Magazine of the Chartered Institute of Journalists Summer 2018 TheJServingournal professional journalism since 1912 BAFTA Fellowship for Kate Adie ward-winning broadcast of Free Enterprise disaster at journalist and author Kate Adie Zeebrugge, the massacre at AOBE, a longstanding member of Dunblane, the Selby rail crash, the the Chartered Institute of Journalists (and Bologna railway station bombing a Fellow of our Institute since 1990), has and the Tiananmen Square protest been honoured with a Fellowship of the in Beijing in 1989. She carried British Academy of Film and Television out numerous assignments in Arts. The BAFTA Fellowship is the highest Northern Ireland throughout “The accolade bestowed by the Academy on an Troubles”, as well as reporting on individual in recognition of outstanding the referendum to ratify the Good and exceptional contributions to film and Friday Agreement. Kate Adie also television. Fellows previously honoured covered the Lockerbie bombing for their work in television include Melvyn and reported from Libya after the Bragg, Michael Palin, Trevor MacDonald London Embassy siege of 1984, and David Attenborough. Joanna Lumley reporting from Libya many times received the Fellowship at last year’s thereafter, including the bombing British Television Awards. of Tripoli by the US in 1986. Jane Lush, Chair of BAFTA, said: “Kate She also covered the Rwandan Adie is a truly groundbreaking news Genocide and the British military journalist, being one of a very small intervention in the Sierra Leone number of women working to report the Civil War. news from hostile environments around The long-serving presenter the world. Throughout her career, she has of Radio 4’s “From Our Own brought audiences to the centre of the story Correspondent”, and a presenter by fearlessly reporting from the ground, or contributor to many other while clearly and concisely explaining the radio and television programmes, Adie complex issues to audiences at home. We has won numerous awards including the of the CIoJ), three Royal Television Society are delighted to be celebrating her stellar Richard Dimbleby Award at the British awards and the Broadcasting Press Guild’s career at this year’s ceremony; she is a Academy Television Awards in 1990 (the Award for Outstanding Contribution to true trailblazer and very deserving of the same year she was awarded a Fellowship Broadcasting. Fellowship.” Kate Adie told The Journal: “It’s lovely to be awarded the BAFTA Fellowship. I feel very honoured.” On the move Adie began her broadcasting career as a station assistant at Radio Durham and then xactly 30 years ago, the Institute had moved to BBC Radio Bristol. She made Eto leave its old office in Covent Garden the transition to TV news in London and and head out to the suburbs. The site was on duty in 1980 when the siege of the chosen for the new office was in a rather Iranian Embassy was brought to an end by rundown corner of southeast London the SAS. Her live report, which interrupted once known as the Surrey Commercial the World Snooker Championships, was Docks. These had been a series of nine seen and heard by millions in homes docks, timber ponds and a canal spreading across the UK. In 1989, she was appointed over 460 acres. Most of this was built by Chief News Correspondent for the BBC the Commercial Docks Company which docks were progressively abandoned. The and held the post for 14 years. constructed a fine block of offices that was area became largely derelict; transport opened in 1892. The offices continued to links were poor so, when the office in the Danger zones be used after all the London docks were old Dock Offices was acquired in 1988, it She has reported from danger zones merged into the Port of London Authority was cheap. But it had potential and the and conflicts around the world, including in 1908. area was transformed when the Jubilee both Gulf Wars, four years of war in the The docks had concentrated on the timber underground line was extended from Balkans, the final NATO intervention in trade. After 1950, this began to decline and Waterloo via the area (now renamed Kosovo and elections in 2000, the Herald during the 1980s and subsequently, the Continued on page 20 Andy Smith Editor’s Comment Editor he Government has quite rightly of black teenager Stephen Lawrence in ruled out “Leveson 2” but, as Eltham, southeast London, that it was the Tthe latest World Press Freedom Daily Mail that pursued the racist thugs Index reveals, freedom of the press here who brutally murdered young Stephen; in the United Kingdom is not as secure the paper’s “MURDERERS” headline as we might expect. According to the and its front-page story naming the boy’s index, compiled by Reporters Without killers “changed the politics of the case” Borders (RSF), despite being, historically, (in the words of former Labour Home a cradle of freedom and democracy in Secretary Jack Straw) leading to a rooting- the world, Britain is now in 40th place out of the racism and corruption that in terms of press freedom, making it had undermined the effectiveness of the one of the worst countries in Western original Metropolitan Police investigation. Assistant Editor: Stuart Millson Europe. We have fallen 18 places since The Daily Mail continues to campaign Production Editor: Dominic Cooper the first index was compiled 16 years ago. on issues like this, and, despite its right- How has this happened? RSF points to wing profile and its often rather blimpish a “hostile environment” for journalists editorial tone, has often championed In this issue: and journalism in the UK, with repeated issues of social justice and civil rights. It attempts to clamp down on the press. is currently campaigning against cuts to Leveson 2 and Section 40 4 This hostility comes both from the the Open University. This is the paper that Investigatory Powers Act 5 Establishment and the far left. The Law certain politically-motivated organisations Commission, for instance, is currently trying wish to stifle. World Press Freedom Index 6-7 to make it easier to imprison journalists In addition, there are mounting threats to How to avoid hating journalists! 8 for obtaining leaked information, and the our freedom, democracy and free speech House of Lords has tried to use the Data from outside these shores. We are, for Death of a Russian journalist 9 Protection Bill as a backdoor way to impose instance, under constant attack from Russia, state regulation of the press. Meanwhile, which is waging a systematic campaign of CIoJ Presidential Handover 10-11 the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Corbyn, disinformation and propaganda through Democracy under assault 12 is virulently opposed to the press, and “social media”, leading to the widespread has made no secret of his desire to restrict sharing – by gullible members of the Rowing warrior 13 press freedom. Then, of course, there is the public – of Russian-created “fake news” Sustainable future for S4C 14 problem of antisemitism in certain sections and conspiracy theories. Social-media of his party, and the growing stridency is so out-of-control, and so thoroughly Reinventing digital editions 15 of far-left groups such as Momentum infiltrated and exploited by enemies of Failing Open Justice 16 which seems to be injecting a culture of democracy, that for those – an increasing aggression and intolerance into British number – who obtain their “news” Obituaries 17-18 politics. Intimidation of journalists by chiefly from the internet, it is hard to Letter to the Editor 19-20 delegates at a party conference would have navigate through the oceans of extremist been unheard-of in past decades, but at the propaganda, be it Russian, communist, The views contained in The Journal are those of the last Labour conference the BBC’s Laura fascist or Islamist. And then we have self- Editor and contributors and do not necessarily reflect the Kuenssberg felt so intimidated she had to appointed “guardians of truth” such as views or policy of the Chartered Institute of Journalists. hire bodyguards! the misleadingly titled Working Group on All rights reserved. © CIoJ 2018 The insidious campaign to ban the Syrian Propaganda and Media which is, Daily Mail is another sinister feature of essentially, a body of apologists for Putin this hostile environment. Yes, a number and Assad. There are so many lies and of commercial newsvendors have been conspiracy theories floating around that it boycotted for selling the newspaper that is a wonder anyone believes anything they goes where other sections of the media read on the internet – but, with the internet TheJournal fear to tread. Let’s not forget, in this, the taking over from the legitimate news- 25th anniversary of the appalling murder media, all too many people do. ISSN 1361-7656

News or views intended for publication STOP PRESS (literally!) Trojan horse for the campaign by the rich and should be sent to: espite its rejection by the Government powerful to strangle Britain’s 350-year old The Chartered Institute of Journalists Dand the House of Commons, the proposal tradition of press freedom and investigative to push forward with state regulation of the 2 Dock Offices, Surrey Quays Road, journalism. What we now have is an unholy press has been given a new lease of life by alliance of press-bashing billionaires and London SE16 2XU the unelected House of Lords who voted in far-left Corbynistas. We cannot let them get E-mail: [email protected] favour of “Leveson 2” by 252 votes to 213, away with this! Please write to your Member Tel: +44 (0)20 7252 1187 effectively overturning the MPs’ democratic of Parliament urging them to stand up for decision and forcing the Commons to debate democracy and the free press (the essential Fax: +44 (0)20 7232 2302 state regulation all over again. Disguised as underpinning of a free society) by opposing Web: www.cioj.co.uk an attempt to clamp down on a supposedly this insidious and undemocratic scheme to Twitter: @CIoJournalist intrusive and abusive newspaper industry, bring in state regulation of newspapers by the in fact “Leveson 2” is nothing more than a back door. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ pages/Chartered-Institute-of- Journalists/108017897514 Officers of the Institute: Your Council members are: LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/ Norman Bartlett, Ken Brookes, Vivienne Janice Shillum Bhend, President groups/Chartered-Institute- DuBourdieu, Michael Evans, Andy Smith Journalists-63500 Michael Hardware, Honorary Treasurer Tim Crook, Vice-President Your PPB members are: Tim Crook, Chairman Mark Croucher, Immediate Past President Printed by Cool grey display & print Ltd Norman Bartlett, Adela Earlington, Andrew Tim Crook, Chairman, PPB 2 Tel: +44 (0) 1444 474646 Kelly, Paul Leighton, Stuart Littleford, Institute officers are ex-officio members of Council Alistair Riddell, Prof. Kemal Yildirim The Journal - Summer 2018 edition UK shows no improvement in press freedom

continued heavy-handed approach Section 40 and would seek to repeal it, there the longer-term trend of worrying moves towards the press – often in have already been similar amendments to restrict press freedom, and hold the UK Athe name of national security – proposed to the Data Protection Bill government to account.” together with a general climate of hostility currently being deliberated in the House of towards the media, has resulted in the Commons, making it clear that the divisive Murders UK keeping its status as one of the worst- issue of press regulation continues to pose a The UK maintained its poor ranking in the ranked Western European countries in threat to press freedom in the UK. midst of an alarming year for press freedom the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2018 RSF UK Bureau Director Rebecca Vincent globally, particularly in Europe, a region World Press Freedom Index. explains: “Maintaining our ranking of that has been shaken by the murders of In RSF’s 2018 World Press Freedom Index, 40th out of 180 countries is nothing to be two journalists in the space of five months the UK failed to improve its ranking of 40th proud of, and puts us in the embarrassing – Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta and Jan out of 180 countries. This places the UK position of having one of the worst records Kuciak in Slovakia – as well as increased between Trinidad & Tobago and Burkina on press freedom in Western Europe. This threats to investigative reporters and Faso, and leaves it as one of the worst- is unacceptable for a country that plays an unprecedented verbal attacks on the media. ranked countries in Western Europe in important international standard-setting terms of respect for press freedom. role when it comes to human rights and See pages 6 - 7 for more on the This follows the UK dropping two fundamental freedoms. We must examine World Press Freedom Report places in the 2017 World Press Freedom Index, a year that saw an overall decline in democracies around the world. It also represents a staggering decline for the UK Tolerating the intolerant of 18 places since the first World Press Freedom Index was published in 2002. s free speech and open discussion The HJS report shows that the influence of Throughout the year, RSF highlighted a Acome under renewed assault in the “Students Not Suspects” has been built on number of worrying moves against press UK, and as radical Islamist movements and the back of effective publicity campaigns freedom in the UK. An alarming proposal by their collaborators exert growing influence involving panel discussions, workshops, the Law Commission to replace the Official on university campuses, a new report from protests and social media. Secrets Act with an updated Espionage the Henry Jackson Society, an independent “Students Not Suspects” is effectively a Act could make it easy to jail journalists as think-tank, makes worrying reading. vehicle for extremist interests, says the HJS “spies” for obtaining leaked information The report, Tolerating the Intolerant, report, and “it advances extremist tropes, and could see them jailed for up to 14 years. shows how the National Union of Students extremist speakers and extremist narratives The Government began to implement the (NUS) policy, “Students not Suspects”, – all the while attacking anybody, NUS Investigatory Powers Act with insufficient which seeks to shield radical Islamists from officials or otherwise, who distances protection mechanisms for whistleblowers, public scrutiny or criticism, is receiving themselves from its position.” journalists, and their sources. extensive support from certain academics, The author of the report, Richard Black, student committees, trade unions and a explains: “While the NUS’s ‘Students Not Online abuse range of far-left organisations. Suspects’ campaign has not succeeded in Both the Conservative and Labour Under the pretence of wanting to its overall aim of ‘scrapping’ Prevent, it has parties restricted journalists’ access to abolish the Government’s “Prevent” encouraged numerous student unions to campaign events ahead of the June 2017 strategy against radicalisation, “Students pass motions boycotting the policy. It has general election. BBC political editor Laura Not Suspects” meetings have been held spread misinformation and undermined Kuenssberg received extensive online abuse with a variety of extremist speakers trust between students, staff and local and threats, resulting in her being assigned from dangerous Islamist groups, such as authorities. bodyguards to cover the Labour Party CAGE, MEND, the Islamic Human Rights “Far from moderating its message, conference in September. Offshore law firm Commission (IHRC) and Friends of Al- ‘Students Not Suspects’ has also developed Appleby have initiated legal proceedings Aqsa, all of which are defenders of radical ever closer links to extremist organisations against the BBC and The Guardian for Islam. such as CAGE and MEND. This divisive breach of confidence over the “Paradise Activists from “Students Not Suspects” campaign continues to alienate moderate Papers” source materials, making them condemn any individual expressing students and further undermines the the only two media outlets out of 96 in 67 criticism of Islamic extremism. They credibility and legitimacy of the NUS countries that analysed the Paradise Papers accuse critics and fellow students of being amongst government, policy makers and to be taken to court. motivated by racism and Islamophobia. wider civil society.” Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 remained on the books, presenting cause for concern as the law’s punitive cost- Recruitment shifting provision could hold publishers The Institute is offering a referral fee to any member who can help recruit new members. liable for the costs of all claims made Every Full Member you sign up will earn you £50. The new member will need to be against them, regardless of merit. Although sponsored by you and will have to satisfy our accreditation procedures. Contact our after the end of the year the government announced that it would not implement Chief Executive for more details - [email protected] .

3 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition All change at Trinity Mirror New arbitration ewspaper group Trinity Mirror newsrooms more than a decade ago and scheme is changing its name to Reach. takes the total provision for hacking claims he Independent Press Standards NShareholders have also approved made by the group to more than £60m. TOrganisation (IPSO) is creating the group’s takeover of Express newspapers The forecast for “structural cost savings” a compulsory arbitration scheme (from Northern Shell) by an overwhelming is still estimated to be a further £15m this as an alternative to court action for 99 per cent. year and that is not looking good for staff people with “genuine claims” against Not all the news from Trinity Mirror is as the two groups – Trinity Mirror and newspapers. It already has a voluntary positive; its current annual report shows Express Newspapers – converge. Just scheme but there have been no cases that its female staff were paid 18 per cent days after the report was published, Daily brought under this system since it was less than their male counterparts in 2017, Express editor Hugh Whittow announced introduced two years. and have received smaller bonuses (3.4 per his retirement and Daily Star editor Dawn The scheme is scheduled to go live cent less). Neesom said she was leaving to pursue a on July 31. Those members who However, to put this into context, Media freelance writing and broadcasting career. do not sign up to it will remain on Scotland, comprising the Daily Record, The name change, to Reach, may inspire the voluntary arbitration scheme, Sunday Mail and local titles, had an even forward thinking as two large media groups although not all IPSO members are larger pay gap at 19.4 per cent and a bonus come together and kick past poor behaviour signed up to offer arbitration at all. pay gap of 10.4 per cent. The worst overall over phone-hacking into the long grass, but IPSO chief executive Matt Tee said: performer is The Economist Group which new horizons are rarely without clouds. “Lord Justice Leveson stressed the showed a pay differential of 32.5 per cent. The Competitions & Markets Authority importance of having a low-cost means Trinity Mirror Group showed a £90m fall is now looking at the “plurality issues” of people that had been wronged by in group revenue which they say was due and there have been assurances that the a newspaper getting compensation, to “a weak print trading environment” and newspapers across the merged group without the expense of court and legal is despite growth in its digital publishing would retain their editorial independence. fees. Our new scheme does exactly revenue of seven per cent to £84m overall. The takeover deal includes the Daily that and the papers are not able to The annual report showed that the group Express, Daily Star, Sunday Express and choose which cases they take.” had set aside an extra £10.5m for payouts Daily Star Sunday, plus celebrity magazine Culture Secretary Matt Hancock to claimants that have accused Mirror titles OK!, New! and Star. called the IPSO scheme “an important Group journalists of hacking their phones. Trinity Mirror’s annual report is available step forward for a press that’s both This follows the long-running set of court online at: http://www.trinitymirror.com/ free and fair.” He urged newspapers cases dealing with behaviour in the group’s latest/news/annual-report to sign up to it. Liz Justice Fake news, NUJ-style Journalists’ t has been brought to our attention that the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) is Iclaiming on its website that its members’ magazine, The Journalist, is unique, stating that Charity shuts “since Press Gazette moved to online publication only, The Journalist is the only specialist publication dedicated to the media available in print.” This is obviously a false claim, as home our own Institute’s magazine, The Journal, in continuous publication since 1912, is still a printed journal, in addition to being available in an online edition downloadable from our he Journalists' Charity (formerly website, and there are no plans to cease publishing The Journal in this way. We therefore Tthe Newspaper Press Fund) has call on the NUJ to remove the false statement from their website. been forced by financial circumstances to close its nursing home for journalists and their dependants, Pickering House CIoJ welcomes decision to scrap in Dorking, Surrey. The home, which opened in 2007, has been making substantial losses. Leveson 2 and Section 40 The home's 14 residents have been he Chartered Institute of Journalists Standard and the online Independent.” given three months’ notice to leave, Thas welcomed the Government stated The Institute believes IPSO should involve and the charity is working with Social intention to scrap Leveson Inquiry Part 2 representatives from professional journalist Services to find them all alternative and Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act, associations such as the CIoJ and NUJ. “The accommodation. which threatened to punish news publishers Government has quite rightly responded to Jill Palmer, who chairs the charity’s refusing to sign up to a state-approved the democratic voice of public consultation”, board of trustees, said: “It has been regulator. the CIoJ said in a statement. a very difficult decision to close New CIoJ Vice President, Professor Tim The Government received 174,730 direct Pickering House but a combination Crook, says that Ministers should now scrap responses to its consultation into whether of falling demand and increasing the Press Recognition Panel, adding “it is the Leveson Inquiry should be re-opened, costs meant the home had become an time for the regulator IMPRESS, largely along with petitions bearing 200,428 unsustainable drain on the charity’s funded by the controversial Max Mosley, to signatories. Some 66% of direct respondents finances. leave the media landscape.” thought that Part 2 of the inquiry should be Our primary duty is to ensure that Says Prof Crook: “Journalists and news terminated, compared to 12% who thought we have the financial capability to publishers need clarity and leadership. We it should continue. support as wide a range of eligible need a single independent regulator for An overwhelming 79% favoured full repeal people in the short, medium and long journalism ethics and we hope IPSO will of Section 40, with many expressing concerns term. We will of course ensure that take on reforms to attract participation from that it would have a “chilling effect” on the current residents at Pickering House all national newspaper publishers including freedom of the press, while just 7% said the are relocated to comparable and The Guardian, Financial Times, London measure should be implemented. suitable accommodation.”

4 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition Contesting the world’s most invasive surveillance regime By Tim Crook t the heart of the 2016 Investigatory of shambolic opposition and a political representation for the journalist and news Powers Act is the Government’s climate reeling from the implications of publisher as parties to the applications. Abelief that we do not own our the EU referendum. The Government was The IPA system does not recognize that communications data. The information criticized for not providing any credible the journalist has a right to be party to the about who we contact, on which day and at evidence that the extreme indiscriminate review. Instead, the Act appoints a Judicial what time, where and in what way belongs powers included in the legislation complied Commissioner to adjudicate applications, to private internet service providers and with European Union and European and journalists have no rights to be telecommunications companies. That Human Rights law or were fully necessary informed about the applications or access is why the legal access is a relationship to prevent or detect crime. to their information. Everything will be between government and data processors; conducted in secret with no public scrutiny not the users. Petition at all and absolutely no due process of legal There is nothing in the Act to explicitly A public petition has called for its repeal, representation. declare that the content of a communication with more than 200,000 signatures, but this Protections for sensitive categories such is our personal property, but perhaps that has not as yet been debated by Parliament. as “confidential journalistic material” is implied. The trick played on journalists In January 2018, the English Court of and “sources of journalistic information” and everyone else is that the police, Appeal ruled that near-identical powers are invalidated where the “information intelligence agencies and any of the 48 state in the Government’s previous surveillance is created or acquired for the purpose of investigatory bodies given access powers law – the Data Retention and Investigatory furthering a criminal purpose.” Criminal in the 2016 legislation have the data map Powers Act – were unlawful because they activity is defined as a situation where an to that content should it be preserved on let public bodies access the nation’s internet accused “who has no previous convictions computer hard discs activity and phone could reasonably be expected to be or any form of digital records with no sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 3 storage server. It is the In January 2018, the English Court suspicion of serious years or more.” roadmap to finding the of Appeal ruled that near-identical crime and no more detailed evidence if powers in the Government’s independent sign- Espionage required. previous surveillance law – the Data off. This ruling had This means that any public official trying Liberty, the civil rights Retention and Investigatory Powers applied an earlier to leak anything to a journalist will be group, and Edward Act – were unlawful because they judgment in the furthering a criminal purpose because the Snowden, the American let public bodies access the nation’s same case from the maximum sentence is life imprisonment whistleblower, say that European Court of for misconduct in public office and will be internet activity and phone records the Investigatory Powers Justice (ECJ). 14 years for leaking information under a Act is the most invasive with no suspicion of serious crime The Government proposed Espionage Bill. surveillance regime of and no independent sign-off. has conceded that At the judicial review hearing held any democracy in the Part 4 of the new Act over three days at the end of February, world. The fear for all needs reform, in the the Government’s barrister, James Eadie of us is that it introduces staggering state light of these cases, but further intervention QC, contended that the vast majority of spying powers that give the Government by the courts is not needed. IPA not only communications data retained will never be access to up to a year of everybody’s web gives state agency access to communications accessed by the state because most people histories, email, text and phone records. data on demand; it also allows the State to are not affected by police or other relevant Ministers tell us this makes us safer and hack computers, phones and tablets on an investigations. This is certainly not the case freer from all the dangers of terrorism and industrial scale, and collect the content of with professional journalists. other awful crimes. They say the Dystopian our digital communications and records Under the old Regulation of Investigatory “Big Brother” vista of doom conjured by about those communications created by our Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), hundreds of privacy campaigners is an unnecessary and computers, phones and other devices. journalists had their data secretly accessed inaccurate exaggeration. with a sign-off from a senior police officer The IPA, they tell us, was intended to Facebook in the same force. The lack of scrutiny in introduce transparency to state surveillance The scandal over Facebook’s leak of such oversight chimes ironically with a following Snowden’s revelations of data belonging to 87 million social media profession castigated during the Leveson unlawful mass monitoring of the public’s users has heightened public sensitivity Inquiry for “marking its own homework”. communications. about the significance of personal data. When RIPA was debated in Parliament, But Liberty’s legal experts say the It is being likened to “the new oil”, or, politicians assured the media industry Act simply legalises the practices that perhaps more appropriately, “the oxygen that its powers would never be used Snowden exposed, and introduces hugely of the information age.” The Act purports against journalists in leak inquiries. The intrusive new powers which undermine to provide safeguards for the protection of Government lawyer told the High Court our privacy, free press, free speech, protest confidential journalistic information and in February that accessing a person’s entire rights, protections for journalists’ sources journalist source data. communications data history would require and whistleblowers, and legal and patient But these provisions are not equal to the most serious justification and “in reality confidentiality. those offered by the Police and Criminal the law does not permit vast, intrusive When it was passed in Parliament at Evidence Act 1984, where independent collection by the state of communications the end of 2016 there was an atmosphere judicial hearings have to take place with data.”

5 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition Hatred of journalism threatens democracies he 2018 World Press Freedom Index, then Prime Minister Robert Fico called such as Vietnam (175th), Turkmenistan compiled by Reporters Without journalists “filthy anti-Slovak prostitutes” (178th) and Azerbaijan (163rd). TBorders (RSF), reflects growing and “idiotic hyenas”. A Slovak reporter, When it’s not despots, it’s war that helps animosity towards journalists. Hostility Ján Kuciak, was shot dead in his home turn countries into news and information towards the media, openly encouraged in February 2018, just four months after black holes – countries such as Iraq (down by political leaders, and the efforts of another European journalist, Daphne two at 160th), which this year joined those authoritarian regimes to export their vision Caruana Galizia, was killed by a targeted at the very bottom of the Index where the of journalism pose a threat to democracies. car-bombing in Malta (down 18 at 65th). situation is classified as “very bad”. There The climate of hatred is steadily more have never been so many countries that are visible in the Index, which evaluates the Threat to democracy coloured black on the press freedom map. level of press freedom in 180 countries each “The unleashing of hatred towards It is in Europe, the region where press year. Hostility towards the media from journalists is one of the worst threats to freedom is the safest, that the regional political leaders is democracies,” indicator has worsened most this year. Four no longer limited RSF secretary- of this year’s five biggest falls in the Index to authoritarian “The unleashing of hatred general Christophe are those of European countries: Malta countries such as Deloire says. (down 18 at 65th), Czech Republic (down Turkey (down two towards journalists “Political leaders 11 at 34th), Serbia (down 10 at 76th) and at 157th) and Egypt is one of the worst who fuel loathing Slovakia (down 10 at 27th). (161st), where for reporters “media-phobia” is threats to democracies,” bear heavy Self-censorship now so pronounced RSF secretary-general responsibility Ranked second (but more than 10 points that journalists are because they worse than Europe), the Americas contain routinely accused Christophe Deloire undermine the a wide range of situations. Violence and of terrorism and all concept of public impunity continue to feed fear and self- those who don’t offer debate based on censorship in Central America. Mexico loyalty are arbitrarily imprisoned. facts instead of propaganda. To dispute the (147th) became the world’s second deadliest More and more democratically-elected legitimacy of journalism today is to play country for journalists in 2017, with 11 leaders no longer see the media as part of with extremely dangerous political fire.” killed. Thanks to President’s Maduro’s democracy’s essential underpinning, but as In this year’s Index, Norway is first for increasingly authoritarian excesses, an adversary to which they openly display the second year running, followed – as it Venezuela (143rd) dropped six places, the their aversion. The United States, the was last year – by Sweden (2nd). Although region’s biggest fall. On the other hand, country of the First Amendment, has fallen traditionally respectful of press freedom, Ecuador (92nd) jumped 13 places, the again in the Index under Donald Trump, the Nordic countries hemisphere’s greatest this time two places to 45th. A media- have also been rise, because tension bashing enthusiast, President Trump has affected by the overall Vladimir Putin’s between the authorities referred to reporters as “enemies of the decline. Undermined and privately-owned people”, a term once used by Joseph Stalin. by a case threatening Russia (148th) media abated. In North The line separating verbal violence from the confidentiality of is extending its America, Donald physical violence is dissolving. In the a journalist’s sources, Trump’s USA slipped Philippines (down six at 133rd), President Finland (down one propaganda network another two places Rodrigo Duterte not only constantly insults at 4th) has fallen by means of media while Justin Trudeau’s reporters but has also warned them that for the second year Canada rose four and they are “not exempted from assassination”. running, surrendering outlets such as RT and entered the top 20 at In India (down two at 138th), hate speech its third place to the Sputnik 18th place, a level where targeting journalists is shared and Netherlands. At the the situation is classified amplified on social networks, often by troll other end of the Index, as “fairly good”. armies in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s North Korea (180th) is still last. Africa came next, with a score that is pay. In each of these countries, at least The Index also reflects the growing slightly better than in 2017 but also contained four journalists were gunned down in cold influence of “strongmen” and rival models. a wide range of internal variation. Frequent blood in the space of a year. After stifling independent voices at home, internet cuts, especially in Cameroon (129th) Verbal violence from politicians against Vladimir Putin’s Russia (148th) is extending and Democratic Republic of Congo (154th), the media is also on the rise in Europe, its propaganda network by means of media combined with frequent attacks and arrests although it is the region that respects outlets such as RT and Sputnik, while Xi are the region’s latest forms of censorship. press freedom most. In the Czech Republic Jinping’s China (176th) is exporting its Mauritania (72nd) suffered the region’s (down 11 at 34th), President Milos Zeman tightly controlled news and information biggest fall (17 places) after adopting a law turned up at a press conference with a fake model in Asia. Their relentless suppression under which blasphemy and apostasy are Kalashnikov inscribed with the words “for of criticism and dissent provides support to punishable by death even if the accused journalists”. In Slovakia, (down 10 at 27th), other countries near the bottom of the Index repents. But a more promising era for

6 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition

The press freedom map, which is distributed in print and digital versions, offers a visual overview of the sitution in each country in the Index. The colour categories are assigned as follows: good (white), fairly good (yellow), problematic (yellow), bad (red) and very bad (black).

journalists may result from the departure of seems dangerously inclined to take the “insulting the head of state”. In light of such three of Africa’s most predatory presidents, same path as China after closing dozens of a wretched performance, it is no surprise in Zimbabwe (up two as 126th), Angola (up independent media outlets and plunging that the region’s overall indicator is close to four at 121st) and Gambia, whose 21-place ten places, one of the biggest falls in the reaching that of Middle East/North Africa. jump to 122nd was Africa’s biggest. region. According to the indicators used to In the Asia-Pacific region, still ranked The former Soviet countries and Turkey measure the year-by-year changes, it is fourth in the Index, South Korea jumped continue to lead the worldwide decline in the Middle East/North Africa region that 20 places to 43rd, the Index’s second press freedom. Almost two-thirds of the has registered the biggest decline in Media biggest rise, after Moon Jae-In’s election region’s countries are ranked somewhere freedom. The continuing wars in Syria as president turned the page on a bad near or below the 150th position in the (117th) and Yemen (down one at 167th) decade for press freedom. North Asia’s Index and most are continuing to fall. They and the terrorism charges still being used democracies are struggling to defend their include Kyrgyzstan (98th), which registered in Egypt (161st), Saudi Arabia (down one models against an all-powerful China one of the Index’s biggest falls (nine places) at 169th) and Bahrain (down two at 166th) that shamelessly exports its methods for after a year with a great deal of harassment continue to make this the most difficult and silencing all criticism. Cambodia (142nd) of the media including astronomic fines for dangerous region for journalists to operate. The World Press Freedom report – what is it? ublished every year since 2002 by as regards media freedom. It is an absolute in the past but, thanks to statistical analysis, PReporters Without Borders (RSF), the measure that complements the Index’s the data gathered continued to permit World Press Freedom Index is an important comparative rankings. The global indicator comparison with previous years. advocacy tool based on the principle of is the average of the regional indicators, Translated into 20 languages including emulation between states. Because it is well each of which is obtained by averaging English, Arabic, Chinese, Russian, known, its influence over governments the scores of all the countries in the region, Indonesian and Korean, the questionnaire is growing. Many heads of state and weighted according to their population as is sent to journalists, media lawyers, government fear its annual publication. The given by the World Bank. researchers and other media specialists Index is a point of reference that is quoted selected by RSF in the 180 countries covered by media throughout the world and is used Qualitative analysis by the Index. Each country is assigned a by diplomats and international entities such he degree of freedom available to score based on the answers provided by as the United Nations and the World Bank. journalists in 180 countries is determined these experts and on the figures for acts The Index ranks 180 countries according by pooling the responses of experts to of violence and abuses against journalists to the level of freedom available to a questionnaire devised by RSF. This during the previous year. journalists. It is a snapshot of the media qualitative analysis is combined with A team of in-house specialists, each freedom situation based on an evaluation quantitative data on abuses and acts of assigned to a different geographical of pluralism, independence of the media, violence against journalists during the region, keeps a detailed tally of abuses quality of legislative framework and safety period evaluated. The criteria used in and violence against journalists and media of journalists in each country. It does not the questionnaire are pluralism, media outlets. These researchers also rely on a rank public policies even if governments independence, media environment and network of correspondents in 130 countries. obviously have a major impact on their self-censorship, legislative framework, The Abuses indicator for each country is country’s ranking. transparency, and the quality of the calculated on the basis of the data about Nor is it an indicator of the quality of infrastructure that supports the production the intensity of abuses and violence against journalism in each country. of news and information. media actors during the period evaluated. Along with the Index, RSF calculates a To compile the Index, RSF has developed This quantitative indicator is then used global indicator and regional indicators an online questionnaire focusing on to weight the qualitative analysis of the that evaluate the overall performance of the subjects specified above. This year’s situation in the country based on the replies countries (in the world and in each region) questionnaire was slightly less detailed that to the questionnaires.

7 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition How to avoid hating journalists when disaster strikes By Prof Tim Crook omebody I know who became a college on. This is certainly the case with terrorism. on her ward spoke of a note offering £2,000 principal described recently how Journalists regularly see and experience for information being included in a tin of Smuch he hated the press after having aspects of carnage, horror and death that biscuits given to the staff. to manage the fallout from the deaths most people would never encounter once The report described how a young of his students in a road traffic accident. in a life-time. In the London Bridge and woman was visited by a reporter at their Reporters were described as “vultures” Borough attack, a BBC journalist going home and given condolences on the death who were “shouting down the phone to get home from work was a fraction of an inch of her brother whilst her parents were at details before the families were ready” and from being killed when a van mowed down the Etihad Stadium. This took place on the “publishing pictures of the students having people before her very eyes. Later on, a morning following the attack. The family somehow got their names, and turning up Sunday Express journalist nearly paid with were not told that their son was likely to be at the gates”. his life when he placed himself in front of among the fatalities until later that day. He asked for my advice. I responded terrorists indiscriminately plunging their The report alleged at least two examples with sympathy and said that he and the lethal blades into anyone they came across. of impersonation. One respondent talked grieving families of his students should When the worst things happen in the on the phone to someone saying they not be confronted with any insensitive and world, it is the duty of journalists to were a Bereavement Nurse; whilst another harassing behaviour. I offered all the advice report and communicate, but to do so they described talking to someone who they felt I could provide, including the 24-hour have to have the trust and respect of the sounded to be more like a journalist but Independent Press Standards Organisation human society they are a part of. Recent who purported to be from the police. (IPSO) harassment helpline number. events suggest this is not happening. The Some families mentioned the repeated use I explained that, under Clause 3 of the Kerslake Report into the Manchester Etihad of their loved one’s photo causing renewed Editors’ Code, journalists should identify Arena terrorist bombing complained: upset each time. International media used themselves and the publication or agency “Most participants who commented on an image taken inside the foyer in which they work for; that everyone has the right to their experience of the media in the attack the deceased could be identified. Families tell journalists clearly that they do not wish aftermath were negative. People talked were angered by personal Facebook and to speak to them or be photographed and about feeling ‘hounded’ and ‘bombarded’.” other social media accounts being accessed that they are asking them to stop. I said that Some described being put under pressure and information and photos used without under the Code of Practice, journalists must to participate in TV programmes. At the permission. Inaccurate details about their not continue their activities once asked to Etihad there were concerns with people loved ones, such as a wrongly spelled stop; that If anyone at home does not wish feeling accosted by media crews. Specific name, caused considerable upset. to answer their door they can pin a short mention was made of photos being taken The Kerslake report did say that a number note to it to say that they do not wish to through the glass windows of a family of families spoke in praise of sympathetic speak to journalists and do not want to be being given news of bereavement. There reporting by the Manchester Evening News disturbed. were descriptions of people having to run and other papers local to the bereaved. IPSO also advises if anyone is being to cars with coats over their heads to escape. Those involved in the Disaster Victim telephoned repeatedly and does not wish Similarly, someone described having to be Identification process said the media had to speak to journalists they should change taken into hospital to see their injured child respected the dignity of the deceased and their answerphone message to say that only via a staff entrance because of the behaviour the privacy of the families when making personal callers should leave a message of some media representatives at the main visits to see their loved ones. and they do not wish to speak to the entrance. The Manchester Evening News raised media. I pointed out that the Prevention of more than £1 million for the victims. Harassment Act 1997 makes it a civil wrong Official notification One difficulty is that the Kerslake Review and criminal offence for any journalist Several people told of the physical has taken all the media complaints as being to leave somebody with a perception of presence of crews outside their homes. accurate accounts of media conduct. These distress on at least two occasions through One mentioned the forceful attempt by a allegations have not been investigated. unwanted approaches. reporter to gain access through their front They have only been reported. IPSO Chief door by ramming a foot in the doorway. It Executive Matt Tee quite rightly said: “The Distressing circumstances was reported that the child of one family press has a narrow path to tread between My friend’s Facebook page filled up with was given condolences on the doorstep reporting accurately and sympathetically angry anti-journalist comments; some of before official notification of the death of on tragedies on the public’s behalf and them asking how the journalists would her mother. Another family told how their respecting the feelings of those most feel if it was their daughter or son who child was stopped by journalists whilst directly affected.” had been killed. The reality, of course, is making their way to school. The volume and intensity of anger does that generally journalists do know how it At the hospitals, families attending to suggest that clearly not everyone is tip- feels to experience tragedy at home and at look for missing loved ones and visiting toeing effectively on this narrow path and work. Very early on in their careers they the injured described having to force their this includes broadcasters as much as the often have to learn how to deal with the way through scrums of reporters who press. A key recommendation of the report stress of approaching bereaved families “wouldn’t take no for an answer”. One is that IPSO should engage a review of the and communicate with people in very mother, who was herself seriously injured Editors’ Code in the light of the complaints distressing circumstances. as was her daughter, spoke of the press of bad media conduct and consider It is also not uncommon for journalists to ringing her on her mobile whilst she was be victims of the very incidents they report recovering in hospital. A member of staff Continued on page 9

8 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition

Continued from 8 ALCS to sponsor CWA Gold “developing a new code specifically to be participating rather than hiding or Dagger for Non-Fiction cover such events.” pontificating. The report also advised wider education It is also apparent that members of the he Authors’ Licensing and Collecting and planning on the role of the media by public and those people likely to have TSociety (ALCS) is to sponsor the Crime police family liaison officers, statutory direct contact with journalists in the Writers’ Association Gold Dagger for Non- responders, first response agencies and midst of human tragedy and disaster Fiction in 2018. local authorities. have little idea of the rights and needs of This year sees the 40th anniversary of the professional journalists when covering award; previous winners having included Round-table discussion large scale human tragedies. Reporters Antonia Fraser, Jonathan Goodman and The Kerslake inquiry held a round-table do have to ask questions and obtain Ruth Dudley Edwards. discussion with the media in Manchester accurate information. It is a stressful Martin Edwards, Chair of the CWA, said: and recognized how the role of social situation for all concerned. “We are delighted by ALCS’ support for the media considerably accelerated the pace IPSO has produced an excellent 13- Dagger. Although the CWA is associated at which information on individual page briefing, “Press Report on a Death: in the public mind with crime fiction, non- families became more widely available. Information for the Public”. It would fiction has always been a key part ofour It learned that the BBC had established be surprising if many people in the remit. Our members include some of the a system so that a single BBC journalist emergency services and indeed many leading writers of non-fiction, and they was assigned to each any one family media relations and press officers for focus on a much wider range of subjects affected by the bombing so the BBC was public and private bodies throughout the than just ‘true crime’. That breadth of range not making multiple contacts. country have any idea of its existence. of their work is increasingly recognised It strikes me that much more work The first duty of any journalist when worldwide, and this new sponsorship can needs to be done. ISPO should not be reporting human tragedy is to behave only help.” alone in this process. Ofcom, professional decently and respectfully toward those The Gold Dagger is an award is for any unions, and the main broadcasters such they have contact with. The learning and non-fiction work on a crime-related theme as ITV, Sky, the BBC, and the Foreign understanding of this duty is an ongoing by an author of any nationality on condition Press Association in Britain should be and never-ending journey. But the need that the book was first published in the UK involved as well. Those news publishers for liaison and education about the in English during the judging period. This refusing to be regulated by IPSO, the media’s role in these events can be a matter award encompasses, though is not limited Guardian, Independent online, London for negotiated understanding rather than to, non-fiction works relating to true crime, Standard, and Financial Times should scapegoating and condemnation. historical crime, crime-related biography, crime-fiction literature, and critical studies.

Election purdah is not an excuse Mysterious to shut down democracy death of Russian journalist he Chartered Institute of Journalists fatally stabbed in London during 2018 has Thas condemned a decision by the now reached at least 35. lthough local police in the Greater London Authority to shut out the Professor Crook says: “Election purdah AUrals Region decided there media and general public from London is not an excuse to bring down the was “nothing suspicious” about the Assembly and Mayor of London meetings shutters on democracy. We believe that the death of journalist Maksim Borodin, on knife crime. apparent view of the GLA’s monitoring others remain to be convinced. The The CIoJ says the GLA has wrongly officer of electoral law is wrong, and the investigative reporter, who recently applied an over-strict interpretation of Local Government Association briefing wrote an expose of the Russian electoral purdah restrictions during local on Purdah Guidance is being interpreted government’s use of mercenaries in elections in London Boroughs. inappropriately.” Syria and elsewhere – Putin’s “shadow Institute Vice-President, Professor Tim army” – fell to his death in a five- Crook, says: “The House of Commons FOI request story plunge from the balcony of his would not dream of sitting in private The CIoJ has also made a Freedom of apartment in the city of Yekaterinburg. because there’s a by-election in Barnsley, Information Act request for all emails, Despite the official disinterest in the or elections for the Scottish Parliament, documentation and minutes of meetings matter, press freedom organizations Welsh or Northern Ireland assemblies.” relating to the media exclusion decision. including the CIoJ have called for an The CIoJ has issued a complaint to the In response to the Institute’s complaint, independent investigation. Electoral Commission that the GLA did Karim Aziz of the Electoral Commission Borodin is among 58 Russian not allow journalists or the public to attend replied: journalists who have been killed since the London Assembly meeting on knife “The Commission had no role in the 1992, according to the Committee to crime in the capital on April 11. setting or adherence to the rules on Protect Journalists (CPJ). The article The same exclusion happened in relation purdah.” “The Journalist Who Exposed Russia’s to the Mayor’s Summit at City Hall on He added: “I can confirm that the Greater Mercenary Force Dies in Fall from April 10, which was discussing the same London Authority did not consult with the Balcony” (http://www.themedialine. issue and which was attended by Mayor Electoral Commission before they took org/mideast-daily-news/journalist- of London Sadiq Khan as well as a their decision. The Commission does not who-exposed-russias-mercenary- number of high-profile politicians and the have any information as how the decision force-dies-in-fall-from-balcony/) Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. was arrived at by the Greater London appeared first on The Media Line The number of people who have been Authority.” (http://www.themedialine.org).

9 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition Presidential Handover he Presidental Handover of the Crook was invested as her Vice-President. Chartered Institute of Journalists, Andy Smith, a Editor of this Journal for Twas held on March 9 at No.2, Dock the past 16 years, was awarded a Life Offices, headquarters of our Institure Fellowship of the Institute. In her inaugural since the 1980s. Janice Shillum Bhend speech, the new President outlined her was invested with her badge of office as plans for the next two years, highlighting President for 2018-2020, and Prof Tim the immediate actions and the priorities for her Presidential term of office.

Janice Shillum Bhend is an experienced journalist, publisher, editor and media professional with a strong background in feature, celebrity and women’s interest writing for numerous best-selling, national magazines. She has made many TV and radio appearances over her long career and contributed to several books. Passionate about promoting quality journalism, she has seven year’s experience teaching the next generation of journalists at degree and post-graduate level. She also published her own national women’s title YES! for five years — a runner up in the PPA Small Publisher of the Year awards.

President’s message This is not only because Dock Offices will President will be to help ensure we find a enjoyed talking to CIoJ members at the be in the middle of a building site for the new head office in an up-and-coming area IPresidential handover party in March. foreseeable future but also because BL’s that will be easily accessible to all and It was a happy occasion, and everyone offer was well above market value. potentially another great investment for the enjoyed the evening. My thanks to all those future. Until then we will continue much as members who took the time out of their Seamless before, using the same contact details but busy schedules to come along. Members do not need to worry; our working day-to-day in a more “virtual” In my speech, I mentioned that the contact details will remain unchanged world, as so many journalists do now. It’s Institute’s Council had, earlier that day, for the time being, and all services will be an exciting opportunity to move on to the agreed to surrender our lease to British maintained with no break in service. We next chapter in the CIoJ’s long history — I Land who have a development plan for have, over the past few years, engaged with will, of course, keep you all posted. Canada Water that will take more than 20 modern working practices and emerging In the meantime, if any member has years to complete. As an HQ, Number 2 technologies. This means that we will be any concerns whatsoever, please contact Dock Offices has served us well over the able to deliver services to members from [email protected]. last 30 years, and we’ll be sad to leave, but interim offices in a seamless fashion. it’s an offer that we really could not refuse. So, one of my first priorities as your new Janice Shillum Bhend

10 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition The following are excerpts from the President’s speech at the Handover: For immediate action in what is now a very different media ur Canada Water HQ has served landsacape. The Independent went online, us well for 30 years and now the then the Guardian went tabloid, now that Odecision has been made to accept grand old standard NME will be available British Land’s offer for the lease, we must only in digital form. What’s next? Women’s find a new head office in a situation that weekly magazines are looking decidedly will be easily accessible for all and as good shaky, they are being written by journalists an investment for the future as No. 2 Dock from writing hubs, nothing but glorified Offices has proved to be. typing pools while editors are being expected support like never before — when times are The merger of our charities, voted for at the to oversee four titles at a time. How can hard we should help each other and work AGM last October, will enable us to be more publishers expect circulations to increase together to make them better. The CIoJ flexible when assessing members’ needs and when the quality of content is being driven offers employment advice and protection; an save on costs as we will need fewer trustees ever downwards? official press card and an international one and committee members. We have already We must also raise the profile of the for overseas assignments; a regular magazine begun on what will be a great deal of work CIoJ. The Professional Practices Board is in print and online to help to keep members to ensure we meet all legal requirements and always active in sending out press releases in touch with industry developments and the rules of the Charity Commission. on relevent topics: We’ve campaigned on where they can also make their own views many important subjects in the last year and known. Priorities sent out a release recently, welcoming the Our charities help and support members Recuitment has to be a top priority and one Government’s decision not to implement and their families through hardship, which we urgently need to address. We have Leveson 2. Tim Crook, Chair of the PPB and redundancy, illness, old age and worse. Far been discussing how to tackle the decline our new Vice President is heading Open from being rooted in a Dickensian past, our in our membership for some years but it is Justice and Save Our Newspapers campaigns unique Orphan Fund currently has three now time to take action. We are building and we have protested long and hard against beneficiaries. relationships with journalism colleges and local council ‘Pravdas’ like Waltham Forest Plus, there’s the right to use the letters universities especially Harlow College and News and the Hackey Gazette that continue MCIJ after your name to demonstrate your Goldsmiths, University of London and to defy the law on frequency of publication professional status. And all for less than £4 already offer lower membership rates to and have had a bad effect on local papers a week, not much more than the price of a students but perhaps we could do more? causing closures and loss of journalism jobs. coffee. You, our members, already know I would ask all our members nationwide I recently had an idea for badges with this but what we need to do now is ensure to help us by making contact with their slogans like “Support journalists – Make all journalists know about our Institute, too own local journalism teaching centres to News Great Again”, “Save our Newspapers” many do not. spread the message that the CIoJ is a viable or even “Adopt a journalist — save the world”; I attended a London Press Club debate on and non-political alternative to the NUJ. We they could be a simple and inexpensive way Women and Journalism recently — women should also forge stronger links with other to raise awareness of real journalists and in the Media have been making news organisations, especially those popular journalism which have both lost credibility themselves, mistreated because of their sex, journalists’ media forums on the internet, I’m in the wake of Leveson, phone hacking and discriminated against because of their status hoping they may prove to be the perfect place Fake news. Our reputation has plumetted, we as mothers or paid less simply because they to find new members in the future. could even be an endangered species about are women. Listening to that debate it was Training at low cost should be on offer to to be replaced by algorithms and robots. But evident that things haven’t changed all that all our members whatever stage of their we do have one big advantage over them — much since I started in women’s magazines careers they have reached and must include and that is creativity. Journalists have a way in the 60s. There are many things wrong with Continuing Professional Development and of making things fresh and relevent to their journalism today that affect both women Early Career programmes. We are currently target audience that I doubt Alexis or Siri will and men but as 8th March was International considering an initiative that would ever perfect. Our Royal charter demands that Women’s Day and February saw the require us to undertake an industry-wide we champion ethics and standards and it is centenary of the Representation of the People consultation before it could be implemented these that could help the public to trust us Act in which women of property aged 30 and and could take up to a year to set up. again — they are our trump cards that will over, finally got the vote, I feel justified in In the meantime, I hope we will be able also help us win out over the Internet. appealing for more women members to come to carry on offering training sessions as forward to serve on our Council, the PPB and we have done before. These have been met Foundation stone of democracy committees. We have two on Council, one on with varying degrees of success in the past Journalists do a vital job, press freedom the PPB but we do need a better balance. Note because the take-up from members is not must be protected at all costs, it is the to self: must try harder to sub edit the CIoJ always sufficient to cover costs. We think foundation stone of our democracy. If a rule book to read s/he wherever the President webinars could be the way forward to save local newspaper reporter had been on the is referred to as ‘he’ (which is actually of attendees the expense of travel and of losing ground, instead of living miles away due to course, the whole way through). a day’s work. Offering alternative topics like ‘centralisation’ and cut backs, he would have I may have just become only the fifth marketing, feature writing or PR skills would heard and reported the concerns of residents woman President of the CIoJ in 134 years (the help members to earn more. Tell us what you about the safety of the Grenfell flats and that others were Meg Peacock, Lois Hainsworth, need and how you would like it to happen. terrible tragedy might have been avoided. Sangita Shah and Liz Justice) but I sincerely What The Guardian called recently an hope there will be many more in future. Let What we must do next ‘existential threat due to a combination of us work together with our male colleagues We journalists, especially freelances, have social, technical and economic factors’ means to ensure that the Chartered Institute of had the rug pulled from under our feet in we are facing a ‘perfect storm’, a fourth Journalists is still a force to be reckoned with recent years and must diversify to survive industrial revolution where journalists need in the years to come.

11 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition Liberty and democracy under assault emocracy is in retreat around the the last 70 years by casting aside democracy • Sharp democratic declines in Tunisia in globe, according to Freedom in the as the animating force behind American 2017 threatened the only Free country DWorld 2018, the latest edition of the foreign policy,” Abramowitz added. in the Arab world and the sole success annual report on political rights and civil “The hastening withdrawal of the United story from the 2011 Arab Spring. liberties, published by Freedom House. States from its historical commitment to The report finds that 2017 was the 12th supporting democracy overseas makes the • The forced resignation under military consecutive year of decline in global challenge posed by authoritarian regimes pressure of elected president Robert freedom, with 71 countries sufferinv all the more powerful and threatening.” Mugabe pushed Zimbabwe over the net declines in political rights and civil In another significant development, threshold from Partly Free to Not Free. liberties, and only 35 registering gains. Turkey moved from “Partly Free” to “Not Once-promising states such as Turkey, Free” as President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan • Myanmar’s campaign of ethnic Venezuela, Poland, and Tunisia were among broadened and intensified the crackdown cleansing in 2017 demonstrated the those experiencing declines in democratic on his perceived opponents that began flawed nature of the country’s limited standards. The recent democratic opening after a failed 2016 coup attempt, with dire democratic opening, which had in Burma/Myanmar was permanently consequences for Turkish citizens. been welcomed by the international damaged by a shocking campaign of ethnic Over the period since the 12-year slide community since 2010. cleansing against the Rohingya minority. began in 2006, 113 countries have seen a net “Democracy is facing its most serious crisis decline, and only 62 have experienced a net Worst of the Worst: in decades,” said Michael J. Abramowitz, improvement. President of Freedom House. “Democracy’s • Of the 49 countries designated as Not basic tenets—including guarantees of free KEY GLOBAL FINDINGS Free, the following 12 have the worst and fair elections, the rights of minorities, • Of the 195 countries assessed, 88 (45 aggregate scores for political rights freedom of the press, and the rule of law— percent) were rated “Free”, 58 (30 and civil liberties, earning less than 10 are under siege around the world.” percent) “Partly Free”, and 49 (25 points on a 100-point scale (beginning Freedom in the World 2018 reports percent) “Not Free”. with the least free): Syria, South Sudan, on how China and Russia have taken Eritrea, North Korea, Turkmenistan, advantage of the retreat of leading • The United States saw declines in its Equatorial Guinea, Saudi Arabia, democracies, increasing repression at home political rights due to: Somalia, Uzbekistan, Sudan, Central and exporting their malign influence to African Republic, and Libya. other countries. To maintain power, these - Growing evidence of Russian autocratic regimes are acting beyond their interference in the 2016 election Freedom House is an independent borders to squelch open debate, pursue campaign and a lack of action by watchdog organization that dissidents, and compromise rules-based the Trump administration either to supports democratic change, institutions. condemn or to prevent a reoccurrence monitors the status of freedom A major development of 2017 was the of such meddling around the world, and advocates for retreat of the United States of America as a champion and an exemplar of democracy. - Violations of basic ethical standards by democracy and human rights. While Freedom House has tracked a slow the new administration, including the decline in political rights and civil liberties President’s failure to divest himself of 2018 applications invited in the USA for the past seven years, the his business empire, his hiring of family for Grace Wyndham decline accelerated in 2017, owing to members as senior advisers, and his growing evidence of Russian interference in appointment of cabinet members and Goldie Trust Fund the 2016 elections, violations of basic ethical other senior officials despite apparent pplications are invited for grants standards by the new administration, and a conflicts of interest Afrom the Grace Wyndham Goldie reduction in government transparency. (BBC) Trust Fund, which exists to help Although American institutions like the - A reduction in government those engaged in broadcasting or an press and the judiciary have remained transparency, including an unusual associated activity, now or in the past, as resilient, attacks upon them could ultimately pattern of false statements by the well as their children and dependents. leave them weakened, the report concludes, administration, the President’s failure The Trustees, in their discretion, will with serious implications for the health to disclose basic information such as consider giving assistance towards of US democracy and America’s place his personal tax data, policy and other educational costs in small ways, such as in the world. Meanwhile, the abdication decisions made without meaningful travelling expenses, school outfits, books of the traditional US role as the leading input from relevant agencies and additions to educational awards. champion of democracy is of deep concern and officials, and the removal of Other grants can be made in respect and potential consequence in the ongoing information on issues of public interest of a specific short term unexpected struggle against modern authoritarians and from government websites for political need which is beyond the means of the their pernicious ideas. or ideological reasons beneficiary and not covered by aid from “The core institutions of American other sources. democracy are being battered by an • Corrupt and repressive states such as The resource of the fund is limited. So administration that has treated the Saudi Arabia, Iran, Venezuela, and that help can be given where it is most country’s traditional checks and balances North Korea put global stability at risk needed, the applicants must be prepared with disdain,” Abramowitz said. by perpetuating long-running regional to give, in confidence, full information conflicts, fueling humanitarian crises, about the circumstances supporting Authoritarian challenge and in North Korea’s case, rapidly their applications. “The Trump administration has made a expanding its nuclear arsenal. See CIoJ website for more details. sharp break from the political consensus of

12 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition Rowing Warrior By Ian Harvey HERE’S the crazy “I want to give you this book Ian, about Irishman?” shouted a Grand Island, about my family and my “Wdetermined and forthright fourth great grandfather, Ogichida, Chief woman, in the distinctive drawl of Upper Gashkiewishiwin-gijigong, a legendary Peninsula, Michigan, as she stood beside a Chippewa warrior and clan chief of his tall broad-shouldered, swarthy-faced man people,” said Kris (Kristine) LeVeque, on the Munising marina jetty. The man was stepping on deck with a smile and a warm her partner, a Cherokee Indian, and she embrace. “Please read what I have written was hailing the deck of the tugboat Seneca inside the flyleaf – it’s about you and what moored alongside. The ancient, battered you have inspired me to say about your but proud, WW2 tugboat moved restlessly, voyage for the benefit of children’s charities. tethered by its hawsers on the stormy “I have lived through you on your journey waters of Lake Superior, just opposite as our ancestors did when on one famous Grand Island on the huge lake’s southern occasion in the early 1800s the island shore. warriors canoed all the way to the western The Seneca had run for cover from the end of the lake as part of a huge Chippewa pent-up July storm now throwing up white war party. Caught up in a disastrous battle water around Grand Island and the great they fought courageously against the lake beyond. The Ojibwa or Chippewa Sioux, our traditional enemy at that time, in Native American people, who for hundreds defence of their honour, families and land,” of years have lived all the way round its she added. 2,700 miles of shoreline, call it Gichigami, to Kris! They added that they wished to meaning Big Water. Sole survivor honour me with the title Ogichida because I was the “Crazy Irishman”, a name The island chief’s teenage son was the I had braved all that the “Lady Lake” had adopted by the newspapers of various only Grand Island survivor of that one- thrown at me, for the sake of families and mid-western States including a radio and sided battle, escaping and taking months to children who couldn’t help themselves. TV station who were covering my charity canoe home to tell of the courage of every In September 2011, I travelled to rowing challenge. My plan had been to one of the islanders who died with honour. Indiantown, Munising where the time- row from the western end of Superior, the Gashkiewishiwin-gijigong was made chief honoured ceremony took place in a Wabeno largest freshwater lake in the world, to the in his father’s place and given the honoured [communal Wigwam], during which I eastern end, some 400 miles as it turned Chippewa title of “Ogichida”, meaning uttered the Ojibwa words, “Ogichida out. The intention was to row in a low- warrior. His heroic feat became local legend ndizhnikaaz, Northern Ireland ndoonjibaa, slung single scull rowing boat, resting and and in 1855, his extraordinary story was makwa doodem Gichiminnis” [“I am called eating on board the backup boat, Seneca, woven into literary history as additional Warrior, I come from Northern Ireland and aiming to complete the journey within a inspiration for Henry Wadsworth I am a member of the Bear Clan of Grand two week period by keeping parallel with Longfellow’s world-famous poem, “The Island”]. Welcoming me into the family the southern shore. Everyone thought I was Songs of Hiawatha”. the clan leader and elder Ogima Kwae mad including the crew of the Seneca, my I completed the epic voyage a few days presented me with a blanket to wrap myself back-up team of friends from Northern later having almost come to grief in huge in. Granted the right to wear four colours Ireland, and a BBC NI film crew. waves at Au Sable Point, ridden out on my native regalia, teal blue, aqua blue, another storm in Grand Marais and rowed royal blue and white [the colours of the Lunacy through the night as I watched shoreward Lake], I had become blood brother to a It had never before been attempted by celebratory fireworks set off in honour of direct descendant of a legendary Chippewa rowers and within that period it seemed the final leg of my challenge! I had reached Chief and adopted member of the Bear impossible given the unpredictable nature the last possible day and after a gruelling Clan, Grand Island Band, Tribe of Sault Ste. of the lake, even in July when the water 400 miles, a massive storm chased me across Marie, Chippewa Indians - the stuff of Wild temperature had risen from below freezing the finishing line. It had been achieved in West childhood dreams. to just a handful of degrees centigrade in eight days and two and a deeper water [still hypothermia level]! half nights of exhausting but I had just turned 58 which only added to exhilarating effort, which the sense of lunacy surrounding the entire turned out to be a world- endurance escapade. first for the sport of rowing. “He’s here, resting on deck, come aboard!” It was the fact that I had shouted my comrades as they laughed done it to raise funds for BBC at the familiarity of the name I had been Children in Need and my justifiably dubbed. East African charity Fields At that point I had covered well over three of Life, that the descendants quarters of the total mileage with one of of the island Chief, in 2006, the worst stretches still to tackle and time a year after my row, invited running out. Apart from a few days spent me to join a native pow- sheltering from the worst storms I had been wow in their small coastal averaging 36 miles a day, rowing at night city and in time become an when the weather was calm enough (a bit adopted member of their like rowing with one’s eyes closed). family as blood brother

13 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition Review points way to sustainable future for S4C n independent review of the Unique cultural value requirements to give S4C greater Welsh language broadcaster S4C The Minister for the Creative Industries, freedom to invest and generate Ahas been published. The UK Margot James added: “S4C has a unique commercial revenue. Government has accepted all of the review’s cultural and social value as the world’s recommendations. only Welsh language broadcaster. We want • The S4C Authority should be The review, led by Euryn Ogwen to see it continue to thrive, but, as with replaced with a new unitary Williams, presents a package of reforms all broadcasters, it needs to adapt to the board comprising executive and which have the potential to deliver real changing media landscape. This review sets non-executive directors. change to make S4C a better organisation out a clear and sensible path for its future, that more effectively serves Welsh-speaking and we are providing the funding certainty • The Government should consider audiences. The review’s recommendations that S4C needs to deliver this.” whether S4C’s current financial will also be instrumental in strengthening The review’s recommendations are as audit arrangements are suitable, the independence of the broadcaster follows: including whether it would and increasing the transparency of its • The government should update be appropriate to appoint the operations. S4C’s public service remit Comptroller and Auditor General As part of its commitment to ensuring to include digital and online as S4C’s external auditor. a strong future for Welsh language services and remove the current broadcasting, the Government has also geographical broadcasting Euryn Ogwen Williams, who chaired the announced it will be maintaining funding restrictions. This will allow S4C independent review, said: “I was delighted for S4C at its current level of £6.762 million to broaden its reach and offer to be asked to lead on this independent for 2018/19 and 2019/20. This will give its content on a range of new review, on a subject very close to my heart. S4C the funding certainty it needs for the platforms in the UK and beyond. Being the only Welsh language broadcaster, next two years to deliver the much-needed S4C’s role is one of great importance to reforms set out in the review until the new • S4C should establish an in- Welsh speaking audiences in and outside arrangements take effect. house digital hub to develop and of Wales and I wanted to make sure it can Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns, improve S4C’s digital footprint continue to thrive in this new and fast said: “S4C undeniably makes an enormous and form the basis of a Welsh developing media landscape. contribution towards the creative industries language digital cluster. “I hope that my report and in Wales, and crucially, to promoting the recommendations will guarantee S4C’s Welsh language and our culture around the • The broadcaster should establish status as an independent broadcaster that world. a language partnership with the can play a major role in the Welsh language “The UK Government recognises the Welsh Government and others partnership, having secured the stability to importance the people of Wales place to help deliver the government’s do so for the years to come.” upon S4C. Broadcasting across the UK commitment to reach a million is a reserved function, that is why this Welsh language speakers by 2050. Implementation plan Government will continue to provide The Government has accepted all the funding certainty to the channel as it • S4C’s public funding should be recommendations made by the review navigates the recommendations set out in provided entirely through the and has asked S4C to provide a detailed the review over the coming two years. licence fee from 2022/23 onwards, implementation plan by July 2018 on how it “I am confident that the future is bright for with all future funding decisions will deliver the necessary reforms. S4C. We want to see the channel continue made as part of the BBC licence Williams has over 50 years’ broadcasting to evolve to meet the needs of the digital fee funding settlement. experience in Wales, and was appointed age, and develop some of the UK’s most to chair the S4C review based on his innovative, authoritative and entertaining • The Government should consider understanding of the Welsh language programming now and in the years to amending current approval broadcasting sector as well as his knowledge come.” of Welsh language, culture and society.

SOCIAL MEDIA DID YOU KNOW Follow us, and re-post our messages on social Your annual subscription to the Chartered media. The Institute has a Facebook, Twitter Institute of Journalists is tax-deductible? This and LinkedIn presence which will keep you applies to any Institute member who is a UK up-to-date with our news. taxpayer, whether you are a staff journalist or a freelance.

14 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition Reinventing digital editions

By Mary-Katharine Phillips n recent years, we’ve seen that • DN+ from Diario de Navarra (Spain) Some of these digital-only editions newspapers are re-discovering the replace the entire print publication, like Ipower of editions as their core and • La Matinale from Le Monde (France) The Independent, which became digital- unique value proposition. After years of • Welt Edition from Die Welt only due to business needs. Other editions investing in the “news flow”, they have (Germany) target new, complementary audiences, like learned that their most loyal and profitable L’édition du Soir (Ouest-France). Ouest- audiences are actually hooked by carefully • L’édition du Soir from Ouest-France France noticed a trend in their readers of curated and packaged publications. (France) wanting something more light-hearted to That’s why at Twipe we launched the read in the evening, so they created L’édition • Espresso from The Economist (UK) research project “Reinventing Digital du Soir which has an emphasis on games Editions”. This fits very well with our DNA • The Independent Daily Edition and interactive stories. Other editions, as technology innovators for edition-based from The Independent (UK) such as Welt Edition, come from a pure publishing. We analyzed successful digital- desire to innovate—when they first started • 12 from Tamedia (Switzerland) development, they didn’t even know what the iPad would be called, they just knew they wanted to be the first on the German market with a newspaper tablet app. The rest of the editions emerged from a need to serve time-crunched readers who feel overwhelmed by the constant onslaught of news. The Economist’s Espresso is one such edition, positioning itself as a “shot of daily news” for people on the go. From the benchmarking and common factors of the editions themselves plus interviews with the innovation leaders, six key best practices for digital-only editions emerged. For your own free copy of the full report with the 6 key success factors for digital-only editions, please contact mary- [email protected] only editions, defined as digital publications with a clear beginning and end, published on a more than monthly basis, and with no print counterpart containing the exact same content. To begin, we took up the challenge of listing all the digital-only editions that existed, but we quickly found that the market was not as mature as we had expected. Other than a few stand out examples in Europe, there are not many digital-only editions available today. From this we wondered what had driven the creation of these editions and what commonalities they had that led to their success. Analysis of the editions served as the first ever benchmarking for digital-only editions, and found common factors in terms of format and navigational structure, publishing frequency and time, length and amount of non-news content, and features. In addition to the analysis, interviews with leaders behind these editions revealed the key motivations in developing these new E-mail address ALCS innovative, digital-only editions. If you are not receiving regular Join ALCS for free if you’re a In total eight leading digital-only editions messages from us via e-mail it were studied: is likely we do not have your Member of either up-to-date details. Don’t miss • Handelsblatt10 from Handelsblatt out. Update your details today https://www.alcs.co.uk/Join/ (Germany) - [email protected] . Apply-to-join

15 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition Failing Open Justice at Britain’s biggest court centre By Prof Tim Crook here used to be many more who is a colleague of journalists at the RCJ working for the mine at Goldsmiths, TPress Association, other agencies and University of national newspapers. In 1980 I remember London. well over 20 journalists working there and She said she was using the press room on the ground floor. trying to do for On February 28, The Press Association’s the children of the news diary announced in the early morning present refugee that in the High Court there was “nothing crisis what people listed”. What I presume they meant by this struggled to achieve is that they did not detect any demand from for the children of the wider media for any alerting to cases the Kindertransport that may be of interest. of 1938-9, There was no doubt there were journalists explaining: “The attending hearings and reporting what triumph for me was was going on, but it was disturbing that to get a film accepted there was a clear disconnection between as evidence. In a the significance of some of that day’s court way the biggest hearings and the lack of publication in local, achievement of my and the setting up of judge and media regional and national news media. life has been to get the lawyers to take this ‘bench committees’ throughout the country Britain’s biggest court complex contains on. We have been comrades in arms on this to develop a partnership of understanding 3.5 miles of corridors, over 1,000 rooms and for 18 months. We’ve all worked insane and ongoing promotion of the Open Justice across a multi-building complex hosts 120 hours and suffered a lot of setbacks. It principle. courts and around 200 senior judges. Yet matters a lot to us.” hardly anything substantial emerged in There were at least two other significant Culture of secrecy terms of media news coverage which in my cases going on that day which did The journalism industry needs to be better opinion deserved to published. not produce any media coverage. The resourced in terms of court reporters, and In Court 19, before Mr Justice Ousely Government was giving its argument in the judiciary needs to make it easier to at 10.30 a.m., there was a judicial review Liberty’s challenge to the Snoopers’ Charter find out what is going on and to report of the Government’s refusal to allow a 16 in Court 1. And in Court 5 there was the newsworthy proceedings. The growing year old Afghan refugee to seek sanctuary Court Martial Appeal of an RAF pilot who, culture of secrecy and anonymity is a in the UK. It is a case that could give hope having caused his plane to nosedive over significant problem. If the parties toa to thousands of other child asylum seekers 4,000 feet while using a digital camera, had hearing are not known why should any across Europe. his dismissal from the service reversed. news publication find any human interest The boy was listed as “ZS”, and was living This was the case of Flt Lt Andrew in the court hearings? in the Calais refugee camp when the French Townshend who in February last year was This is undoubtedly the case that authorities cleared it in October 2016. He accused of costing the Ministry of Defence was going on in Court 13, where two applied unsuccessfully to be brought to the millions of pounds when he accidentally anonymous businessmen were pursuing UK under Section 67 of the Immigration deactivated the autopilot of the military the first “right to be forgotten” claims to be Act, known as the Dubs amendment. passenger jet. The Voyager aircraft, which tried in England against Google. It is the first time a lone child asylum had 198 passengers and crew on board, Earlier, on February 15, journalists had seeker has issued a challenge of this kind plummeted 4,400ft over the Black Sea. to persuade the Appeal Court judge, Lord against the Home Secretary. Scouring His original case was covered by nearly Justice Holroyde, that he did not have the the press, I could only trace a report every national newspaper. His successful power to prevent the identification of two arising from this day’s proceedings in the appeal was not. convicted sex offenders appealing against Guardian, provided by Diane Taylor. Something clearly needs to be done. The their sentence. And on February 23, after I did my best to follow Press Association Institute has made some recommendations a two year freedom of speech battle, the filing on this day and could not find any for a multi-agency approach and sent Times was able to identify a billionaire reports from this case being distributed. The a report to the senior judiciary, Lord former judo partner of Russian President hearing lasted three days, with Judgement Chancellor and Minister for Justice and Vladimir Putin who had been involved in being reserved. Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media a legal dispute with his former wife over and Sport. The report can be downloaded money. Photo opp from the CIoJ’s website. But the struggle to win this right had There was a picture opportunity outside Suggestions include judges being meandered from High Court, Appeal Court the Royal Courts of Justice where a trained to provide one-page summaries to Supreme Court. The worry here is that group of activists promoted the cause of of their rulings for the media and public; journalists and news publishers cannot unaccompanied child refugees seeking online sound recordings of case rulings; afford to be in every court that makes asylum in the UK. This case arises out of a court reporter apprenticeships at the orders rendering justice secret. documentary film project “Calais Children: Royal Courts of Justice; better access for Justice not seen and justice not heard will A Case to Answer” by Professor Sue Clayton journalists to courtrooms and case papers; become justice blind and silent.

16 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition

OBITUARY Henry Douglas (1925-2018) he longest-standing member of legal training, went our Institute, and one of the best- on to become Legal Tloved former Presidents, has died, Manager of the News peacefully, after a “very good lunch”, at the of the World and, age of 93. after retiring, served Henry Russell Douglas was born in as a much-respected Bishopbriggs, near Glasgow, in 1925. consultant on media According to his daughter Jane, he was legal issues. a particularly patriotic Scot who had an However, he found extensive collection of kilts, in which he was he had to defer to his proud to appear “at the drop of a hat”. granddaughter Helen Henry joined the navy in 1943 and, rather when he was asked surprisingly, given that he was immensely to check over the tall, served in submarines. Only a year ago, teenage publication, he found himself stuck in a lift and was Sugar, for libel. asked whether he was claustrophobic: “Oh Unfortunately, no. I was in submarines during the war” without her help he was his swift reply. couldn’t understand After his service in the Royal Navy, Henry what the magazine went up to Oxford University where he read was on about! I History. While there, apparently, he wrote a suspect many fathers great deal of poetry, played a lot of chess – and grandfathers sometimes playing for the University – and would have met his future wife, Elizabeth. In her eulogy, sympathised! Jane referred to how the family often heard Henry continued of the chess tournament in which Henry to be an active and “beat the man who beat the man who beat committed supporter the world champion”! of the Institute in his Henry met the young Elizabeth at a retirement, attending seminar on the French Revolution. The class many functions, and consisted of Elizabeth, and three men. She serving as one of described the experience to her children as the organisation’s “One was married, one was mad and one senior “Three was Daddy!” Married in 1951, the couple Wise Men”, who, After the service in Guildford, his coffin settled down to married life in Liverpool traditionally, were called on to resolve began a journey north so that Henry could where Henry worked on the staff of the seemingly intractable disputes between be buried with Elizabeth in Yorkshire. The Liverpool Daily Post as leader-writer and officers and, sometimes, argumentative Institute was represented at his funeral by assistant editor. His passion for books also members. Although Henry’s legs and Chief Executive Dominic Cooper and Past- manifested itself in his other role as the knees were not in great shape in 2008, Presidents Roger Bush and Paul Leighton. Post’s Literary Editor. he and Elizabeth attended that year’s On the Sunday before Henry died he was CIoJ conference in Malta. The walk up out with his family for lunch at his favourite Legendary through the old capital was a bit of a trial, I local hostelry, The Olive Tree, where he Henry Douglas became a member of remember uncomfortably, because arthritis enjoyed a ‘jolly good lunch’, two large the Institute of Journalists in 1957, which had already taken a hold on my left knee glasses of Merlot, and was driven home by suggests he may well have been the so I was happy to slow down and wander his family for an afternoon snooze. May he longest-standing member of the Institute – through the historic streets with them both. Rest in Peace. unless, of course, any Journal readers know otherwise! Requiem Mass Paul Francis Leighton Encouraged by the now-legendary Larry Henry’s grandfather and great- (with grateful thanks to Jane Douglas for Lamb, Henry moved to Fleet Street in 1969 grandfather were ministers of Scotland’s her help and kindness) as part of the launch team for the new Sun United Free Church, but, at the age of 18, in newspaper. Writing in his book Sunrise, 1943, he became a Roman Catholic. It is clear Larry wrote of Henry that “he is a big that Henry’s faith was vitally important man in every sense of the word, with a big to him, and most surely, he would have Have you renewed heart, a big appetite, a big family and a appreciated the traditional Requiem Mass magnificently well-stocked mind.” held to celebrate his life at the church of St your subscription In common with many Institute members, Edward the Confessor, Sutton Park, near Henry was a stickler for proper use of Guildford. Links for the payment of your language and grammar. (I fear that, even As daughter Jane told me, his Faith subs may be found on our now, he will have a good look at this piece sustained him greatly on the death of webiste. Don’t forget you from above and find my scribblings a little Elizabeth after their 61 years of marriage. can pay by cheque, credit/ wanting!) It must have proved a huge comfort too debit card, direct debit, direct As an employee of News International, on the early deaths of two of his children; transfer and paypal. Henry, although had not had any former Catherine and Alexander.

17 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition Call to reform election rules he Electoral Reform Society (ERS) covering election law – was written in a huge quantities of personal information is calling for an urgent review of time of ‘mini-discs and the millennium with little oversight. Our main act Tpolitical campaign regulation in the bug, with today’s online minefield far covering election law was written in a UK in light of the Cambridge Analytica from sight’. time of mini-discs and the millennium scandal. bug, with today’s online minefield far The ERS has written to leaders of Harvesting data from sight. Clearly it is time for an urgent Britain’s main political parties calling Social media giants and the politicians review of this legislation to bring it up to for cross-party talks on how the UK’s have both been “asleep at the wheel” date.” campaign regulations can be updated to while companies harvest citizens’ He added: “Information can change how “finally come to terms with the digital age personal information for political and people think and behave and is often the in the wake of these revelations.” financial ends. Regulators may need to basis on which people vote: if you can Democracy campaigners are also be given more powers and resources, and control information and know in detail urging the Electoral Commission and citizens more rights to see what is being how it affects people’s behaviour, you the Information Commissioner to set done with their data in real time. can influence our democracy. So, we must out what powers and resources they Willie Sullivan, Senior Director of the make sure the regulators can do their jobs need to monitor the online campaigning Electoral Reform Society, said: “Online properly, to monitor what is going on, and landscape, which the ERS describe as a campaigning is the 21st century’s wild that citizens can see what campaigners are “wild west”. west – and the Cambridge Analytica saga doing with their data. The main legislation regulating political is a very stark reminder that we have to “Data harvesting and campaign parties’ campaigning activity and finance assess how to govern the new terrain. targeting is not new – but the difference dates back to 2000 – before Facebook That’s why we have written to party now is that it can be done much more (public in 2006) or Twitter (2006) even leaders today, and are urging regulators extensively and stealthily than in the past. existed, and long before they had any role to set out what powers and resources they We know what newspapers print, and we in political campaigns. need in this fraught landscape. can all see the billboards parties put up. It The campaigners note that the Political “The rules on campaigning simply is harder to know who is being targeted Parties, Elections and Referendums Act haven’t caught up with the digital age. online, how they are being targeted, and (PPERA) – the main Act of Parliament Parties and campaigns are able to collect who is behind it. Gordon Thomas (1933-2017) OBITUARY

longstanding member of our his novel Bed of Nails. AInstitute, and sometime contributor As a journalist he found himself in to this Journal, Gordon Thomas was an a series of conflict zones and was a investigative journalist and prolific author war correspondent for over 40 years, who specialised in espionage and the secret beginning with the Suez Crisis and intelligence services. He was the author of ending with the first Gulf War. He no fewer than 53 books, including Inside was also a BBC writer and producer British Intelligence: A Hundred Years of MI5 for three flagship BBC documentary and MI6, Gideon’s Spies: Mossad’s Secret programmes, Man Alive, Tomorrow’s Warriors, Secrets and Lies: A History of CIA World and Horizon. His book Gideon’s Mind Control, and The Assassination of Spies: Mossad’s Secret Warriors, based Robert Maxwell. He also co-wrote, with Max on years of extensive research during Morgan-Witts, the bestselling Voyage of the which he was given unprecedented Damned, concerning the fate of the MS St access to Mossad personnel including Louis ocean liner carrying Jewish refugees top spies Ari Ben-Menashe and from Germany to Cuba in 1939, which Rafi Eitan. It was later turned into a became a Hollywood film starring Max von Channel Four documentary entitled Sydow and Faye Dunaway in 1976. The Spy Machine, which Gordon Gordon Thomas was born in Wales, in wrote and narrated. His last book on a cemetery keeper’s cottage. He had his secret services was Shadow Warriors: first story published at nine years old in a Daring Missions of World War II by Boy’s Own Paper competition. His father Women of the OSS and SOE (written served in the Royal Air Force and had a with Greg Lewis). series of overseas postings which meant Spies and spooks were not Gordon young Gordon went to various schools in Thomas’s sole subject matter and Egypt, South Africa, and Bedfordshire. His his literary and journalistic output cousin was none other than Dylan Thomas, covered a diverse range of topics. and it was the celebrated Welsh poet who His books The Jesus Conspiracy: The helped Gordon get his first book published. Trial and Inevitable Crucifixion of Jesus This was Descent into Danger, the story of a Christ, Pontiff: Inside the Vatican and The given subject. Farewell, Gordon – it was British spy in Russia during World War II, Day the Bubble Burst: A Social History of a privilege to know you. Enjoy your next which he wrote when he was just 17. After the Wall Street Crash of 1929 showed that, great adventure – and please write about it, school he spent a year with a travelling fair, as a good investigative reporter, Gordon if the opportunity arises! using those experiences as the material for could readily immerse himself in any Andy Smith

18 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Dear Editor, he Autumn 2017 issue of The Journal, the Sussex Daily News, and its evening paragraphs about our successes appeared which, as a member of the Institute companion, the still-extant Argus. I won a in October 1946 in local newspapers in Tfor 62 years, I always read with great national essay competition sponsored by the areas where he and I worked and in interest, included an article about merging the Fund for junior members of the Institute the trade press, including World’s Press the Institute’s charities that particularly and was awarded the princely first prize of News and Newspaper World. These caught my eye. It seems plain that work five guineas, nearly three times the £2 that I attracted the attention of the then editor of has to be done to update the rules and trust was being paid weekly while learning some the News Chronicle, Robin Cruickshank, deeds; and by the time you receive this of the crafts of journalism. I was invited to who had been a distinguished Washington letter doubtless the AGM will have voted attend the annual general meeting of the Correspondent during WW2. When he on Resolution 20 proposed by Norman Institute in London (with travel expenses returned to London to become editor, he Bartlett. Whichever way any vote will have paid by the Institute, from West Sussex wrote a rollicking history of the newspapers gone, I have one or two points to make on to London and back). The then President, called “Roaring Century”. the subject. I hope they might encourage the W.I. Andrews, Editor of the Yorkshire He invited me to London (again, travel Institute’s officers, Council members and Post, handed the precious money to the expenses paid!) and when I met him he the Professional Practices Board to think callow youth before him, said a few kind asked me to write him an annual note telling about the possibility of re-establishing words and wished me luck in my career. I him what I was doing. Overwhelmed by the one of the funds that were, as the article certainly had it! fact that this busy man, aged sixty or more pointed out, “closed many years ago”. That President was knighted in 1954 as and not in the best of health, was finding It could perhaps be re-introduced in an Sir Linton Andrews, was a President of the the time to encourage a mere cub reporter appropriately-adapted modern form. The Guild of British Newspaper Editors and a in the provinces, I complied. I wonder how fund I have in mind is the Oliver Madox founder member of the old Press Council. many editors today might do anything Hueffer Fund. He died in 1972 when I was the BBC’s Africa similar? Oliver Madox Hueffer was a journalist Correspondent, covering stories of political Eventually, after obtaining the recognised and brother of the best-selling 20th century and often sanguinary upheaval ranging journalistic General Certificate of Training writer and influential literary journalist, from Amin’s oppressive antics in Uganda and being formally accepted by the news Ford Madox Ford. They were the sons of a to Ian Smith’s declaration of Rhodesian industry as a qualified reporter, I was German 19th century immigrant to Britain, independence (experiencing jail in, and invited by Cruikshank to London from Francis Hueffer. The brothers were born deportation from, both countries); and Bristol, where I was then on the staff of and educated in England and Anglicised from wars and military coups in Nigeria the Bristol Evening Post. I spent my entire their names after Germans had become to the overthrow of Emperor Haile Selassie annual holiday of three weeks working unpopular during the 1914-18 Great War. in Ethiopia and revolution there. I was on as a holiday relief reporter on the News They each introduced into their new the air and on the screen almost daily for Chronicle. It was a period of absolute bliss. I names at least one of the names of their nine years while in Africa and I’ve often was 22; I was given lively assignments every British grandfather, Ford Madox Brown, wondered if Sir Linton (if he ever watched day; and while in London I stayed with my a Victorian painter closely associated with TV or listened to Radio) perhaps recalled mother, living in Kentish Town, and gave the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. the occasion 16 years earlier when he had her whatever I could afford in return for my Oliver’s brother (who fought in the wished me luck. If he did, I hope he was accommodation and breakfast. British Army against the Germans and was satisfied with the standard of my reporting! I felt that I was really knocking on the wounded in the Great War) eliminated doors of the old Fleet Street. I was also completely the German-sounding part of Fall-out given valuable advice by another journalist, his original name from his new name, to A useful fall-out for me from the Fund’s Norman Cursley. He was deputising as become the Ford Madox Ford remembered essay award was publicity which helped editor in Cruikshank’s absence because in today’s major encyclopaedias. Oliver me in my early struggles to become an of ill-health – and he did me a good turn. himself, however, seems to have been fairly established journalist. Memories of that While encouraging me as a reporter (most brave (some would perhaps say foolhardy), spur me to write this letter because the of my pieces were printed), he discouraged in retaining in his new name his original Fund’s activity was the sort of thing that, in me in any long-term hopes about working German-sounding surname at a time when my view, the Institute should still pursue. for the newspaper, hinting at its financial even the British royal family was changing The essay competition itself was normally problems and indicating that I would be its name from the Germanic “Battenberg” triennial, although it was suspended during sensible to look elsewhere for work. Sure to the English “Windsor”. 1939-45, the competition previous to the enough, the News Chronicle died not long one which I entered having been held in afterwards and so my first Fleet Street job Maverick 1939. I think (but I am not sure) that the came a year later when, at the age of 23, I Oliver was obviously something of a competition I won was actually the last. I joined the staff of the Press Association. maverick, which is not a bad quality in any may be wrong about that. If any reader has independently-minded journalist. More more knowledge on the matter I should be Assignments important, though, from the Institute’s grateful for information. That led, after three years with P.A., to viewpoint, is that somewhere along the line The competition had been open to junior nine years with The Daily Telegraph, nearly he appears to have wanted to encourage members of the Institute (then aged 21 or a quarter of a century with the BBC, and a young journalists. Hence the establishment, below), and it entailed writing an essay of full and satisfying career and existence as through the Institute, of the Oliver Madox 1,000 words on “My Favourite Newspaper a foreign correspondent. I worked in over Hueffer Fund. – and Why”. I chose the old News 100 countries, filing and broadcasting from I believe that I was the last beneficiary Chronicle (the title of which I think is now places where I was based for some years at of that Fund in 1946. I was a 17-years-old owned by the Daily Mail); and the second a time, such as Brezhnev’s Soviet Union, the “apprentice junior reporter” on the now- prize of three guineas went to P.C. Byrne, USA during the Nixon years, and an Africa defunct Brighton morning newspaper, aged 18, who chose the Daily Mail. News moving from colonial rule to independence

19 The Journal - Summer 2018 edition

and all-too-frequent chaos. I was given news about royalty as well as foreign news responses to this letter are positive I could splendid assignments such as the Dalai involving the Foreign & Commonwealth offer not only some cash to assist in the re- Lama’s flight from Tibet, an investigation Office. It meant that the BBC paid only one establishment of the Fund but also a few into slavery that persuaded the late King journalist to do two jobs! ideas on conditions for entering the essay Feisal of Saudi Arabia to outlaw the practice Returning to the Oliver Madox Hueffer competition and potential themes – even of it in his country and for which I was Fund, I should be happy to help in the titles – for subjects to be addressed. made a member of the Anti-Slavery Society, restoration of the Fund. If Institute members’ John Osman and many other memorable journalistic “dream jobs”. I was, for example, the POSTSCRIPT: I had been a junior member of the Institute when, on completing my first BBC correspondent ever to visit the apprenticeship, I was lured away from my employers by the old Worthing Herald (now isolated Republic of Outer Mongolia and merged with the Worthing Gazette) offering me more money. Having accepted the job, I to broadcast from there, many years before found to my shock that an NUJ “closed shop” existed there, although it had never been that country established itself as a tourist mentioned until I turned up in the newsroom to begin work. I was forced to accept the attraction. switch by a fairly militant “father of the chapel” and an editor who himself was regarded, My final five years at the Corporation I in Conservative Worthing, as being a bit of a Lefty, if only because he nearly always spent in a dual role as BBC “Diplomatic and sported a red tie! With a recently-widowed mother and two younger sisters to help Court Correspondent,” the Court bit of the support I was in no position to argue so I became a reluctant NUJ member. But the pro- title meaning Buckingham Palace, not a Law Soviet attitude displayed by that organisation later, during the 1956 Hungarian uprising Court. It’s a BBC post that’s been abolished against the Soviets, in due course spurred me to quit and to move back to the Institute. to be replaced by one called “Royal Then, upon joining the BBC in 1965 I found that most of the Corporation’s journalists Correspondent” – how I would have hated were NUJ members, although there was no closed shop as such. So, a few of us formed a being so described, being anything other kind of informal Institute cell within the BBC, including characters well-known to older than royal! – that is now separated from the Institute members, such as the late Chris Underwood and the late Dominick Harrod. At “Diplomatic Correspondent” part of my old 88, I can only hope that one day the NUJ might escape from the clutches of the Trades job. It was in fact quite an effective money- Union Congress and the extreme Left, to become as free and constructive as our Institute. saving exercise by the Corporation because I am not, however, very optimistic! the correspondent holding the job covered Head Office move Continued from 1

Canada Water after an earlier dock) and onto Stratford, site of the Olympic Games. Most of the docks were filled in and thousands of homes built. Come 2015 and the area had become a strange mixture of modern high-rise around distinctive stretches of preserved water, a shopping centre, a striking library, a modern station, Victorian offices and substandard 1950s buildings. Access was transformed when the Overground network was linked to Canada Water. In 2016 a massive £2 billion redevelopment contacting a local commercial property was proposed led by British Land. Many of agent it was confirmed that the offer was the proposals can be seen at goo.gl/Tx9w4R in excess of the property value at the The British Land Company plc is one time. After receiving that information, of the largest property development and the offer was increased following further investment companies in the UK. It controls negotiations. 2.2 million sq. metres of property, the After considering the price and the largest being Meadowhall, Sheffield. options, Council felt the sum of half-a- million pounds finally offered was a fair Negotiations sum for the leasehold property. This was It was in September 2017 that British Land agreed with British Land. The offer was came calling on the Institute at Number conditional upon the Institute vacating 2, Dock Offices. The first tap was for the the premises by March 31, 2018. Institute’s parking space. A surprisingly The moving process started with high amount was offered for this bit of storage accommodation hired and tarmac. Our street-wise Chief Executive, a subcommittee formed to investigate communication industry threatens so many Dominic Cooper, was naturally suspicious suitable premises for the new headquarters journalists, the Institute stands as a pillar of of the sum offered. However, during of the Institute. In the meantime, temporary continuity. Its good financial situation (see subsequent negotiations – of which the rented accommodation will be used. Postal, 2017 accounts) will be further strengthened CIoJ’s Council was kept fully informed – it telephone and email contacts will remain by the release of the equity in the property. was revealed that a bigger prize might be unchanged. The full range of Institute When it moves to a new address, it will on offer for the whole office suite. services will continue, unaffected by the only be the fourth permanent location in Naturally, the Institute sought removal from Dock Offices. the Institute’s 135-year history. independent valuations, and after As the changing dynamic of the media and Norman Bartlett

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