star Daily The to moved working on the paper had been been had paper the on working There were no redundancies as staff staff as redundancies no were There published its final edition on 21 June. on 21 June. edition final its published which was founded in 1854, in founded was which after 165 years. The Buteman, Buteman, The 165 years. after Scottish island of Bute has closed closed has Bute of island Scottish broadcasting and diversity. and diversity. broadcasting the covering newspaper A weekly awarded an OBE for services to to services for an OBE awarded BBC London for 17 years, was was 17 years, for London BBC list. Emmanus, who has worked for for worked has who Emmanus, list. this year’s Queen’s Birthday Honours Honours Birthday Queen’s year’s this of five journalists to be recognised in recognised to be journalists five of News’ arts correspondent, was one one was correspondent, arts News’ Brenda Emmanus, BBC London London BBC Emmanus, Brenda

in news news investigation

Delays have been caused by university bureaucracy, funding, lack of space and unforeseen building issues.” The report added that at that time students were using music production studios to double up as a news studio rather than having a proper news studio with 24-hour access. It added: “Students are not using industry-standard, JONATHAN HOWELL PHOTOGRAPHY / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO STOCK / ALAMY HOWELL PHOTOGRAPHY JONATHAN networked text-writing software for editing, timing and organising news output.” The report was particularly critical of the professional training given to students to speak to camera, industry placements, the standard of the law course and the way the university accepted some applicants without interviews. It presented a picture of the university constantly changing its mind and employing different people. The report also implied there may not be enough lecturers with practical journalistic experience teaching the courses. This picture is borne out by a former student. Ben Walker, who now runs his own photography business, said: “I graduated in 2018 and, during my entire duration of the three-year course, the staff were always saying ‘This is the year we get accredited’ etc. But, whenever any of the students asked about how things were coming along, it was very hush-hush. “The main reason I believe we never gained accreditation was because there was no consistency in the course. Every year I was there, we had a new head of department and, each year, Students’ hopes dashed the course just seemed a little less cohesive than the last.” He added: “That being said, I cannot fault the staff at Sussex. The vast majority of the journalism team were caring, A top university failed to get its journalism passionate and incredibly professional. A few names to mention in particular are Dr Monika Metykova, Judy Aslett, course accredited. David Hencke reports Ping Shum and Rachel Duncan. These staff always went above and beyond to help deal with any concerns I had and offered so ONE OF THE country’s leading universities has let down nearly much practical information whenever it was asked for.” 100 student journalists by suggesting they would achieve a The university has offered the disappointed students, who professionally recognised qualification as part of a journalist have spent £27,000 each on tuition fees, a free NCTJ degree course. This will now never materialise. correspondence course so they can get a professional The University of Sussex has marketed its BA honours degree qualification. Some have received £500 in compensation. in journalism by saying it is “seeking accreditation” from the A University of Sussex spokesperson said “achievement of Broadcast Journalist Training Council – a professional body accreditation was never guaranteed“. whose qualifications are recognised by the BBC, ITN, ITV, “We informed all current students of our decision not to Channel 4 and BSkyB. The NUJ is also a member of the body. pursue BJTC accreditation in face-to-face meetings and via Six years after Sussex first approached the BJTC, the letter. Students have been told they can take the NCTJ university has abandoned its application to get accreditation correspondence course at any time, including several years – after the BJTC told it that its course did not meet industry after graduation should they choose to. standards. Every year I was “The BJTC noted in the 2017 review that access to A BJTC statement said: “The BJTC has never accredited the appropriate facilities held the course back from attaining BA journalism course at the University of Sussex. For the past there, we had a new accreditation. We advised the BJTC that we were looking to five years, the university has not met the criteria of our head of department build a dedicated newsroom to meet accreditation accreditation requirements as set out by our industry partners.” requirements – this was not completed until autumn 2018.” A confidential advisory report, written in 2017 by the BJTC “and, each year, the The university denied that there were shortcomings in the and seen by The Journalist, reveals that the BJTC is highly course just seemed quality of practical coursework and teaching, and said: “We critical of the standard of the course, which had been offered employ practitioners, and we offer a placement year to students for the first three years, and the university’s failure a little less cohesive opportunity, as well as a wide number of work-based learning to provide proper facilities to train broadcast journalists. opportunities for our journalism students, which have included The BJTC stated: “During the accreditation process, three than the last experience with regional and national media organisations different plans have been presents (sic) and none completed. including the BBC.“

theJournalist | 07 News spotlight

That quickly snowballed into stories on clusters of abuse on a significant level in towns and villages throughout Fermanagh, as well as major failings in the police response to reports of abuse. Edwards has exposed shocking cases. One woman was abused by her brother. In adulthood, she found the same brother was abusing her son. In another case, a childminder sold another little girl to up to 15 abusers. One of the most prolific paedophiles Edwards uncovered was a former bus driver named David Sullivan. Sullivan attacked countless young boys across Fermanagh. Sometimes he attacked victims on his bus. He was also known for driving round, looking for young men seeking lifts. Sullivan was murdered in 1998. He was never charged while alive, and no one has been charged with his killing. The common factor in all the cases is there have been no prosecutions, despite complaints to police. “Nobody has been put before the court or has been put behind bars as a result of these brave people going to the police,” Edwards said. “Now it’s a difficult one Police action after for police when we get into historical matters. That doesn’t escape the fact that these victims need answers and also need justice. Our paper will abuse reports continue to provide a voice to victims.” He said that the credit for exposing the abuse must go to the survivors. “This Enniskillen’s paper doggedly pursued an investigation is a huge issue and has come to light Anton McCabe because of the bravery of individuals, into historic child abuse, reports brave men and women who have come forward to tell their story in the hope olice in Northern seeking help. Nexus has 25 people on that it will help others,” he said. Ireland have appointed its waiting list in Enniskillen. Edwards has been moved by the a special team of child The articles have had a huge reaction stories he heard. “This is my home, P sex abuse detectives to in the area. “I’ve got people contacting where I live and work,” he said. “I love investigate historical me every single day since this started,” the people and the county. Unearthing cases after an NUJ member exposed Edwards said. “The vast majority of its murky past is uncomfortable but historic abuse in Co Fermanagh in a feedback has been positive. People vital. The most important resource to series of articles over in the Spring. want us to keep going. They are have in this business is the trust of your Rodney Edwards (pictured) wrote the stopping me in the street, in cafes and readers. It is humbling to know we have articles for the Enniskillen-based restaurants and sending supportive that, which is why we owe it to every weekly The Impartial Reporter, which messages through social media. We These victims single reader to always seek the truth. sells round 9,500 copies per issue in have received a lot of phone calls and need answers That’s what journalism is all about. Fermanagh. letters, too.” “ Former Northern Ireland Assembly The Impartial was able to do this by The stories started by chance. “A very, and also need member for the area, Lord Maurice being local. People know who the very brave man walked into our office Morrow of the Democratic Unionist journalists are, and can walk in off the in March, and he spoke to my colleague justice. Our paper Party, has worked with one of the street to meet them. Jessica Campbell,” Edwards said. “He families affected. On the basis of The paper is working closely with told Jessica of how he was the victim of will continue to Edwards’ work, he is calling for an Nexus NI, which provides counselling a suspected paedophile ring in investigation into how the authorities to survivors of sexual abuse. Enniskillen over 30 years ago. provide a voice handled allegations. “Rodney, with Accompanying articles on abuse it “Off the back of that, another victim to victims determination and compassion, has provides contact details for Nexus’ got in touch with me to tell me how he broken the seal on an era of silenced, Enniskillen office. The articles have led was abused as a schoolboy by an abhorrent criminality,” Morrow said. “A to numbers of survivors of abuse individual, again here in Enniskillen.” door to justice has been opened at last.” 8 | theJournalist ” viewpoint

Out in the cold even with an exclusive

Freelances often shut out by news organisations, says Rahila Gupta

hen the Shamima liberate all the areas of the vast ISIS women had been exposed to it. Begum story went ‘caliphate’, the Rojava administration’s Perhaps these add-ons had been viral after a front-page resources were stretched to breaking off-putting to commissioning editors. W story in The Times in point. They began calling for jihadis to be Many did not even respond! February, I was gutted. repatriated to their countries of origin. A senior commissioning editor at That story could have been mine. I had At this point, I asked again if I could CNN said the channel would use a a scoop but, despite frantic scrambling interview some of the women, making freelance to cover such stories only if around, was unable to place the piece. the case that they needed to be seen as there were no staff on the ground but This is the curse of freelance life. human beings to shift the public debate. that Syria was well covered. The story begins in 2016 when I This time they agreed – but would The Daily Telegraph was interested. travelled to Rojava in north-east Syria not allow interviews by phone or However, a few hours later, they to research Why Doesn’t Patriarchy Skype. I could send questions by email pointed out that they had already Die? It’s a book I am writing with which they would put to the women, carried out interviews; I felt Beatrix Campbell. To my amazement, a film the interviews and then send them embarrassed for hawking the story as women’s revolution was going on (a back to me. The only alternative: I an ‘exclusive’. scoop in its own right) in the Kurdish- would have to visit. I asked if it would When I checked with the SDF, they led self-administration of Rojava in the be an exclusive. They wanted to know knew nothing about the Telegraph or middle of a war with brutal thugs ISIS. this meant. When I explained, they the Times. Apparently, Western I have written about this for the CNN agreed. journalists find local fixers who, for a website, openDemocracy, New I was excited beyond words. I started fee, bypass the rules and get them Humanist and others but working all my contacts. access to the camps without the unfortunately it has not become In drafting my first email, I found permission of the SDF. mainstream news. When television myself conflicted about the angle of A friend with contacts at the news carries stories about Kurdish-led this scoop. I knew the primary focus Financial Times said that the lack of victories with women soldiers in the should be the human interest angle. I exclusivity was not a deal breaker. forefront, it does not refer to the proposed an article based on the However, the newspaper itself participatory democracy that gives fascinating backstories of these responded: “We simply can’t send a space to women fighting patriarchy. women, their dreams, their aspirations, freelance into Syria.” It was a health and I went there, self-funded, without the their disappointments, their hopes for safety issue. backing of a news organisation. My trip the future and perhaps their The lack of Even with the shedding of staff was organised by London-based Peace in unrepentant adherence to journalists at many outlets, the odds Kurdistan. I was grateful to be hosted but fundamentalist Islam. exclusivity was remain stacked against freelances. I was also worried about feeling My real interest was to use their not a deal breaker. Travelling to a war zone requires compromised by my ‘guest’ status. I stories as a Trojan horse to give expensive insurance cover and a security stayed in the homes of members of mainstream coverage to the Kurdish The FT said: ‘We minder. I had neither on my first visit Kongreya Star, the women’s umbrella “ and I was prepared to do this again but women’s revolution. Their whole simply can’t send a organisation. I made contacts with approach to justice is rehabilitative the increasingly risk-averse some women leaders with whom I and non-punitive as opposed to the freelance into Syria.’ newsgathering environment made that remained in touch on returning. Kurdish administration across the unacceptable. When I first approached the Syrian border in Iraq where ISIS members are It was a health and And stories can be bought and rules Democratic Forces (SDF) press office sentenced to execution after a safety issue broken with corporations’ resources. last year to interview British ISIS 10-minute trial. Freelances have always been on the women, I was told that it was not their They had been carrying out gender periphery but, today, even a potential policy to give them media coverage. equality training in the refugee camps scoop does not allow them access to However, as the SDF continued to and I wanted to find out whether the the mainstream. ” theJournalist | 09 George Viner scholarships Changing lives and attitudes

Former George Viner scholarship winner the media, including newspapers, public relations, broadcasting, book publishing, magazines and online. Ann-Marie Abbasah celebrates the George Jim Boumelha, who chairs the GVMF board of trustees and is a member of the NUJ’s national executive council, explained Viner bursaries as they turn 30 how the initiative began. “It has its deep roots in discrimination, lack of equal hajan Miah’s life was changed by an NUJ opportunity and plain racism over the years,” Boumelha said. George Viner Memorial Fund (GVMF) “The first pioneers of black journalists fought within the scholarship. Now he is trying to ensure that union for the kind of barriers that make it difficult for black S the lives of other black and ethnic minority students to come into journalism to be eliminated.” journalists are changed for the better too. This sense of injustice that triggered the formation of the At the ceremony for the 30th anniversary of the awards, GVMF was further supported by Dr Beulah Ainley’s research bestowed on talented aspiring black and ethnic minority carried out in the mid to late 1990s. Dr Ainley observed that journalists, Miah spoke about his work to tackle there were between 10 and 20 black journalists employed at the inequality in our industry and how he helps young any one time by national papers out of a then total workforce people learn journalism skills. of 3,000. Employed as a BBC Sport digital journalist, Miah helps In her study Black Journalists, White Media, Dr Ainley wrote: promote inclusion and diversity through the BBC Sport BAME “The problem is even greater in provincial papers, a bastion of Advisory Group which he co-chairs. English racism. There are only 15 black journalists out of “A lot of the time I speak to new joiners, they feel how I did 7,000. This is less than one per cent, and black people in when I first joined. It’s awkward – there are not many people like them,” he said in his speech. “So I created a space where they can come and talk. I Sodha said, had similar managed to get some money out of my department so they Help up a mountain “cultural points of reference” [the new staff] can do some filming and bring back some of LITTLE DID I expect to be you about is class as middle-class journalists, I those stories that were not being covered by BBC Sport. We’ve in the audience at this year’s background,” said Sodha. might have got further. managed to cover lots of great stories – the first black referee, George Viner Memorial I am a cockney and I was Maybe I needed more talent, for example.” Awards fighting back tears. ill prepared for being judged. skill and experience. I am now During a career break, Miah went to Bangladesh and set up It was the fault of The Cockneys are stereotyped as press officer for the United an organisation that has so far helped young people from 190 Observer’s chief leader being uneducated, poor and Reformed Church and love it. schools to learn journalism skills. writer, Sonia Sodha, who unintelligent. Add being a Gaining the scholarship He added: “My sister died aged 12 and is buried in tapped into my experience. black woman, in her late 30s felt like winning the lottery. Bangladesh. It’s always been something in my mind to help A 2014-15 George Viner and new to the industry and I achieved a long-held dream the young people of Bangladesh.” scholar, I completed my NCTJ you get the gist of the to write stories people read because the George Viner During the past two years, Miah’s focus has been geared training, gained experience mountain I had to climb. Perhaps if I had sounded trustees believed in me. towards helping young people in England and he has been at the BBC and The Guardian, and got a job as a more middle class and, as Five years on, NUJ people busy working with schools and colleges, writing scripts and reporter on a regional paper. are still giving me chances. developing bite-size lesson plans. But people didn’t look or Back in 2015, The He thanked the GVMF for enabling him to help others. sound like me or come Journalist’s editor, Christine “The George Viner scholarship changed my life,” he from a working-class Buckley, asked me to write a explained. “It got my foot in the door.” background as I did. Starting Out column. Who Since 1986, the fund, which became a registered charity in “When you look at did she ask four years on to 1989, has been helping others do that. It has enabled more headline statistics for write this feature? Moi. than 170 students get their foot in the door of the media the proportion of Thanks to the George Viner industry by providing financial assistance for them to study BAME journalists, Memorial Fund, I’ll never for a recognised journalism qualification. what they don’t’ tell stop being a journalist. Former scholars work as staff and freelances in all parts of

10 | theJournalist George Viner scholarships PIERRE ALOZIE

Britain make up six per cent of the total population. This Award winners at the there’s an underdog, that person who didn’t have much luck gross under-representation makes a mockery of Britain as a 30th anniversary event: until now and maybe they need that little push to do it.” multi-cultural society.” Precious Adesina, It is this that makes the GVMF so special. Its criteria for Boumelha said: “We don’t even know if the statistics that we Natasha Onwuemezi, BAME students to apply is simple to encompass the started with were correct. But, when Beulah Ainley wrote that Sharon Thiruchelvam complexity of diversity. book, it was at the time a revolution.” and Yinka Oyetade “You have to seek out, during the interview, something Introducing herself as an Asian woman who ticks some more than the qualification,” Jim continues. “The board is diversity boxes but not others, one of the guest speakers, usually very scrupulous in the interview to be as fair as Sonia Sodha, The Observer’s chief leader writer, praised the possible, so they ask the same questions of every single scheme but added there was much more to be done. interviewee. And, out of the questions, they will try to get a “Diversity is a really complex issue. It’s not just about the picture of the ability of that person, which is very important visible characteristics,” she said. “When you look at headline as to whether they can make it and if they have everything statistics for the proportion of BAME journalists, what they they need to have the best chance but also what is a little bit don’t tell you about is class background. I think that’s really, behind [their ambition].” really critical actually. Jim added: “[The GVMF is] a very, very important endeavour “Because, for me if I’m honest, even though I have faced of the NUJ. It’s been one of the most important initiatives for barriers, the fact that I am middle class, the fact that I went to the union over the past 30 years and it is producing results.” Oxford, mean that I have similar cultural points of reference We can turn to Ben Hunte, a 2016-17 scholar, who was to white journalists. It means I talk with a similar accent to announced as the BBC’s first LGBT correspondent in other journalists. I’ve had a similar education, and actually We look out for December 2018 as an example of such results. that makes it much easier to overcome some of the race and Explaining how he felt at receiving a GVMF award, Ben said: gender barriers than it does for BAME journalists from a an underdog, “It was amazing. So, so amazing. It was wonderful … Before working-class background.” George Viner, I found it impossible to break into journalism Boumelha admits that sometimes people who do come “a person who because I felt like I was being judged on the way I looked and from middle-class backgrounds, with life chances that already the way I sounded. I wasn’t as polished as other students who put them at an advantage, apply for the fund. didn’t have much come in to the industry. [My GVMF interview] was one of the “Sometimes we have people that are from Oxford and luck until now only opportunities that was like a make-or-break situation. If I Cambridge coming in,” explains Boumelha. “Therefore, you succeeded, I knew that I could go down this route and my life have this dilemma that these people have got the better and maybe they would change for the better.” chances and don’t even need our help. They can go straight What would George Viner make of the long-standing into jobs with the main media, because that’s what the main need that little success of such an important awards scheme set up in his media seem to go for. On the one hand, they’re strong and name to honour his passion for the education and training they will make it, on the other hand is it fair for them to push to do it of journalists? compete with other people who have had a different life His daughter Carol Plaster, who continues the family’s travel and perhaps are less strong? So, this is the kind of involvement with the trust, said: “He was always interested in dilemma we grapple with. But we look out for whenever multicultural matters. He would be really chuffed.” ” theJournalist | 11

Jonathan Sale on the ban which led to a boom for Northern Irish actors

baffled broadcasters: “The Notice permits the showing of a film or still picture of the initiator [presumably the Sinn Fein spokesperson, to pluck a name out of the blue] speaking the Oxygen of words, together with a verbatim voice-over account of them.” A case of seen not heard or indeed Hurd. So who should voice the voice-overs? Clause 13 turned out to be lucky for some: “All of a sudden actors’ phones started ringing,” says Nolan. “Fifty pounds a hit! If you were lucky, you’d get a couple a week,” enthused one thespian. “I publicity stumped up for an answering machine.” One actor was doubly lucky, according to David Miller: he was the voice of both Sinn Fein and the anti-terrorism ads of the Northern Ireland Office. aving heard the sound of the Old the matter he had in mind. On October 19, 1988, Occasionally, actors were not called in as Bailey bomb thudding across Douglas Hurd issued a notice prohibiting the subtitles were used. More rarely, they were not Fleet Street in March 1973, and broadcasting of “direct statements by needed because – demonstrating the full lunacy H having a colleague who nine representatives or supporters” of 11 Irish political of the broadcasting ban – it was sometimes years later escaped the force of and military organisations. deemed permissible to use the actual recording the Hyde Park bombing by only a few car “The broadcasting ban is the first and, so far, of the politicians who had uttered the words in lengths, I appreciate that there are not many the only use of this power in peacetime directly the first place. The BBC could broadcast a full laughs in the IRA’s terrorist campaign of the and overtly to rule out a whole class of political half-minute of Gerry Adams speaking in his very 1970s and 1980s. Even if we were both working viewpoints,” are the considered words of own voice about jobs in West Belfast. This was on the jovial Punch magazine at the time. Professor David Miller, who wrote the exhaustive permitted because he was ‘initiating’ the words To Margaret Thatcher, who narrowly escaped chapter on “the media and Northern Ireland” as the MP for West Belfast rather than the Sinn with her life in the Brighton bombing and had (Glasgow Media Group Reader, Volume II). Fein (heaven forbid!) MP for West Belfast. two of her closest colleagues assassinated, the By contrast, “Get in here now!” were the first There was an even more fiddly arrangement virtual civil war in Northern Ireland was far less words uttered by the BBC staffer in Belfast on when the Media Show transmitted the genuine of a joke. And the peaceful protestors shot by the phone to Danny Morrison in the hours voice of Sinn Fein councillor Jim McAllister in British soldiers on Bloody Sunday did not feel before the notice actually kicked in, summoning which he discussed his part in the Ken Loach film their ribs tickled either, except by bullets. Sinn Fein’s publicity director in for what might Hidden Agenda; this was absolutely kosher Yet it was Thatcher who accidentally gave us have been a last, rapid interview. because he was speaking as an actor – even the most darkly humorous moment of the The Home Office Broadcasting Department though his acting role in the film is that of a Sinn Troubles: the 1988 broadcasting ban, which lasted kindly spelt out the real meaning of clause 13 to Fein councillor. until September 1994, a quarter of a century ago. Her aim was to deny to terrorists ‘the oxygen of publicity’ but it soon became the hydrogen of hysterical laughter. This bizarre form of ITN pioneers Pogues as dub music censorship prohibited broadcasting the words of OF ALL THE grounds gave during the group’s could not be transmitted section denouncing the spokesmen for Sinn Fein – except it didn’t. The for banning a punk rock heyday), when he wrote but it still allowed the fit-up of six innocent words could still hit the airwaves – as long as song, such as lack of the haunting track words to be heard, if men, which switches to someone else uttered them. musicianship or excess Streets of Sorrow/ voiced by someone else. a wild, rocking screech. Compared to the life-and-death decisions of obscenity, the oddest Birmingham Six. ITN reported on the These ‘illegal’ lines are being made all the time, “it seemed almost was that it breached the Beginning banning of the song from incomprehensible – but farcical and funny”, declares broadcaster 1988 broadcasting ban uncontroversially by the airwaves; its cheeky not to ITN viewers, who Stephen Nolan, a teenager in Belfast in the late aimed at the IRA. regretting the deaths in solution was to show a could read and hear the eighties and presenter of Radio 4 documentary Shane McGowan of ‘the Troubles’, the song clip of The Pogues in words in the Being Gerry Adams. Irish band The Pogues went on to denounce concert, accompanied by ‘censored’ broadcast. Thatcher’s weapon was not new legislation but may not have been fully the framing and the lyrics spelt out as the employment of the innocent-sounding conscious of the finer convicting of the captions on the screen. clause 13 of the BBC Licence and Agreement and points of clause 13 in (subsequently cleared) Plus the ITN reporter read out the forbidden section 29 the Broadcasting Act 1981. These the relevant legislation Birmingham Six for the (he was not fully crime of “being Irish in words at the same time. allowed the relevant minister to require conscious of anything the wrong place”. On the album, the broadcasters “to refrain at any specified time or for much of the time, to The IBA declared the lyrics are as clear as a at all times from sending any matter or matters judge by interviews he sorrowful song itself bell, apart from the

WENN RIGHTS LTD / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO STOCK / ALAMY LTD WENN RIGHTS of any class”. The home secretary just filled in

12 | theJournalist

Looking back to: 1994 TRINITY MIRROR / MIRRORPIX / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO STOCK / ALAMY / MIRRORPIX TRINITY MIRROR

Again, for the Enemies Within piece for the mouth, to emphasise that it was dubbed. BBC’s Inside Story strand, inmates were “Don’t be Sir Anthony Hopkins here,” a interviewed inside the Maze prison. Prisoners harassed director would snap. “Mess it up.” It speaking in a purely personal capacity were was like the film of a rock concert in which the heard au naturel, even if they were giving a band are miming to their own lyrics which are political analysis from a Republican standpoint. being sung by a cover band. The whole process By contrast, anyone speaking as an IRA had a distancing effect, marginalising Sinn representative was reduced to being subtitled, Fein further. even if they were merely having a frank Adams remembers being occasionally discussion with prison officers about the size of dubbed by an actor with a Scottish accent but the prison’s sausage rolls. “was pleased that out-of-work actors were Despite all this fine-tooth-combing of getting some work”. As the peace process interviews, one editorial policy meeting had a proceeded behind the scenes, it mattered less problem with a news report that included that the lip-synching became so spot-on that someone shouting in Irish. “The chanting had, you couldn’t tell it wasn’t Adams himself. infact, been an IRA battle cry,” noted the He never had the services of Sir Anthony minutes crossly and, as such, was covered by the Hopkins but is said to have enjoyed the notice. Anything as dodgy as this had to be run equally great accolade of his words being past an Irish translator, thus adding to the voiced by Stephen Rea, a powerful actor aggro of obeying extra legal requirements and prominent Republican. while under the dictatorship of the deadline. “He doesn’t want to talk about it,” Quotes of a Republican nature required Rea’s agent told me. Incidentally, I had approval from the BBC hierarchy anyway. in a sense already been in contact with After, say, an explosion and a statement by Rea’s late wife. Dolours Price was Sinn Fein, a hurriedly summoned actor convicted for her part in the Old would read such of his ‘lines’ as were agreed Bailey bomb that I had heard in to be OK over the film clip, lips so close he 1973 outside the Punch offices and could have bitten the mike. Preferably, the which kicked off the IRA’s campaign

text was out of synch with the speaker’s in England. PHOTO STOCK FOWLER / ALAMY DAVID

theJournalist | 13 international market Hello Tokyo here Syndicating stories and writing for So how do rates compare? As in the UK, they vary. For a real-life story, it could be publications overseas can be lucrative, but anything from £200 up to over £1,000 depending on the story and the length. Jones always negotiates and has doubled fees in there are pitfalls. Ruth Addicott reports the past. She also pitches to a number of international titles at the same time to start a bidding war. If a story doesn’t sell, she t’s 4am and your phone is pinging with a will rewrite it, add a new headline and pitch it again three message from a picture editor in Sydney. weeks later. If this is your worst nightmare, working for Parnell says the rates of pay in Australia are similar to those I clients abroad may not be for you but, for here and, in her experience, publishers pay on submission many UK freelances, it is big business. rather than publication – another reason it appeals. Karen Pasquali Jones specialises in the real-life market (she Rates also depend on the sector. Freelance journalist Tom was founding editor of Love It and created Pick Me Up Minney specialises in African business and most of his magazine). Since she started syndicating her stories abroad in outlets are in Africa and Europe. The problem he has 2016, she has seen her income multiply. Overseas work now encountered is many African journalists with lower living makes up 50 per cent of her earnings. costs are prepared to work for low rates and bad terms. “I hadn’t thought about it until I went to the Middle East “At least one Africa-focused UK publisher thinks £150 per and was working at Gulf News doing Friday magazine,” she 1,000 words is reasonable and takes up to six months to pay,” says. “I was commissioning people from America, Australia, he says. “The best South African and other international UK, Ireland, the Maldives – everywhere. When I came back, I publications pay better. Rates in other African countries are thought: why am I not doing that? I set myself a target that for often too low to consider.” every good real-life story I had, I would try and sell it five times.” Jones will usually sell first to a big weekly such as Take A Break, That’s Life or Chat, then sell second rights to a national newspaper, Sunday supplement or smaller magazine, before with the case study is key. selling it again to one of the nationals online – giving them Top tips for selling Karen Pasquali Jones ensures exclusivity for one week. She will then go international, journalism abroad her case studies receive a fee syndicating to the Middle East, India and Australia, often each time their story is sold rewriting the story to fit each style. Do your research work. Sell first British rights and also asks them to sign an “It has got to be something amazing that will go Look for reliable, well- only so you are free to agreement to ensure they everywhere – the sort of ideal coverline story,” she says. established titles, if possible syndicate abroad. will stay with her. One example involved a 26-year-old case study in England recommended by other who had a surrogate baby for her aunt in Australia who could journalists and do thorough Fees Style and language not have children and, when she delivered the baby, it saved research of the market you Always negotiate. Don’t Be aware of different styles, her life because doctors discovered she had cancer. want to work in. forget to take into account turns of phrase and spelling, Although some titles require a local link, there is demand Kerry Parnell says: “Find tax and extra bank transfer especially if you are working in Australia because a lot of people have English relatives. out what newspapers and charges and be aware of for US outlets. British journalist Kerry Parnell worked in Australia for magazines are there, what different regulations. 15 years as head of lifestyle at the Daily and Sunday Telegraph sections and supplements Time zones they have and what content Contacts Take into account the time and executive editor of Marie Claire. Since returning to the they run. Then really target The internet and social distance and be prepared for UK two years ago, 80 per cent of her work has been for News your pitch. It doesn’t have to media have made it easier pings and texts going off if Corp Australia, writing features, news, travel, celebrity stories be about the country you to find contacts. Facebook, you keep your phone by your and royal content. reside in. If you make good Linked In and Twitter can bed at night. According to Parnell, the biggest challenge is the time contacts, then you can get a all be useful in tracking difference. “Conversations can take days over email, so you lot of regular commissions/ down commissioning Don’t give up have to factor that in to deadlines. Also, interviewing people sales from them.” editors abroad. If you don’t sell a story first on the other side of the world is usually at antisocial times. time then rewrite it, add a But it’s fabulous having a whole other market to work in. I was Copyright Build up trust new headline and try surprised to find myself writing more and more royal content Retain all the rights to your Having a good relationship pitching it again later. for Australia – the appetite for it is increasing.”

14 | theJournalist international market

“I was writing for a good stable of UK titles, but felt I needed to broaden out,” she says. “Writing for a single market can be limiting as print publishing has declined and opportunities to place stories have reduced, along with fees. I also feel it gives editors confidence in your work if they see some heavyweight international names.” Aside from tax issues, there are international bank transfer charges. Helen Roberts runs press agency Cover Asia Press and works between London and Delhi. One of the first things Tokyo here she learnt was to add a transfer fee onto invoices. Hello Roberts believes the best opportunities are in Germany, Australia, the US and Dubai, but the market has changed Another problem is chasing bad payers, when a legal claim since she started in 2011. is not worth the value of the invoice. Although Minney has “I think all journalists are feeling this. There’s less money in the found working for overseas clients a good source of income, pot, whether it’s UK or overseas titles, so fewer opportunities.” he has twice had to enlist the help of the NUJ, once to get paid You’ve got to Like other journalists, Roberts also has concerns about by a magazine in Johannesburg. Brexit, which has already affected her in Delhi. “The moment He advises freelances to look for reliable, well-established push yourself the referendum results were announced, the Indian rupee to titles that are recommended by other journalists, and to be the pound dropped so there was a huge difference,” she says. aware of any political links or agenda. Minney did a news “out of your “I’m anxious about the future, for sure.” roundup for a newspaper in Africa before 1994, then Back in the real-life sector, Jones is busy searching for her discovered it was being funded by the apartheid National comfort zone next big coverline, preferably with a link to several corners of Intelligence Service. He stopped working for them. the globe. She believes there are huge opportunities out there Another freelance ran into problems when she supplied because you can for the right story and urges freelances to grab them. “You’ve copy to Abu Dhabi newspaper The National, and was asked to make thousands got to push yourself out of your comfort zone because you submit a copy of her passport in order to get paid. can make thousands,” she says. “I refused on principle and was never paid,” she says. Despite a detailed commissioning brief, she was not told about the requirement until after she had filed and her work was published. She lost around £500. “The feature was a lot of work and it was hard to lose that money. I chose to walk away because I object to any organisation, particularly any government-related one, holding journalists’ passport data,” she says. ” One advantage of working for an overseas title is being able to cover stories you might not normally be able to do. One journalist writing for the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong found it gave him access to high-profile interviewees that he would struggle to secure for a UK publication. The only pay-related issue he has had is avoiding being taxed twice – something Laura Latham also had a problem with in the US. “The accounts department of a US title I wrote for just couldn’t understand that I wasn’t liable for US tax,” she says. “It took numerous calls, emails and interventions from the editor over several months.” Latham has written for business titles in the US and Ireland and glossies in Norway and the Middle East. She has also contributed regularly to the International New York Times. She found work via recommendations and editors who had seen her work, as well as pitching. ILLUSTRATION: NED JOLLIFFE ILLUSTRATION:

theJournalist | 15 payments Service not included Rachael Revesz looks at the increase in for planning and a modicum of financial security. In the olden days of print media, this was called a ‘subscription’.” tipping as a source of journalistic income Friedman’s newsletter has around 40,000 subscribers and her podcast has about 100,000 listeners per episode. She started cross the Atlantic, tipping is commonplace them in 2013 and 2014 respectively and, together, they deliver and expected, whether you’re buying a beer about 50 per cent of her income, mostly through advertising. or getting your hair cut. Now tipping culture However, Friedman adds that even creatives with thriving A is entering the world of journalism – and has Patreon support can fall below the numbers required from little to do with customer service. advertisers, which is around 50,000 listeners per episode. A pioneering example is Popula, a US website, which “A mix of funding models is what makes me feel best right introduced a system of ‘microtips’. Appreciative readers can now, because nothing feels particularly reliable,” says Friedman. pay writers via a form of digital currency called ETH into the Patreon – which became famous for raising $80,000 a writer’s ETH wallet on the website. This exchange potentially month for controversial Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson allows staffers and freelancers to earn more for their until he closed his account in January – allows writers to install published work, either at the time of publication or years a paywall for content,and offers deals depending how much down the line, for example if their content is used in a lecture you pay per month. In the UK, an increasing number of or if the subject of an old interview becomes famous. journalists are using Patreon, including Laurie Penny. “I’m Popula editor Maria Bustillos explains that microtips are asking for your help. Think of this as my tips jar,” she writes on like a royalty system in the music industry. Blockchain her page. She now earns more than $3,200 a month. technology, which facilitates microtips and ecurrency When The Pool shut in February, Julia Kingford opened a payments, also helps with archiving work. GoFundMe account which raised over £31,000 for almost 70 “They [tips] provide the beginnings of a new kind of freelances. The amount owed to each journalist varied hugely permanent revenue stream for journalists, protect their work, – former columnist Marisa Bate wrote that she was owed and defend press freedom and speech rights,” Bustillos said, £9,000. Robyn Wilder, the former parenting columnist, opened adding that, over time, this revenue stream could a Patreon account for a new parenting-focused newsletter. “supplement retirement income in a meaningful way”. Amy Jones, writer, podcast and author of The To-Do Popula’s ecurrency initiative, to some extent, mirrors Steem, List and Other Debacles memoir, saw her bank account a ‘social blockchain’ that allows people to be paid for posting plunged into overdraft after The Pool’s closure. She added content, instead of content distributors and publications having a Ko-Fi account to her email newsletter, which allows readers

to rely on advertising or selling user data. Reddit also allows BRIAN JACKSON / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO you to spend virtual coins on awards for the ‘finest Reddit users’, which gives awardees access to its premium service. Getting paid in cryptocurrency Bustillos insists that Popula is taking these ideas to a new level for journalists’ benefit. AT THE END of each launched in February.” help you, for example, to get “We think we’re the first publication staffed by working Popula article, readers can Many people like the fact back lost funds. journalists to try crypto-microtipping,” she said. “I’m pretty click a button and tip the that cryptocurrencies have Cryptocurrencies are also sure we’re the first to design and optimise these techniques writer using ether (ETH) no central authority that can volatile – they tanked 80 per with a view to protecting journalists and press freedom.” currency. remove you from the ETH or cent between January and Gaining money years after being paid a fee for a piece is ETH is sent and received other networks. Without September 2018. on a peer-to-peer computer sharing personal details, you How much can writers welcome. An NUJ fees guide from 1991 shows how fees and network – a public blockchain. can send or be sent money expect? day rates have remained stagnant for nearly 30 years. When Tippers will need some anywhere and to anyone. “Tips tend to be well this is combined with rising numbers of layoffs and closures ETH and MetaMask, a However, this means there under a dollar, and very few – such as those at BuzzFeed and The Pool – and refusals to cryptowallet in their is no central authority to people own ETH or other recognise unions, it is no surprise that a virtual sea of browser. An account is cryptocurrencies as of yet,” journalists are looking for alternative sources of income. needed to buy ETH – you the Popula statement said. “These things [tipping] pop up when work is structurally can use a debit card – at an Tips are held for writers for under-compensated,” said Ann Friedman, journalist and exchange such as Coinbase. 60 days, and returned in full co-founder of the Call Your Girlfriend podcast in the US. “It’s Popula said: “Popula’s to the tipper if not claimed. good to offer readers and listeners the opportunity to directly authors have received Popula takes five per cent of support the writers and podcasters they care about. I don’t hundreds of microtips the tip for ‘system love the ‘tipping’ framework, though. I think support on an through the microtipping maintenance’ if it does go to ongoing basis – like a Patreon or Substack model, with feature since it was the writer. recurring payments – is more meaningful, because it allows

16 | theJournalist payments

followers how many features they could write a week. She applied the average rate of pay, and found this would bring in £20,000 a year – not far from the living wage in London. “It’s smart business sense to have multiple income streams, no matter what business you’re in,” said Codrea-Rado. Some journalists make newsletter writing a full-time career. Sian Meades’ first newsletter, called the Friday Wish List, Service not included featured seven to 10 products she had seen that week. The affiliate marketing revenues paid for half of her university and subscribers to make one-off payments. fees. It led to her to co-found the Domestic Sluttery “The money that kind readers added to it paid for my food newsletter, which won a PPA award in December. She also for a couple of weeks, so I do know how valuable readers who launched a weekly newsletter called Freelance Writing Jobs, are prepared to tip their favourite writers can be and I’m fully which had hundreds of subscribers before it went live. in favour of writers setting up their own Ko-Fis,” said Jones. “What we worry about is writing a really great newsletter,” “I truly believe a job – any job – should pay enough so that she said. “That has changed how much I use social media and the person doing it doesn’t have to rely on what is essentially what we’re chasing – it’s not about hits and traffic each day.” the generosity of strangers in order to earn a living wage, and Meades’ advice for budding entrepreneur hacks is to be I worry that publications could use ‘Oh, but you can earn tips clear in your intentions from the start and not to be ashamed from this’ as an excuse to not pay writers properly, if at all. We of seeking compensation – if it’s done well. need to figure out how to make digital publishing work.” “Knowing what you want from your newsletter is a good One person trying to figure this out is Anna Codrea-Rado. Laid start,” she said. “It could get big and become something off from Vice in 2017, she has since set up a campaign to push amazing, but that is hard. The average TinyLetter [newsletter editors to pay freelances on time. She also founded FJ&Co, a distributor] readership is a few hundred.” business that teaches writers how to be successful freelancers. She added: “If it comes from a good place, selling isn’t bad. “For the majority of freelances and younger people coming It’s making money from your work. We’ve glamorised working in now, it’s really hard to make it work financially just for free. We’ve been told money shouldn’t be your first aim. It through journalism,” she said. “Particularly for online doesn’t mean we should be fuelled by money, but we should publications, the rates are just not high enough.” want financial gain for our work. When you start seeing your Codrea-Rado recently conducted a poll on Twitter, asking time as money, that’s when you will start to value your time.” MOVIESTORE COLLECTION LTD / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

theJournalist | 17 technology

Simon Creasey on the ways to take the pain out of a tedious task

“reinvent the transcription industry”. “The fact that Sonix stitches the Transcription audio to the transcript so that you can play a word by clicking on the text is very helpful to journalists, especially when there is so much scrutiny of the press,” says Sutherland. “Being able to verify source information with one click is paramount.” I tested both sites and found there was not a great deal to choose between tackled them. In terms of accuracy, Temi ranscribing interviews five-minute audio recording is around performed slightly better but only is painful. Most 750 words. The time savings are simply marginally so. I also found Temi’s journalists hate doing life-changing.” editing tools were slightly more user T it; it is time consuming Temi is relatively inexpensive. It friendly but, again, there was not much and laborious. However, charges $0.10 per minute of audio and of a difference. ‘intelligent’ audio-to-text transcription there is no an extra charge for Both sites seemed to struggle with services, which claim they can take the additional voices, which many manual how certain words were pronounced pain out of transcribing, have been set transcription companies impose. (thanks to my slight regional accent) up over the past couple of years. Of course, transcription accuracy and both failed to transcribe the names The two most popular are Sonix and depends heavily on the quality of the of people and companies accurately. Temi. Jason Chicola, CEO and audio or video file. Chicola reckons a However, given that the 52-minute co-founder of Temi, which was file with little background noise can interview I submitted cost less than $6 launched in July 2017, describes it as an yield a transcript that is 90-95 per cent to process (both sites offer free trials), automated speech recognition engine accurate, whereas one with heavy took less than eight minutes to be that transcribes audio to text. background noise and cross talking will transcribed and needed only a little Users upload an audio or video file to be less so. polishing, I’m prepared to overlook the Temi website and, within minutes, Sonix is similar to Temi. The company these drawbacks for the time savings. receive access to a transcript of the claims that, depending on audio quality, interview. Temi also has a mobile app the accuracy of its transcriptions can that allows you to record, store and be as high as 98%. Like Temi, it offers a submit audio for immediate wide range of editing tools that allow transcription. Once the transcript is users to “polish” transcriptions – and ready, you can use Temi’s ‘editor tool’ to uses a ‘thermometer icon’ to show how “fine-tune the transcript, follow along confident it is that words have been with the original recording and highlight transcribed correctly. The speed of important parts”, explains Chicola. delivery is similar to Temi – the site can He claims Temi saves journalists an transcribe a 30-minute recording in “immense amount of time”. three to four minutes. However, it has “Journalists spend, on average, six a different pricing structure. hours a week transcribing audio,” says “We have a variety of Chicola. “Over the course of a year, that options depending on adds up to two lost business months. how many users need Temi transcribes files in just minutes. access,” explains the With all the time Temi gives back to company’s co-founder journalists, the reporting process Jamie Sutherland. becomes faster, and users gain a For individual users it competitive advantage in being the costs $6 per recorded hour first to report or break a story.” ($0.10 per minute) but, unlike Chicola says many journalists also Temi, charges a monthly use the app to record story ideas and subscription free of $11.25. ‘to do’ lists. It also offers multi-user “One journalist uses Temi during his subscriptions. commute time to create first drafts of Sutherland says content,” he adds. “The average person Sonix was launched speaks at a rate of 150 wpm [words per after its founders minute], whereas the average person identified an

GRANGER HISTORICAL PICTURE ARCHIVE HISTORICAL GRANGER types at 40 wpm. That means a opportunity to

18 | theJournalist on media

Journalism is a winner in the Tory race

But media unlikely to stop Boris Johnson, says Raymond Snoddy

he president of the If so, they will have got a bargain for much about his moral bankruptcy, Ukraine is a comedian the £270,000 a year that they pay him rooted in a contempt for the truth”. and then there is as a columnist. If the Conservative Party were to T Trump. Now Boris Each Boris column is turned into an foist a tasteless joke on the British Johnson is on the uncritical splash whether Johnson is people, they would not find it funny verge of joining the trio of the absurd. talking nonsense or not. for long, Sir Max believes. The battle for the Tory leadership And yet, out of an honourable The Financial Times seemed almost and prime minister could have been adherence to news values or not apologetic about having to expose the the perfect race designed for offshore wishing to be exposed as a tame Boris key Johnson strategy that the UK could national newspaper proprietors. mouthpiece, the Daily Telegraph continue EU trade without tariffs in an It looked like Michael Gove of the splashed on the late-night police visit interim period while a new trade Times in the Murdoch colours would to the Johnson-Carrie Symonds agreement was being negotiated. be competing against Johnson of the household along with everyone else. The FT noted that invoking article 24 Daily Telegraph running for the Despite Johnson’s reluctance to of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Barclay Brothers. appear before the Today programme Trade for such a purpose was a ‘fantasy’. Rothermere of the Daily Mail looked presenters or turn up for the Sky It was a rarely used provision, which pretty much like an also-ran on the planned debate with Hunt, the media applied only when a deal was nearly fringes, managing merely to have the have already scored a few direct hits complete and could only happen if the wife of candidate Gove, columnist on Boris. EU agreed and no other members of Sarah Vine, under contract. Not for the first time, the persistence the World Trade Organisation objected. Alas, the all-journalistic slate failed of Nick Farrari of LBC exposed “There has been a lot of nonsense to make it over the class A drug hurdle. hypocrisy by asking Boris 26 questions over the past three years, but this is a In the final gallop to the vote of the about the happy families picture of strong contender for the most absurd 160,000 members of the Conservative Johnson and Carrie that suddenly of all,” the FT argued. party, Johnson was joined by a total appeared in the papers. The media has also done its job in interloper who has never been a Johnson refused to answer questions expressing scepticism about the other journalist, Jeremy Hunt. about his personal life but then main plank of the Johnson strategy The media nous of Hunt is best appeared willing to exploit it by – that his positive, enthusiastic, marked by the £40 million he forced placing positive pictures in the media optimistic outlook would somehow the BBC to waste on his personal – a stunt tried years ago when the persuade the EU to do something they hobby-horse when culture errant David Mellor lined up his family have repeatedly warned they would secretary – the underwhelming by a garden gate. not accept – reopen the withdrawal and underperforming local Through a nice piece of basic In this most limited agreement or water down the Northern television experiment. detective work, Ferrari nailed the fact Ireland backstop. At least in this most limited of all that the pictures were old – because of all elections, Hunt suffers from the same delusion elections the media and journalists the Boris haircut was not the same as journalists have a although he is banking on his now have a central role – to the extent the one he was wearing on the day of supposed negotiating skills as an that they are allowed to – in the interview. central role. They entrepreneur rather than his charisma. interrogating the final two. Sir Max Hastings, who used to “ Will all the excellent journalism that They are performing the role employ Johnson on the Daily are performing the has already been produced – and the of opposition. Telegraph, yielded the stiletto in an role of opposition dozens of stories to come – make any There is little doubt that the Daily article for The Guardian. difference at all to the coronation of Telegraph and the Barclays would There was room for debate, Sir Max Boris Johnson? very much like to have their man in said, about whether Johnson is a Possibly not. The only thing that can 10 Downing Street. scoundrel or mere rogue “but not sink Boris is Boris. ” theJournalist | 19

arts

Some of the best things to with see and do with a bit of political bite For listings email: artsattitude [email protected]

Music by Tim Lezard Songs of fury aim to raise spirits Film Comedy Non-Fiction Rhod Gilbert On national release The Book of John Juliette Binoche stars as Selena, the On tour until actress wife of literary editor Alain, in 13 December this wry, slyly seductive tale of sex, lies A lot has happened and literature. In the Parisian to Rhod in the six years publishing world, Alain and author since he last toured. Almost all of it Leonard try to cope with a midlife bad. And, just when he thought he’d crisis and a changing industry. hit rock bottom, he met a bloke called https://iffr.com/en/2019/films/ John. doubles-vies Rhod’s new show sees him as funny as ever, but like never before – raw, Transit personal and brutally honest. No Critics frequently complain It is hard hitting and, as Paul Released on 3 August more lies, no more nonsense. there’s no politics in music any explains, pulls no punches. “We’re in Based on Anna Segher’s 1942 http://rhodgilbertcomedian.com more. They should listen to the the situation now of engineered novel, this German drama tells of a Wood Burning Savages. poverty. Universal credit’s been a Nazi concentration camp escapee Music The Derry rebel rousers, who compete balls-up, homelessness is on attempting to flee occupied France. Paddy Nash have played alongside Skinny Lister, the rise in smaller and smaller towns In his quest, Georg assumes the Gate Fever Billy Bragg and Snow Patrol this and villages, and that’s depressing. identity of a dead author … and The new album by Derry singer- year, are looking forward to playing “We’re very quick as countries to then falls in love with the author’s songwriter Paddy Nash takes its name at the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival say how modern we are, but there wife, who is unaware of her from the anxiety experienced by (19-21 July). are people living with nothing, just husband’s suicide. prisoners when they are nearing the “I’m proud to be heading over the clothes on their back. Food Christian Petzold’s film has been end of their sentences. with the album we have and the set banks – food poverty is a big thing. described as a “brilliant and haunting Artists of all sorts need to counter we have because I think it’ll raise a “A couple of us in the band work in modern-day adaptation”. what is ‘fake’, especially as it “seems lot of spirits in difficult times,” says education and we’ve seen firsthand www.imdb.com/title/tt6675244/ to be the new ‘real’,” he says. frontman Paul Connolly. the effects of kids coming in on a “I hope I reflect what’s good in They’ll raise a lot of eyebrows too, I day-to-day basis who haven’t eaten Blinded by the world too because I see it in reckon, with their raucous punk rock breakfast. That’s not their parents’ the Light the ordinary things, the people I guitars and riotous live show opening fault. That’s our government’s fault.” Released on meet and the things we do.” the main stage on Sunday, booming “It wasn’t a difficult decision to 9 August https://paddynash.com across the Dorset countryside, sing about politics,” Paul says. Broadcaster stirring a few hangovers. “Coming from Northern Ireland, it’s and Guardian journalist Theatre But if the band’s music is a slight be political or languish away in a Sarfraz Manzoor is the inspiration The Night of the Iguana departure for the festival, their bar somewhere and say nothing behind this Luton-based comedy Noel Coward Theatre, London, politics hit the right chord, with and play to nobody and have songs recounting how an obsession with until 28 September powerful songs about the that in 10 years’ time we’d be Bruce Springsteen helped a teenager Clive Owen, Lia devastating effects of austerity. deeply embarrassed by.” cope with the racism and austerity of Williams and For example, single I Don’t Know • The Woodburning Savages play Tory Britain under Margaret Thatcher Anna Gunn star Why I Do It To Myself, addresses at the Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival Blinded by the Light is both a tribute in Tennessee suicide rates in Derry, beginning alongside Eddi Reader, Los de Abajo, to the power of music and a moving Williams’s last with the line: “Queuing in the rain Pete Bentham, the Dinner Ladies account of a generational and cultural great play. for the dole again, I hold up my and many more. divide between a father and a son. In a Mexico hotel during 1940, hands, I hold up the begging bowl.” www.tolpuddlemartyrs.org.uk/festival https://cornerstonefilm.com/films/ a group of lost souls – a defrocked blinded-by-the-light/ priest, a grieving widow, a family of

20 | theJournalist

arts

jubilant Nazis and an itinerant artist Spotlight with her 97-year-old grandfather – take part in an epic battle between flesh and spirit, captivity and freedom Harper Lee’s tale of true crime and art and faith. www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/ There was much excitement four dead at her funeral. Despite tickets/the-night-of-the-iguana/ years ago when Go Set A Watchman, hundreds of witnesses, Maxwell’s Harper Lee’s second novel, was murderer was acquitted. The Lehman Trilogy published. Harper Lee spent a year reporting arts Piccadilly Theatre, London, Now author and journalist Casey on the case and many more years until 31 August Cep has published Furious Hours, trying to finish the book. Fresh from its National Theatre telling of her hunt for the Casey Cep brings this story sell-out, this depiction of the manuscript of The Reverend, which to life, from the shocking murders to successes and failures of three is widely assumed to be Lee’s third the courtroom drama to the racial generations of Lehmans lands in the book, a true crime story. politics of the Deep South, while West End starring Simon Russell The Reverend is Willie Maxwell, painting a portrait of Lee and her Beale, Adam Godley and Ben Miles. a rural preacher accused of struggle with fame, success, and the Starting with the family as murdering five family members in mystery of artistic creativity. immigrants from Bavaria, it give the 1970s. With the help of a savvy As the blurb says, “This is the a glimpse into how the American lawyer, he escaped justice for years story Harper Lee wanted to dream can turn into a nightmare. until a relative of his last victim write. This is the story of why https://thepiccadillytheatre.com - Maxwell’s stepdaughter - shot him she couldn’t.” http://tinyurl.com/yx8pnuxj

Books Shafted: the Media, the Miners’ Don McCullin’s new book looks back interviews don’t quite go to plan, Television Strike and the Aftermath at his long career, celebrating the despite meticulous preparation. We Dublin Murders Edited by Granville Williams breadth of his work over decades. all know that feeling, right? The BBC is later I’m told this (second) edition is It features iconic images from She takes us behind the scenes this year to “virtually a new book”. NUJ stalwarts Vietnam, Cyprus, Lebanon, Biafra of the biggest news stories in recent screen a Nick Jones (BBC), Peter Lazenby and, er, Somerset. The ultimate years. Most people don’t get such a psychological (Yorkshire Evening Post) and Paul coffee table book for journalists? ringside seat so here’s is a chance to crime thriller, Routledge (The Times) are among https://shop.tate.org.uk/don- get close to the action. Dublin Murders, those who contribute to a discussion mccullin-exhibition-book http://tinyurl.com/y5ghde8w based on Tana on what pressures were put on French’s bestselling novels. journalists who reported the Airhead – the Imperfect Art of Exhibitions Starring Killian Scott (Strike) and year-long miners’ strike. Making News Waterford Walls Sarah Greene (Penny Dreadful) as It also places the strike in its Emily Maitlis 22-25 August detectives Rob Reilly and Cassie political and economic context, and BBC journalists are Waterford Maddox, the series is set during highlights the devastating impact of often criticised on Murals play a the height of the Celtic Tiger the pit closure programme on mining social media for large role in financial boom and delves into communities. If it’s half as good as being too left or Ireland’s cultural Ireland’s past, bringing insight to the first edition, it’s well worth a too right wing, or history and the its present. read. for being too soft Waterford Walls international The novels highlight an intense https://bookmarksbookshop.co.uk/ or too hard on street art festival reflects this by emotional connection between cop view/3593/Shafted+The+Media+the interviewees. transforming the city into the and crime, underpinned by a darker +Miners+Strike+and+the+Aftermath As anchor for Newsnight, country’s largest and most accessible influence. Emily Maitlis knows what it’s like to outdoor gallery. https://euston films.tv /productions/ Don McCullin be in the line of fire and, in this book, https://waterfordwalls.ie dublin-murders/ Following an exhibition at the Tate, she explores the moments when

Outdoor events

Shakespeare’s Globe. Or From epic history to a riot of journalism Cardiff … or anywhere. “It’s lovely sunny day, but Probably – in fact, definitely effects and pyrotechnics, it Or how about the www.kynren.com you hide yourself away … – the most spectacular will be sounds awesome. all-encompassing Edinburgh www.nationaltrust.org.uk get up and get down and get Kynren, in County Durham, But, if historical epics International Festival or the www.shakespearesglobe.com outside,” sings Frank Turner where you can watch 1,000 aren’t your thing, try the “riot of independent https://openairtheatre.com in Reasons Not To Be An people recreating the history more sedate option of journalism” that is the https://cardiffopenairtheatre Idiot, and it’s good advice. of England on a seven-and-a- theatre in the grounds of a NUJ-backed Byline Festival festival.co.uk There’s plenty of al fresco half acre stage. With dance, National Trust property, with Pussy Riot and John www.chapterhouse.org entertainment this summer. stunts, equestrianism, special Regent’s Park or Cleese, among others? www.eif.co.uk

theJournalist | 21 inbox

Email to: [email protected] ç Post to: Please keep The Journalist YourSay... 72 Acton Street, comments to London WC1X 9NB 200 words Tweet to: inviting letters, comments, tweets maximum @mschrisbuckley

£30 H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H playground style, May/June). You could prize almost say that both politics and the letter media rely on doublethink untruthing. BBC showed a very A lying politician gets lots of airtime – no publicity is bad publicity, right? As non-Irish revolution a journalist, once the original lies have been reported, you can write an BBC TV series, Thatcher: A Very British Revolution, offered opinion piece about the shameless so much but delivered nothing - on Ireland that is. publishing of lies. And so on. Northern Ireland dominated almost every single news Nick Inman report during Margaret Thatcher’s premiership but the Occitanie series didn’t refer to one single incident in Northern Ireland France that further strained relations between the UK and Irish governments during her time in Number 10. Everyone has their No mention about the IRA killing of Lord Louis favourite headlines Mountbatten in I979 or her poor handling of the 1981 IRA Thanks to Jonathan Sale for his piece hunger strikes, which resulted in a major global PR coup on the history of the headline (The for Irish republicans. Journalist, May-June 2019). Her stubborn attitude single-handedly contributed to a I’m sure you’ll be inundated with growth in IRA membership but this wasn’t covered. There readers’ faves, but surely one of the was no mention of the fact that she betrayed Ulster classics must be Variety’s ‘Sticks nix hick Unionists by doing a behind-the-scenes deal with Dublin pix’ from the summer of 1935? It referred to sign the 1985 Anglo-Irish Agreement, which was to the reaction of rural audiences to angrily viewed as treason. films about rural life. The Wikipedia entry No mention that pro-union MPs Robert Bradford, Airey for this headline cites other headlines Neave and Ian Gow were murdered during her time in (from fact and fiction) that riff on it. office. The tone of the series was one of ‘Margaret the In terms of errors, my favourite was a brave, Margaret the heroine!’ decimal point in the wrong place on One would think from watching this series that the the front page of Contract Journal circa Troubles actually happened in a place other than the 2002, turning a £64bn spend to United Kingdom. £6.4bn or vice versa (details lost in the Ken Murray fog of time, I’m afraid). Irish Eastern branch Justin Stanton

TIM ELLIS Croydon

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 We want more varied, quality photographs Ipso contract could give Practice – a call that has been rejected by All truth and no sauce The NUJ’s Photographers’ Council has conscience protection the Editors’ Code of Practice committee. makes for dull news discussed the recent criticism by a It’s good to see Raymond Snoddy He replied that, although there is no Raymond Snoddy creates a wonderful correspondent of the quality and scope backing the NUJ’s longstanding call for a explicit clause, the nature of Ipso’s image of NUJ-affiliated Telegraph of pictures used recently in The Journalist. ‘conscience clause’ to be added to codes contracts with its member companies journalists wrestling with their While not necessarily agreeing with of conduct to protect journalists from would in effect offer similar protection to consciences as they sub the distortions all the points raised by Paul Jacobs being victimised for disobeying unethical any employee in such a situation. the paper relies on to feed its readers (Letters, March/April), council members instructions (Keeping the rubbish out of Moses explained that Ipso could not in the shires (Keeping the rubbish out did express their disappointment that, Brexit coverage, May/June). compel the editors’ committee to make of Brexit coverage, May/June). Do in the house magazine of the union Members may be interested to know changes, but added: “I agree with you these saintly journalists really exist, just representing a large number of that we now appear to have the chair – I think it would be a very good idea if waiting for armies of the righteous to photographers in the media and public of the Independent Press Standards there was such a clause in the Editors’ free them from their chains? relations, the variety and quality of Organisation (Ipso) on our side too. Code. Why the editors haven’t done it Meanwhile, Chris Proctor unwittingly images in the magazine fail to live up During a Q&A at an Ipso roadshow in is not at all clear to me.” proves the fact that Snoddy and himself to members’ expectations. Sheffield on May 21, I asked Sir Alan Tony Harcup seem not to see: the truth makes The preponderance of headshots and Moses for his thoughts on adding a NUJ life member shockingly dull journalism but lies stock images is a poor reflection of a conscience clause to the Editors’ Code of Leeds & Wakefield branch make great headlines (Playing politics, union whose members produce some

22 | theJournalist inbox

of the most striking and interesting of the Photographers’ Council and we images regularly in their working lives. discussed the NUJ setting up a photo While the council appreciates the library with photographers contributing budget constraints the NUJ is images that our designer and the twitter feed operating under, it believes that, by communications team could use. It Tweet us your feedback: @mschrisbuckley making better use of the union’s own could be just a simple repository. I’m photographer members, not only very keen to pursue this idea. could picture quality be improved but I understand the photographers’ helenjerome @helenjerome 9:01 AM – 14 May 2019 also the NUJ would be seen to be concern but unfortunately it can’t WELL DONE Fine cover and coverage in new issue of #TheJournalist actively supporting its photographers be resolved within The Journalist’s from @NUJofficial with 3pp on #LyraMcKee including heartfelt at a financially difficult time. current budget. obituary from @CiaranOMaolain (@mschrisbuckley) The Photographers’ Council has Christine Buckley raised these points with The Journalist Editor Centre for Community Journalism @C4CJ 6:07 AM – 14 May 2019 editorial advisory board and is seeking Brilliant article on how a decline in local news brings about a to jointly resolve these issues. Freelance team saved democratic deficit –@raehowells writes in the @NUJofficial magazine Natasha Hirst me from harassment Chair, Photographers’ Council Thanks very much to the NUJ Freelance Kath Burton @KathburtonKath 9.45 AM-14 May 2019 team for saving me from being May/June issue of #TheJournalist includes fascinating insight into The magazine’s budget is ultimately set harassed by HMRC and TWO debt (hyper)local journalism from @Routledge_MandC author (Hyperlocal by the union’s national executive collection agencies they hired over a Journalism: the Decline of Local Newspapers and the Rise of Online council when it approves the total Working Tax Credit over-payment which Community News) – fancy a chat @raehowells? (c @ProfBobFranklin) budget. This year The Journalist’s I’d paid back four years ago, prior to allocation was cut by 15.6 per cent. The retiring. amount available for content, after I’d spent many hours on the me. They even sent me a modest to take it to the Intellectual Property production costs, is about £6,200 per telephone and writing letters to HMRC payment by way of compensation. Enterprise Court. This wasn’t issue. That doesn’t go far. to try and sort the matter out myself. It I can now concentrate on staying straightforward but the NUJ stuck by The magazine uses stock photos for was causing me great stress, alive and enjoying my retirement. me, for which I will always be grateful. practical reasons. Our freelance particularly as I am suffering from Tony Birtill Pamela and the NUJ’s solicitor at designer doesn’t have the time to terminal cancer. Liverpool Thompsons were endlessly patient, contact a range of photographers to see Fortunately, I had opted to join the calm, helpful and on the ball. I if they have the shot we want, then wait NUJ retired members branch and as Grateful to NUJ for their succeeded and the judge awarded me for the replies etc. There is also the soon as I contacted the union, the help in going to court damages for breach of contract and question of who to approach. To be freelance team contacted HMRC on my I’d like to say a big thank you to costs (court fees and expenses). totally fair, all 1,600 photographer behalf and provided me with a contact Pamela Morton in the NUJ Freelance It is well worth being a member of members should be contacted for each address there and a model letter for Office. Pamela helped me with a the NUJ for practical and moral support shot. Obviously that is totally me to send. long-running claim against a publisher. and feeling that you don’t have to fight impractical. No publication works I have now received a letter of We’d tried to settle with the publisher all your battles on your own. this way. apology from HMRC, together with a out of court but, in the end, the only Celia Woolfrey Some time ago, I attended a meeting promise that they will stop harassing option to bring it to a conclusion was London Freelance Branch

STEVE BELL THE OWNERS

theJournalist | 23 obituaries

Peggie Robinson Jack Abel George Dowson

A journalist, mountaineer and Jack Abel, a former photographer and Northern sports journalism lost one yachtswoman – and bagpipe player picture editor of the Manchester of its best-known names when former – who worked for the Daily Express Evening News (MEN), died on April 17. Manchester Evening News and for some 45 years, has died, aged 97. He would have been 95 on May 21. Sunday Mirror staffer George Dowson Peggie Robinson, who was based in Jack’s career with the newspaper began shortly died aged 81 at his home in Tetbury, Sheffield, reported on everything after his demob from the RAF in 1946 when he Gloucestershire, on March 18. from the Yorkshire Ripper to the was given a month’s trial by editor Tom Henry. George was born in the City of Salford and Troubles in Northern Ireland. He was issued with an old Palmos plate camera maintained a love of his native city all his life. A Peggie was a lifetime member of the NUJ and that had pinholes in the bellows, resulting in product of the city’s De La Salle College, George was discussing union and media news activities fogged plates from almost every job he was sent joined the weekly Salford City Reporter. After almost to the end. Among her souvenirs was a on. His first job was a disaster and a somewhat proving his ability as an enterprising sports delegate’s pass to the national conference in shaky start for Jack. Things could only get better. journalist and a gifted headline writer, he joined April 1944, from when she was a 22-year-old After Jack completed the first month – with a the sports desk of the Manchester Evening News, reporter on the Shields Gazette in her home different camera without pinholes in its bellows rising to become deputy sports editor. town of South Shields. This was only about two – Tom Henry called him into his office and told George was recruited by the northern office of months before her father, a Merchant Marine him that the first month had not been too bad the Sunday Mirror, where he took over the rugby captain, was killed when his ship was attacked and offered him another month’s trial. That league column from Eddie Waring, and was part after action supporting the D-Day landings. was the beginning of Jack’s career with the of the sports desk sub-editing team. In 1977, he It may have been that personal tragedy that newspaper. In 1969, the MEN asked Jack to set up was promoted to deputy northern sports editor. drove her in later life to work tirelessly every a new company called Colour 061 of which he The closure of the Mirror Group’s production year organising collecting teams for the Poppy became director until he retired in the 1980s. centre in Manchester in 1988 saw George return to Appeal – raising scores of thousands of pounds Before he was made picture editor, he was a the Manchester Evening News, where he became through her efforts. photographer and covered Manchester United the chief rugby league columnist. He then joined She was also a stalwart of the Labour Party and games. He should have travelled with the team Salford Reds Rugby League Club as media manager, attended both NUJ and party conferences. when they played Red Star Belgrade in 1958 but a position he held until he retired in 2000. Peggie joined the Daily Express around the there weren’t enough seats on the plane so George played soccer for Salford City Boys as well end of the war and, in 1946, transferred to sports reporter Tom Jackson went alone. as cricket and rugby union to a creditable standard. Sheffield to cover Yorkshire. On the afternoon of February 6, Jack was in the He loved golf and, when his health prevented In her early working life, she was one of office when news of the Munich plane crash him from swinging a club, he took up bowls. He the few women reporters on national disaster came through. Tom Jackson and eight of was uncompromisingly competitive: he didn’t newspapers and was particularly proud of her the Manchester United team and other give any quarter and expected none in return. part in the fight for equal pay. Apart from journalists had been killed when their return There was far more to George than his sporting covering the Ripper for several years – flight crashed on take-off because of snow on the prowess. An accomplished guitar player, he would frustratingly missing his arrest because she was tarmac. Hours later, Jack and reporter Doug belt out standards made popular by Frank Sinatra away on holiday – and the Troubles, she also Slight were both on a flight to Munich to record and others, and was a keen fan of jazz. He also reported on Britain’s Cod War with Iceland, pit the tragedy. enjoyed tackling the Daily Telegraph crossword. tragedies and miners’ strikes, and was well Jack knew most of the players and officials and George and his wife Margaret moved to Tetbury known throughout Yorkshire. his contacts proved useful to himself and the in 2000. He was surrounded by his family. His She was still contributing articles in the 1980s, reporter. On the Sunday, they visited the crash site three sons, grandchildren and great grandchildren and, for many years, she played the bagpipes in with two uninjured players, Harry Gregg and Bill were a major part of his and Margaret’s life. He was pipe bands in and around Sheffield. Foulkes. They searched the wreckage of the plane diagnosed with vascular dementia in 2014. She died on May 4 in a city nursing home after and picked up belongings that lay scattered about. At his funeral at in Bristol on April 11, he had a a long spell of poor health. Jack would later play a big part in the MEN’s Manchester United-branded coffin, and wore a Peggie faced her failing health with the same football coverage and the build-up of the Salford Rugby League Club jersey and the tie of feisty, indomitable spirit that she showed Manchester United team and the Busby Babes. his beloved Honourable Order of Bass Drinkers. throughout her life, whether she was chasing a Jack’s long life might have been cut tragically story, skippering her off-shore racing yacht or short but for the want of a seat on a plane. John Huxley climbing Alpine peaks, including the Matterhorn. Bill Batchelor More obituaries on the NUJ website: Clark Herron www.nuj.org.uk/about/nuj-obituaries

24 | theJournalist photography

In 1996, I was commissioned by WWF in Switzerland to photograph the Sea Empress oil spill off the west Wales coast St ry Arriving too late in the evening to do any photography, I retired to the pub. Leaning on the bar with my first pint, I got in to conversation with the person leading the clean-up for the port authority. He had just dropped in for a drink on his way home. behind “The oil is coming ashore at Manorbier beach right now,” he told me. “There will be a big clean up there first thing tomorrow morning” I arrived at the beach at first light with the intention of getting shots both of the beach before the clean-up and of the workers removing the the sludge covering the bay. Scanning the black mess strewn before me, I could see a struggling bird. I approached carefully but the guillemot was incapable of going anywhere. I spent half an hour photographing it, hoping to get a shot with picture its wings outspread. Not only did the photo appear in Life magazine as a double-page spread but it also received an award of excellence in a ‘pictures of the year’ Victim of an oil spill competition in the US after Life entered it for me. I felt I could not leave the bird on the beach to its fate, so I caught it and By Paul Glendell handed it over to the RSPCA rescue unit. Whether it survived on not, I have no idea.

theJournalist | 25 and finally...

Great Brexit buffet proves to be a feast

Exiting Europe has led to a job creation scheme, says Chris Proctor

hat an unqualified accounts of past misdemeanours. But, sentences longer than the US would success Brexit has thanks to the Big B, politics has livened like to give Assange; and order papers turned out to be! It up no end. Instead of the ‘same old’, waved like enthusiasts welcoming the W might bankrupt the we’ve been treated to tottering Trump visit. country, tear the governments, hounded premiers, For years, Lobby hacks have had to populace asunder and leave us the imploding parties and emerging if watch while chamber proceedings laughing stock of the cosmos, but it’s unconvincing Machiavellis. moved at a snail’s pace. Stale and tired, provided more work opportunities for We’ve been offered the practically they were shadows of the fresh-faced our trade than anything since Katie Price. unique opportunity of reporting, youths who first crossed Central Lobby. I shall certainly vote Remain in any photographing and commenting upon Then – thanks to Brexit – new vistas future referendum in the hope that a the transformation of a nation from a shone forth! The left-right, government- victory for that faction will mean the respected international mover-and- opposition yeas-and-nays became declaration of a formal draw and the shaker into a sideshow of eccentricity small beer compared with the carnage announcement of a further ‘best-of- – a metamorphosis from Cool members of the same side wrought three’ vote. This can’t keep going long Britannia to global song-and-dance upon each other. In place of the enough in my view. performer. What luck. gentlefolk scoring debating points, we Yes, much news copy has reported And how manfully we journalists had back-stabbings of Shakespearian misleading and unsubstantiated have faced up to a new set of proportions. We had full-blown traitors balderdash, and most of the opinion challenges. Pre-Brexit, the source of forming fringe parties, some chucking pieces have been absurdly prejudiced our stories was action. It was the in their lot with three parties in as and uninformed. But, mixed reporter’s first, second and final many months, leaders for whom metaphors aside, the resultant interrogation: “What are you going to every fresh day was the Ides of nonsense has kept the food on the do about it?”, “What will you do next?” March and even the occasional table safe from the wolves at many a or “What will change?” All, you will seething interfamily rivalry. Indeed, newshound’s door. note, ‘doing words’. Verbs. times were good. What would have happened over the To our credit, we moved seamlessly Without Brexit, senior reporters past couple of years without this media into the era of the dispensable verb. would have been despatched to beef up epic? Without Brexit, pages and screens We didn’t need action! Faced with stories about Diane Abbott being would have looked like a photo of weeks and months of total inertia, we The left-right pictured sipping a can of shandy on a Frisco on a foggy Friday. Magazines revised our criteria for a story. We train; cover scandals like the Brighton would have shed pages, thinned like made the news ‘Nothing is happening!’ yeas-and-nays Half Marathon being 146 metres short; vegans in Argentinian bistros. Twitter and carried on interviewing people, were small beer or thrilling at the tracing of the feeds would have starved. attributing quotes, issuing releases remains of the Elephant Man. All praise to Brexit, then! It’s made and snapping images of mass compared with the Instead, Brexit has: given us tales of Fleet Street a boom town. Demand for indolence. Our coverage became even “ the dwindling darling buddies of May; our services has been overwhelming: more frantic during seasons of carnage members seen Tory leadership elections starting not just in news-gathering but also in slothful stagnation. of the same with a cast of thousands; led to horror pamphlets, cartoons, opinion pieces, It’s been also been a shot in the arm, stories about bacon smuggling over a snaps and Hansard. or at least a Gove up the nose, for our side wrought on new Irish border; raised the prospect of In a Brexitless Britain, our political Westminster correspondents. For years, each other a revamping of Hadrian’s Wall; and pages would have plodded along, they have noted parliament’s amiable forecast a wine-less Albion. chronicling the usual petty party and ritual shambles: side A of the All gist to the bedlam, I say. Onward political squabbles, resignations of House baying at side B; honourable Brexit! In our trade, you can’t get people we’d never heard of and members delivering rebukes in enough of a bad thing. 26 | theJournalist ” Training Advertise in Advertiseclassified in The Journalist The rate for a classified ad is £25 scc (£25The x height (cm) Journalist x columns). To advertise contact Melanie Richards 10% discount fo 2 or 3 issues. 4 or more issuesTo advertise will be 20%contact discount. Melanie Richards 01795 542417To advertise or pleaseemail: contact [email protected] Joe Brooks020 3026 on: 9239 or email: [email protected] Tel: 020 7657 1801 or email: [email protected] Training TAX CONSULTANTS H H We are an established firm based in the City, specialisingSouth in Africahandling the taxation and Financial advice for hacks from accountancy affairs of freelanceCape journalists. Town, Clients 3 bedroom,throughout the luxury UK. For further details contact: 020 7606 9787 a hack and qualified financial Tina log cabin. Sleeps 6-8. Own SOUTHWELL TYRRELL & CO adviser. Contactclassified Nigel Bolitho Brown pool and entertainment area in of BV Services, authorised exclusive Constantia. Advertise in The Journalist and regulatedThe rate by for the a classifiedFinancial ad is £25 scc (£25 x height (cm) x columns). From £400pw. To advertise contact Melanie Richards Magazine Production...Visit: www.iinkunilodge.co.zaour name says ConductServices10% discount Authority. fo 2 or 3 issues. 4 or more issues will be 20% discount. it all whilst our [email protected] price covers it all 01795E-mail: 542417To [email protected] advertise or pleaseemail: contact [email protected] Joe Brooks on: phone 01954Tel: 251521 020 7657 fax 01954 1801 252420 or email: [email protected] A professional magazine page layout and production solution with cost-effective H H fixed page rates, designed just for you. All we need is your finalised copy, a selection of your preferred images and advertisements (we can assist here too)… TAX CONSULTANTS H H and we’ll do the rest. Simple? It should be. We are an established firm based in the City, specialisingSouth in Africahandling the taxation and Financial advice for hacks from A no-nonsense magazine production service from a accountancy affairs of freelanceCape journalists. Town, Clients 3 bedroom,throughout the luxury UK. company whose name quite simply says it all… For further details contact: 020 7606 9787 a hack and qualified financial www.magazineproduction.com or call 01273 467579. log cabin. Sleeps 6-8. Own SOUTHWELL TYRRELL & CO adviser. Contact Nigel Bolitho pool and entertainment area in of BV Services, authorised FAMILY COTTAGE INexclusive THE VAL Constantia. D’ORCIA Hill top towns, hot springs, great wineFrom and local £400pw. cuisine, and regulated by the Financial UNESCO World Heritage Site in southern Tuscany. Magazine Production Ad NUJ 0811.indd 1 Magazine04/08/2011 13:58 Production...Visit: www.iinkunilodge.co.zaour name says ConductServices Authority. Sleeps up to 6. Ideal for work or leisure break. E-mail: [email protected] https://www.facebook.com/casabagnisanfilippo/[email protected] it all whilst our fixed price covers it all phone 01954 251521 fax 01954 252420 A professional magazine page layout and production solution with cost-effective H H fixed page rates, designed just for you. All we need is your finalised copy, a selection of your preferred images and advertisements (we can assist here too)… and we’ll do the rest. Simple? It should be. A no-nonsense magazine production service from a company whose name quite simply says it all… Moved house or Upcomingwww.magazineproduction.com Election or call 01273 467579 . for the NUJ Editor of changed your

Magazine ProductionThe Ad NUJ 0811.indd Journalist 1 04/08/2011 13:58 email address?

The National Union of Journalists will shortly be holding an election for the Editor of the NUJ’s union magazine, The Journalist.

This opportunity is for a part-time role, covering 2-3 days a week (to be confirmed), will be on a five year contracted basis spanning 2019 to 2024. The election will be conducted in November 2019 in a ballot of all NUJ members.

Information packs, with full details of how eligible members can put themselves forward, will be available from the NUJ from 18th July 2019.

More information will be available Please let us know. from that time on the NUJ You can update your membership website www.nuj.org.uk. record on the website nuj.org.uk or email [email protected]

theJournalist | 31

theJournalist | 31 REASONS TO JOIN ☞

Flexible Working Juggling a family and working can be tricky. Flexible working agreements are a vital tool in protecting part- time workers and women returning from maternity leave, boosting the retention of skilled staff and ensuring parents and individuals with caring responsibilities can balance their work demands with family life. The NUJ negotiates progressive approaches to flexible working and lobbies for improvements to employment law. Are you keeping good company?

Join the NUJ today at nuj.org.uk/join www.nuj.org.uk