NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE

Informedissue 26 February 2019

deal which could cancel JPIMedia’s Honk! We’re on strike responsibility for JP’s pensions and dump its scheme on the government’s Pension Protection Fund. At Reach, the third of the big three provincial publishers, cuts continue. In Ireland, the union expressed grave concern about further cuts at Independent News & Media and is helping editorial workers faced with the threat of redundancy. Meanwhile lay-offs and cuts at the so-called new media outfits such as BuzzFeed, Huffington Post and Vice have shown the problems of revenue raising in the digital sector. As NUJ Informed went to press, the Cairncross report was imminent and, as Ian Burrell reports (page 9), all the signs suggest that the government will consider moving towards some sort of regulation and a “tech tax” on the likes of Facebook and Google to offset their free ride in scooping up media advertising and taking content from the press. Newsquest staff in Cumbria on strike During a meeting with Jeremy Wright, Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, If Dame Frances Cairncross needed Labour leaders of Cumbria and Carlisle Media and Sport, Michelle Stanistreet, any more evidence of the state of the councils, the Carlisle Green Party chair NUJ general secretary, impressed upon UK’s regional newspapers as she put and a host of local councillors. him that handing over any tech-tax the last touches to her report on the Newsquest made more than a 100 bounty to the existing news groups sustainability of the press, the strike people redundant since it took over would not help encourage quality, public by Newsquest journalists couldn’t Cumbria Newspapers in March 2018. interest journalism and that any further have made it clearer. The strike highlighted poverty wages, funding mechanisms would need strict Picket line placards at the Carlisle with trainees earning £16,500 and criteria to help deliver quality content News and Star, the Cumberland News, seniors starting on £20,500. News and boost plurality. the Workington Times and Star and the that notorious “vulture capitalist” Michelle discussed with Jeremy Whitehaven News before Christmas MNG Enterprises had offered Gannett, Wright how diversity in broadcasting cried: “Local News Matters”, “Stop the Newsquest’s US parent company, a and the wider media industry could Cuts”, “We Need a Pay Rise”, while buy-out was chilling news for staff at the be improved and updated him on the the journalists reported on the high UK-based titles. union’s equal pay claims at the BBC. He levels of stress among staff and the Plans by the new owner of Johnston sought the union’s views on improving loss of experienced reporters at their Press, JPIMedia, to close, merge or media literacy among young people newspapers. move offices in Belfast, Peterborough, and how to combat the online abuse of The striking journalists earned huge Sunderland, Harrogate and London’s journalists. It was a very positive meeting support across the union movement, Cavendish Square, boded ill for those and the department has shown it is keen plus praise from local Tory MP, Rory working there since the newspaper group to maintain a constructive relationship Stewart, Lib Dem, Tim Farron, the announced a prepack administration with the union.

Also Michelle’s Sexual The Year in this Message Harassment Ahead issue: Page 2 Page 5 Page 9 02 Informed Michelle’s Message

Following a meeting with Jeremy Wright, the Culture Secretary, Michelle Stanistreet joined a DCMS round table of news organisations and academics to discuss how the NUJ can play a role in improving media literacy, so young people can Michelle with culture secretary Jeremy Wright learn to read news individual or entity behind these stories option for them. they can trust. and images have a vested interest or At a roundtable meeting convened malicious motivation in dressing them this week by Margot James, minister up as fact or circulating them on social for the digital and creative industries, media in the first place. there were wide-ranging discussions When was at school, information So small wonder that political and about how to tackle these issues, and about news and current affairs came industry attention is now focussed on enthusiasm for how the members of an from books, TV news, bulletins on the media literacy in schoolchildren and organisation like the NUJ could make a local radio station and, in my house, teenagers as never before. real difference to the range of great work the contents of the Liverpool Echo. In a recent meeting with Jeremy already happening in some schools. Today, despite delivering newspapers Wright, the Secretary of State for Digital, Initiatives including the Media Literacy every morning my 15-year-old son’s Culture, Media and Sport, the issue of Trust’s Newswise campaign, Charlotte’s starting point for what’s happening fake news and misinformation led us Project which carries out sessions on in the world hails from channels on on to discuss media literacy and what fake news with sixth-formers, Shout Out Youtube, clips shared around via more can be done to hone those critical UK, and Doc Academy which provides Snapchat or closed groupchats on faculties and to tackle misinformation lesson plans and documentary clips for WhatsApp. from an early age. We talked about my teachers. We regularly have exchanges about desire to get NUJ members engaged ITV, Channel 4, the BBC, Google something that sounds so outlandish in this work, building on our links and Twitter all spoke about the work and to my mind obviously daft, yet the with journalism students in colleges they’re engaged in. Ofcom outlined its answer to my dismissive assertion of it and universities, and developing the significant research on these issues being rubbish is met with – it’s true, it’s ad-hoc initiatives that many of our – most recently on the surveys on on the internet! Look, let me show you! members and officials have engaged children’s media use and attitudes, And so it is. There’s brilliant content to with in schools. Raising awareness of life on the small screen, exploring the be had online, but there’s a lot of dross the vital role that journalism plays in our relationship children have with their as well. The problem is that without communities would have other benefits devices, with more research planned context it can be hard to work out what’s too – focusing attention on journalism as on issues including the nature of true and what’s not, what’s exaggerated a career option at an early age for young advertising online. Academics from or just made up, whether an image is people from diverse backgrounds who the LSE and Goldsmiths are engaged in manipulated or real, and whether the currently would never dream of it as an work to research the challenges, point to Informed 03

sustainable solutions, and map the work taking place and evaluate its success. Sian Jones, NUJ How to make worthy and much- needed initiatives sustainable and able president, says come to scale up to match the need – in an out fighting this environment where digital change is fast February and boost and constantly evolving – is a challenge that has yet to be met. the union’s Trust in journalism underpins all of this membership work. Whatever the platform, however we access our news and information, With the start of a new year, there how we build relationships of trust in are so many ways to support your information that has integrity and a union, and some too-good-to-miss NUJ president Sian Jones provenance is key – not just soaking up opportunities for us all to get into content and treating something as fact recruitment mode. that merely bolsters our instinctive Heart Unions Week is coming up very hands and supporting your union too. beliefs or prejudices. There’s nothing soon from February 11 to 17, so why Contact [email protected] for more new in this, but the reality is that people don’t you start the year as you mean to information. are bombarded with more information go on and make a resolution to recruit Be active in your union. Attend a from a wider range of sources than colleagues and contacts? chapel or branch meeting, become a rep ever before – boosting our critical It’s the perfect opportunity to or get involved in a campaign. We thrive capacity to weed out what’s been promote the NUJ and bring people into on the involvement and expertise of fact-checked, from what has not, is the membership. The TUC and our sister our members. challenge we all face and a skill we need unions across the movement will all be A full range of training is available for to help our children acquire from the out recruiting and promoting the good reps so you’ll be supported. Through earliest possible age. work of unions. We’ll be joining the your skills and dedication we can stand In an age where distrust is rife it is party and letting media workers know up for and give a voice to our members therefore heartening to see that the BBC we’re the home for them. in media workplaces across the UK, leads the way – Ofcom’s recent research The NUJ’s theme is getting a pay rise – Ireland and beyond. A list of meetings is found 79 per cent of people rate the a sure reason why you should be in available on the NUJ website www.nuj. BBC’s news highly, with 73 per cent a union. org.uk/events/ rating the BBC as trustworthy. There’s Drink with us! Yes, dry January is now Promote the NUJ in your email no room for complacency there – and over, so come and visit the new café bar signature. It’s a simple but effective definitely scope for improvement – but at NUJ HQ. Claim your union discount at way to spread awareness of the NUJ it’s just one of the reasons why the Bread and Roses @ The Chapel, the new among media contacts and direct non- NUJ’s work to sustain our public service union-owned Workers Beer Company members to our quick and easy online broadcaster is so vital. The latest battle venture and a must-visit ethical venue. joining portal, as well as news and is to ensure the BBC is not lumbered Great beer, wine, coffee and street food campaigns work. Simply link to with the cost of funding what is a welfare in comfy laid-back surroundings just a www.nuj.org.uk benefit – the provision of free licences five-minute walk from King’s Cross. And don’t forget our new range of for the over-75s. Our view is clear – the Putting on speakers and special recruitment materials which you can government must pay. The BBC’s public events is always a good way to attract download as posters or jpgs for your consultation will soon come to an end new members. The NUJ has quality events and campaigns. They’re on the - it is time for the BBC leadership to be meeting spaces in London and there website at https://www.nuj.org.uk/ bold and brave. It must refuse to fund are opportunities during the day in our about/nuj-resources/recruitment- the free licences and put this issue Glasgow office. materials-for-every-member/ back in the Government’s court. If the Whether it’s for branch meetings, With challenges in our industry we Conservatives want to preserve free events, work, or leisure, at Headland need our union more than ever. It’s an licences they should deliver on their House, London, we have a variety of important and exciting time to be an manifesto commitment and fork out reasonably priced spaces and catering NUJ member so spread the word and the money to ensure the over-75s retain options to suit. You’ll be in good get involved. their free licences. 04 Informed News Update

The week is also an opportunity for unions and reps to showcase their good We ♥ a pay rise work. Let us know about your successes by contacting us at [email protected]. It’s time the newspaper and media additional tasks added to already busy uk industries showed journalists some workloads so that editorial productivity We are also nearing the next deadline love. has soared. for companies with more than 250 That will be the message of an employees to report their gender pay NUJ campaign during the TUC’s gaps. Last year the statistics revealed HeartsUnions Week from February 11 to that 91 per cent of UK-based media 17. And the best way they can show their companies paid men more than women love is to pay proper wages and freelance on average. Women, particularly in the rates. It isn’t just in Cumbria and the rest books and magazine sectors, were deeply Journalists have had enough of putting of the regional press where pay is a shocked to see how much more the men up with poverty pay and deals which problem. Starting salaries and the rate in their office were getting. NUJ Training is bear no relation to the cost of living. for some digital jobs on the nationals are putting on a one-day course in London on The Retail Price Index rose 31 per cent so pitiful that it is virtually impossible to Thursday 21 March to improve equality between 2008-17 – an average of 2.9 per live in London or Dublin where rents and in the workplace, including a session with cent annually – while most members’ house prices are out of reach. Freelance Natasha Morris, the NUJ’s legal & equality pay flat-lined over that decade. At the rates and photographers’ fees have officer, on how to put an equal pay claim same time, jobs have been relentlessly barely budged in the past decade on together. Contact [email protected]. cut, new technology introduced and newspapers and magazines. uk to book your place.

Death threat Cardiff screening for its campaign for The NUJ strongly NUJ members Trevor better rates of pay for LGBT condemned a death Birney and Barry photojournalists. The threat to a journalist McCaffrey, out on bail union organised a strike champion working in Belfast. A after being arrested for on January 25 to put Ben Hunte will take up a new role motion from the NEC their part in the making pressure on media next month at the BBC as its first noted the member had of the film No Stone organisations for a 14 per LGBT correspondent. His job will be received a “threat to Unturned about the cent increase to keep up to break and provide LGBT stories life notice” from the murder of six football with inflation since 2010. across the BBC’s output, including Police Service Northern fans in a village pub A survey of freelance digital and podcasts. Ireland which said there in Northern Ireland in rates showed they fell The NUJ’s charity, the George was immediate risk of 1994, will be speaking from €80 (about £70) Viner Memorial Fund, awarded Ben an attack by criminal at a screening at a photo in 2014 to an a bursary to help pay for his master’s elements. It said: “This JOMEC 2 on Thursday 7 average rate today of €42 degree in TV studies at City University. NEC stands shoulder February. More details with some prices falling While there he interned at the BBC to shoulder with the and tickets: https:// as low €15 to €20. News and worked on the BBC’s Gay member concerned and www.eventbrite. Britannia season; his programme with demands that those co.uk/o/nuj-amp- NUJ structures Paul O’Grady was the most listened to behind this threat lift jomec-18506670168 The development on BBC 4 Extra. it immediately and do committee, overseen While at university he interned so in a manner that Dutch auction by assistant general at BBC News and earned more is unequivocal and The NEC sent a message secretary Séamus Dooley, commissions at BBC London and unconditional,” it said. of solidarity to members has set up a working Channel 5 News. He is now working at The most dangerous of the Dutch union group to carry out a root BBC Africa on What’s New, a round-up decade for journalists, Nederlandse Vereniging and branch review of the of positive stories about young people page 11 van Journalisten union’s structures. on the continent. Informed 05

and harassment is prevalent, she said. Isabelle Gutierrez, the MU’s head #FEUdignity: make of communications & government relations, related how she had reported someone for sexual harassment and workplaces safe despite being in a secure job and having the support of her boss it had been a After all the powerful and passionate launched a new equalities e-course and harrowing experience. The perpetrator #MeToo statements it was time updated its bullying and harassment had appealed and accused her of lying. for the industry to think about the guidance. “Even having support, I ended up on practical ways to support employees Were these measures making a medication and had many sleepless and to consider ways to change the difference or was something more nights. But if it had happened to me, it culture, said Cassie Chadderton, radical needed? That was the subject of had probably happened to others and UK Theatre’s head of theatre and the day. would have gone on happening unless he membership development. Sarah Ward, Bectu’s national secretary, was stopped,” she said. She was speaking on an employers’ said unions had long been aware of The conference discussed the main panel at a conference organised under the problem – a TUC report said more reasons for people being too afraid to the Federation of Entertainment Union’s than half of women (52 per cent) had speak out. A large proportion of the (FEU) rubric Creating without Conflict experienced sexual harassment – and people working in the media and arts are (CwC), a campaign against bullying, that the creative industries had been freelance. The work is precarious. The harassment and discrimination in the identified as a hotspot. harassment usually takes place within a media and creative industries. Comedian and actress Sameena Zehra power relation: who will be believed you Next to her on the panel was Natasha kicked off the union’s panel. Her show at Moore, Directors UK’s lead campaigner the Festival tackled the issue on bullying and harassment issues. Her of sexual harassment and she invited organisation had had to admit that the women members to share their stories, bullies and the harassers were among from the rape of a woman by a comic and its ranks, she said. There was a job of watched by another in his Edinburgh flat, educating and training to do and an to the day-in-day-out groping, leering, expectation that bad behaviour was smacks on the arse and sexual innuendo called out. The process of hiring needed women comics and actors faced from to be more transparent and formalised. promoters, colleagues and the audience. Sameena Zehra The #MeToo movement had “Unions have to be there to provide the galvanised unions and arts organisations safe space for people to be able to talk or the popular presenter, Nobel-prize to bring forward new ideas to tackle about what has happened, so they can winning author, or Hollywood director? the problem: joint codes of conduct, get help and feel supported, even if they According to a BECTU survey, 42 per helplines, safe spaces, focus groups, prefer their case to be anonymous,” she cent said they feared it would have a training and guidance. The FEU said. negative effect on their career if they The NUJ’s Natasha Hirst said as a complained. Many members who spoke freelance photographer in a male- to the union helplines or sought help did dominated world she felt “lucky” to have so on the condition of anonymity. only experienced sexual harassment a Is the power dynamic underlying few times. predatory behaviour the reason why Mark Thomas She added: “A key message for most of the perpetrators are men? Do employers is that trade unions are your men also need to be educated to call out allies. Workplace reps have training bad behaviour? and resources to support employers to Cassie Chadderton said: “The cult of improve workplace culture and meet personality and the power imbalance their duty of care towards staff and it creates becomes a problem in freelances who work for them.” theatres where at least 45 per cent of Sexual harassment is a health and the workforce is freelance. There needs safety issue; reps had the power to assess to be practical action to break this Isabelle Gutierrez (left) and Natasha Hirst the risk to metal health where bullying generational cycle of abuse.” 06 Informed News Update

BBC T&Cs roll-out Government BBC BBC reps frustrated by the pace and ‘must pay’ nature of the newly-agreed terms and conditions package, including The NUJ believes maintaining new rotas, voted to demand the free TV licences for the over-75s, BBC management accelerates the paid from the BBC licence-fee pot, delivery of its promises to change the would be catastrophic for the public corporation’s culture and new ways service broadcaster. of working. The union told a BBC consultation The NUJ is also in talks with about the future of the benefit that the management about the roll-out of £40m government must pick up the cost of BBC News faces £40m more cuts cuts in its news budget and the union has what is a welfare benefit. pressed for no compulsory redundancies The corporation agreed to take on and an effective redeployment process. chastised the BBC for not admitting its the payment during the last charter The ACAS-chaired independent failure to comply with equal pay law and renewal process. It has now launched working group assessing weekend for not setting up greater transparency a consultation and announced the working is to wind up later this month. in pay. cost of taking on the fees will be more If there is no agreement, the issue will A review of the role of the NUJ’s than £1billion by the end of the next move to binding arbitration. The working BBC secondees has started, and an decade. party on night working has also begun, information session is planned for reps The union’s Welsh Executive again chaired by ACAS. keen to find out more about what’s Council has put in a separate Michelle Stanistreet said: “The involved in the roles. The NEC gave submission pointing out the possible NUJ made it clear to the BBC that thanks to Tory Blair and Keith Murray, consequences for S4C. The Welsh- the T&C changes hinged on getting who will remain in new roles at the BBC, language channel will lose its grant the implementation right and a and Paul Siegert for all their work on from the Westminster government demonstration that cultural change was behalf of the union. in 2023 and funding will come almost happening – and they are failing to get The BBC is highly rated for providing fully from licence fees. A cash- this right.” high-quality, trustworthy and accurate strapped BBC will inevitably have There are still many outstanding news, said a report by the broadcasting consequences for the future funding equal-pay cases and while settlements watchdog Ofcom. But, the regulator said, of S4C. continue to be made, some are now it needed to do more to represent all Michelle Stanistreet said the BBC moving into the tribunal process. The the UK population, improve its reach to would be seen as “an axe-wielding union responded favourably to a report young people and take more risks with bogeyman” if the benefit was cut. by the DCMS select committee which original programming.

Broadcasting including moving to full Comcast executives in late Iran International: News news programmes on October reported the mood Recruitment and bank holidays, rather than was less positive organisation at the channel ITV & ITN: Members at shortened bulletins. than some previous is going well, with a well- ITV agreed a pay offer of 2.5 After interventions from the meetings. However the attended second social held per cent and an increase joint unions, the proposed unions are continuing in November. The general in the redundancy cap changes to annual leave at to push for an access secretary has sought a from £45,000 to £50,000. ITN – a move from a day to an agreement and the leafleting meeting with the company to However, discussions hours system for staff – was at the Osterley discuss recognition and the continue on unpopular withdrawn by the company. site continues, despite union’s work on safety issues changes to bank holiday Sky: FEU union general opposition from some affecting Iranian journalists working arrangements, secretaries who met Sky executives. working in the UK. Informed 07 News Update

which provide explicit recognition of NUJ membership and confirm rights of access Encore for Irish to court records; a move welcomed by the president. In her address Sian stressed that recruitment week employers had a duty of care to workers required to maintain a social media NUJ The Irish Executive Council is set to presence. Cyberhate was not an run a recruitment week again this year acceptable occupational hazard and there after a successful inaugural event last was no obligation on a worker to put their November. mental health on the line, no more that At the January meeting of the they would be required to take physical IEC’s general purposes committee, risks in pursuit of the best photograph or cathaoirleach (chair) Gerry Carson and the most up-to-date quote, she said. Dublin freelance branch treasurer Kieran In Dublin’s Club na Múinteoirí FOI Fagan enthusiastically supported the idea expert Ken Foxe gave a master class of putting a designated recruitment week in the effective use of the Freedom of on the NUJ calendar. Information Act for freelance journalists Chief Justice of Ireland, Frank Clarke, launches a Reviewing the 2018 programme, Irish new code for social media in courts. and highlighted the opportunities for Secretary Séamus Dooley said the major generating stories. achievement of the week had been the union hosted by Bernie Mullen, joint- The challenges posed to press freedom opportunity to showcase the diverse work cathaoirleach, and addressed by Sian by the arrest of journalists Trevor Birney of the union. Membership applications Jones, president. Dr Laura Bambrick, the and Barry McCaffrey were highlighted by were one measure of success, but the Irish Congress of Trade Unions’ social broadcaster Cathal MacCoille during an profile generated by key national events affairs officer, provided an overview of interview with Trevor and Barry following would have a long-term benefit. the role of women in the trade union an oversubscribed public screening of No In planning for 2019 there would be movement, recalling the role of NUJ Stone Unturned. a sharper focus on measuring tangible members in the Irish women’s liberation Among other highlights of the week outcomes, but he praised the efforts movement and campaigns such as the was the establishment of a new chapel at of individual branches in taking up the end of the marriage bar and equal pay. Journal.ie following a recruitment week last-minute challenge set by the IEC for a Sian Jones also delivered a keynote attended by NEC member, Gerry Curran, November recruitment week. With proper address at a seminar hosted by the Courts Ian McGuinness, Irish organiser, and Irish planning there was an opportunity for a Service of Ireland in association with Times chapel officer,Éanna Ó Caollaí. more comprehensive programme. Dublin P&PR branch. Chief Justice of There was also a variety of branch Among the highlights of the week was Ireland Frank Clarke launched new rules events throughout the country aimed at a round table on the role of women in the governing use of social media in court recruiting students.

able to make my case and be heard.” NUJ wins for its members Guney’s is just one of the many successful cases the NUJ’s busy legal Guney Yildiz is back at the BBC doing the union win the case for constructive team has solved. The legal department a job he loves after what became for dismissal, a difficult claim to make, it reported to the NEC that a whistle- him a nightmare at the corporation. was able, most unusually, to get him re- blowing case had netted more than After long-term problems with his engaged with the broadcaster. £100,000 for a member and a similar line manager and dissatisfaction with He is now working in a different sum was won for an equal pay claim. The the BBC’s internal procedures, Guney department and thriving. union is still dealing with more than 200 handed in his resignation. The NUJ took He said: “I am now happy at the equal pay claims at the BBC. up his case and represented him at an BBC, thanks to the NUJ. It was all very The union has recently put out employment tribunal for discrimination stressful for me, but I felt so much better briefings for reps on tribunals, EU media and constructive dismissal. Not only did when we got to the tribunal and I was workers and Brexit. 08 Informed News Update

FAW Give women a sporting chance

Women have made great strides in lot more that needs to be done. Only breaking into sports journalism, three women journalists from the UK but more needs to be done and went to the 2018 football World Cup broadcasters must start to take as reporters; that needs to change,” women’s sports seriously. said Anna, who also emphasised the Anna Kesse, a sports writer for The importance of joining a union such as the Guardian newspaper, told a conference NUJ. organised by NUJ Wales Training and Hockey player, Beth Fisher, a freelance held with Cardiff Metropolitan University for BBC Wales Sport, said access to and women’s charity, Chwarae Teg, that information on women’s sport needed women gaining prominent roles had to be improved: “It is easier to get hold helped to make 2018 “a year of change”. of Wales and Arsenal footballer Aaron During the past 12 months, footballer Ramsey than it is to find out about some Alex Scott became one of the leading women’s sport results or fixtures,” she soccer pundits working for BBC and said. Sky Sports; Vicki Sparks became the Sue Butler, S4C sport commissioner, first women to commentate on a live said: “Why put Women’s Six Nations match at a World Cup for the BBC; and matches at 11.30 in the morning? It is cricketer Isa Guha was the first woman important that broadcasters and sport to commentate on a men’s cricket test governing bodies work together to give match for Sky. women’s sport as much publicity as “I have a lot of praise for the likes of possible.” Alex Scott who has now become a role Cardiff Met student Alexandra model for many women in the sports Richards said she would like to see more media industry, but there is still a men covering female sports.

Changing Times the two publications. The cent. Natasha Hirst, chair seeking extra protections Cuts at The Times and The Department of Culture, of the NUJ photographers’ for journalists in the Crime Sunday Times are expected Media & Sport said the council, said: “Alamy is still (Overseas Production as Rupert Murdoch’s request changes requested by ripping off photographers Orders) Bill was voted down for the papers to be able News UK “would permit a but the NUJ welcomes the during the report stage to pool editorial roles was greater sharing of resources partial company climb- of the Bill in the House of sent to the government. …including journalists down on commission rate Commons. The Bill would The NUJ is now taking part between the two papers”. cuts. The person who does permit the government to in a consultation about the work should receive allow foreign governments News UK’s attempt to Alamy rates the majority of the income to apply for access to override legal undertakings Intervention by the NUJ that is generated from their information stored in the established in 1981, when led to photographic agency efforts.” UK and allow the authorities he acquired the papers, to Alamy to drop plans to to access the content of prevent the company from reduce commission on Press freedom journalists’ electronic sharing resources across pictures from 60 to 50 per A Labour amendment communications. Informed 09

Spotlight Could 2019 be a break- through year for news?

a community engaged with . However, the government-initiated review into the future of high-quality journalism, led by Dame Frances Cairncross, has found that a quarter of regional and local newspapers (300 titles) have closed in a decade, and the number of frontline journalists has fallen accordingly, from 23,000 to 17,000. Dame Frances will be under pressure to find new ways to fund public interest journalism, but there is no quick fix when only 13 per cent of people read a local paper, in print and online. The tech tax, which Jeremy Corbyn favours, is beginning to win fans. MPs from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport select committee are expected to castigate Facebook for its role in the dissemination of falsehood and Media expert Ian pledges? It is certainly the year when propaganda and demand it does better the fifth-generation of mobile networks than its £4.5m fund for 80 local journalists Burrell looks at the (5G) arrives in the West Midlands for that it unveiled last November. Google will year ahead testing – a platform for fresh technological be told to do more than its present tech innovation that could excite news training programme of 30,000 journalists This may be the year when Google audiences and allow a type of journalism at Google News Lab and funding of the UK- and Facebook finally pay their way: that is more ambitious but inexpensive. wide Bureau Local network of 450 regional when they bow to pressure from Those are my hopes. But the dark reality data journalists. parliamentary committees and of 2019 is that it will be a year of struggle Even with such subsidies, more titles government inquiries and submit for journalists, particularly in a regional will close. to regulation and pay “tech tax” to press that increasingly relies on free In the national press, prospects for 2019 the news industry from which it has websites and digital advertising income depend on a title’s ability to charge for sucked its life blood. that fail to pick up revenue. online content and for quality titles the It could be the time when the British Editors and publishers will arrive in outlook is less bleak. The Times and The press redefines its public image and Glasgow for the 71st World News Media Sunday Times, which introduced a digital enters a new era, now those three defining Congress in June to find one of the paywall in 2010, has built a subscriber and divisive figures of old Fleet Street – world’s most-established news cultures base of 500,000, generating profits of Rupert Murdoch, Paul Dacre and Richard in a parlous condition. Delegates are £9.6m last year. Its challenge this year will Desmond – have departed centre stage. committed to “taking action to ensure be to attract new young readers when its Will it be the moment when the a sustainable news industry”. They web traffic is the lowest in its sector. drama of post-Brexit Britain fuels a new could take a look at the Aberdeen Press The Financial Times and Economist hunger for trusted news that delivers & Journal which, with sales of 45,935, is are also thriving behind a paywall. Both unprecedented revenues to publishers, Britain’s best-selling local daily. Its staff The Telegraph and the Independent are in the form of subscriptions, membership of 65 demonstrate the enduring value of operating metered paywalls and pushing fees, reader donations and philanthropic comprehensive local reporting in keeping subscription offers. 10 Informed

The Guardian’s readers are willing to pay from wealthy commercial rivals which (1 million have contributed although its have poached the star BBC presenters BuzzFlop? website is free) but it will narrowly miss its Chris Evans and Eddie Mair. The year started with dire tidings target to break even this year. The paper In video, it is braced for the streaming for the digital sector as BuzzFeed is suffering from its premature retreat wars that will proliferate during 2019 said it was cutting global headcount from print (still a major component of its and drive up the price of production by 15 per cent – with 17 editorial income) and must persuade supporters talent. Netflix, having overtaken Sky in jobs to go in London. This followed that one-off donations may not sustain subscriptions, is planning a major UK on the heels of news that 800 its journalism in perpetuity. Nonetheless, push, but rival services from Disney, jobs will be lost at HuffPost, Yahoo the paper’s financial Houdini act, after Apple and Warner will launch this year. and AOL, all owned by telecoms previous annual losses of £69m, shows British public broadcasters should giant Verizon. it is on the right side of a divide between heed Ofcom’s advice and create a joint These purely digital players had titles that generate reader revenue online streaming service but, given the lack of planned to engage young readers and those that can’t. progress since this was mooted in 2007, in news and to see off the legacy Digital ad revenues will grow as there’s little hope of seeing it this year. publishers of the dead-trees era. publishers pool resources and exploit On the global news front, the BBC faces Investors believed the hype and technology to offer better-targeted increasing state-sponsored competition, rushed to fund what they thought programmatic advertising in trusted notably from China’s government-funded was the future. Vice dropped its contexts. But it won’t be enough to stave China Global Television Network, which snarky tone to embrace serious off job losses at organisations that are begins an ambitious European service journalism. BuzzFeed, previously over-reliant on advertising. this year from studios in London. known for irreverent ‘listicles’ aimed Daily Mail publisher, DMGT, saw shares There is even a challenge from the at millennials, began spending on fall 10 per cent in November when its former BBC Director of News, James investigative reporting and hired annual results showed a 16 per cent drop Harding, who will in April launch Tortoise, former Guardian deputy editor in profits. The paper -– which suffered a 5 a platform for “slow news”. Tortoise, Janine Gibson to run its ambitious UK per cent fall in circulation revenue – risks a which aims for 40,000 members and newsroom; she left the company last reader backlash in 2019 after new editor, has raised £500,000 in crowdfunding, month. Geordie Greig, (who replaced Dacre in promises to ignore breaking news and to The latest cuts come after pre- 2018) diluted its editorial position to cover about four stories in depth each day, tax losses of £1.9m on turnover of champion Theresa May’s soft Brexit plan. choosing topics at open news conferences £33.4m in 2017. The company’s News Group Newspapers, publisher of called “Thinkins”. problems seem to run deep; it laid off The Sun titles, lost £91.2m in the year to If it works, it could be the first British 100 employees last year and there is July and its ambitions are being hampered digital native news outlet of genuine talk of damage-limiting mergers with by huge legal costs related to the long- scale, but it will serve informed audiences other digital outlets. running phone hacking scandal. that already pay for periodicals or news BuzzFeed’s downfall was its over- Not for 50 years has Rupert Murdoch subscriptions, and won’t answer the crisis reliance on Facebook for traffic and had such little influence over UK media at the base of journalism’s pyramid. revenue. After being fingered as the as he will have in 2019 following his Another new platform that will roll source of fake news, Mark Zuckerberg departure from Sky after its acquisition by out in 2019 is News Over Audio (Noa), diverted his platform’s all-powerful Comcast. an audio journalism service founded algorithm away from news, making it For the BBC, 2019 could be especially by two young Irishmen, Gareth Hickey far harder for publishers to distribute bruising. No matter how Brexit plays and Shane Ennis. It uses professional content. According to eMarketer, out, I cannot see how its reputation for narrators to voice articles from a range the already vast digital advertising impartiality can escape further damage of titles, including The Economist, The revenues made by Facebook and from such a polarising issue. On top of Independent and the Financial Times. Google will grow by 75 per cent that, it needs to make major budget cuts It arrived on Amazon’s voice-activated between 2017 and 2020. The rest will this year while under attack from every Alexa platform at Christmas and is being get crumbs. sector in which it used to dominate. It also extended to Google Assistant and in-car needs to extricate itself from paying out entertainment systems. many millions from its budget to pay for So 2019 will be a time of fresh ideas and the TV licences of over-75s innovation. Like the original renaissance it BBC radio faces increased competition will also be brutal and bloody. Informed 11

International Time to make a stand populist leaders echoing the language of Donald Trump who called journalists the enemy of the people and praised Greg

Mark Henson Gianforte, the Montana congress member when he body slammed a Guardian reporter. Trump’s removal of Jim Acosta’s White House press pass prompted the NUJ’s Brighton branch to make the CNN correspondent an honorary member. Branch secretary, Brian Williams, said: “What sort of president thinks it’s okayto call a correspondent a ‘rude, terrible person’ simply because he’s been asked a difficult question?” The other “strongmen” mentioned were Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Russia’s Vladimir Putin and Hungary’s Viktor Orbán who have served up more chilling and deadly responses to journalists who cross them. The NUJ has “adopted” Ayşe Düzkan, of Disk-Is, a Turkish sister union, who with four other journalists were sent to Bakırköy prison this week. The other great threats to journalists have been the proliferation of legislation on surveillance, security and data rights that have undermined the rights of those gathering news. The NUJ is supporting Barry McCaffrey and Trevor Birney, whose film investigated the UVF massacre in 2018 proved a Mohammed bin Salman; Maria Ressa, Loughinisland, Co Down, in 1994. They editor of Rappler, the Philippine news are on bail until March after being arrested bloody year for website known for its critical coverage and having materials confiscated at raids journalism, says of Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte; on their homes. Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, the Reuters The International Federation of Frances Rafferty reporters jailed in Myanmar for their Journalists’ (IFJ) “killing list” for 2018 “This year we are recognising four reporting on the massacre of Rohingya recorded 94 deaths among media journalists and one news organisation Muslims; and journalists of The Capital workers. The NUJ works with the IFJ to who have paid a terrible price to seize Gazette, the Maryland newspaper killed publicise and lobby against threats to and the challenge of this moment,” said by a gunman, Jarrod Ramos. violations of press freedom. Branches, Time editor-in-chief Edward Felsenthal Journalists prefer not to be part of the such as Nottingham, called on their local as he announced his magazine’s choice story, but Time wanted to mark a year in MP to raise the issue of the deaths of four of Person of the Year for 2018. which, according to human rights group journalists: Viktoria Marinova in Bulgaria, Time ran four covers: of Jamal Article 19, journalism had become more Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta, Kim Khashoggi, the Washington Post writer dangerous than at any point in the past Wall in Denmark and Ján Kuciak in tortured and murdered in the Saudi decade. Its report said hostility towards Slovakia. The Derry North West Ireland Arabian embassy in Istanbul, reportedly the media had become normalised, branch has long campaigned for the jailed at the behest of Saudi crown prince fuelled by an increase in “strongman” Saudi blogger, Raif Badawi. Informed 12 News Update

speeches; one anecdote per person Bob Norris: one of the please”. It was notable how many of these anecdotes referred to his love of beer, banter and good company. NUJ’s legends Bob was passionate about education and training and believed education was It was at the last NEC meeting that vital for the promotion of journalistic Michelle Stanistreet broke the sad diversity. news of the death of Bob Norris, the He served on the board of the National union’s former assistant general Council for the Training of Journalists for secretary and member of honour 39 years, stepping down in November who had died the previous evening, 2006. He supported the Writers in aged 78. Prison initiative and was a relentless She then led the tributes to Bob, campaigner for media freedom. who she described as “one of our NUJ Bob’s wife, Pauline, also an NUJ legends who, throughout his life-long member of honour, is well-known for membership, played an enormous role her pivotal role as chair of the standing both as an activist and as an official orders committee, but as a couple during his service as assistant general they were the leading lights at the secretary of the NUJ”. NUJ marriage: Pauline and Bob Norris cabaret during DM. “Theirs was an NUJ Bob served the NUJ at all levels of the marriage and so many of us enjoyed their union. In 1965, aged 25, he became the passion and vision”, for his “wise advice friendship as part of a wide and colourful union’s youngest NEC member and later on difficult matters involving NUJ rules extended clan,” said NUJ assistant went on to work as a full-time industrial and disciplinary complaints” and for the secretary Séamus Dooley. official in a range of sectors, particularly many personal cases he resolved, but Michelle told the NEC of Bob’s final books. The union’s book branch was it was his sense of humour and fun that contribution to the union he was so quick to pass a motion reading: “All book shone through all the reminiscences, committed to – in an act of wonderful branch activists liked him immensely particularly at the pub or the bar at DM. generosity he had left a legacy of and found him great company at “A lovely man who always made £10,000 to the George Viner Memorial meetings and conferences, as well as delegate meetings less boring and made Fund which provides bursaries to black down the pub afterwards.” a massive contribution to the union,” and Asian journalism students to help The pub. It was a word that cropped said former deputy general secretary of finance their studies, and marks Bob’s up in many of the hundreds of tributes the NUJ, Charlie Harkness commitment to both training and that flooded into the union – perhaps no At a celebration of his life at the diversity in journalism. surprise given Bob was also a committed Calthorpe Arms in Gray’s Inn Road, Bob’s legacy will be marked at the activist in the Campaign for Real Ale. where jugs of real ale were shared, there next annual celebration of the George He was praised as a “journalist of rare was an open mic and the order: “No long Viner Fund.

Bread and Roses Playhouse, in the basement, will be chapel bar London’s newest fringe theatre. A full programme of events includes The NUJ has a new partnership with comedy, cabaret and quiz nights. the Workers Beer Company, one of There is a discount for NUJ members the main operators of festival bars on drink, food and tickets. Find out in the UK and Ireland, owned by the ground floor of the NUJ’s London more and how to book your tickets at Battersea and Wandsworth HQ and will have a range of pop-up https://www.thechapelkingscross. Trade Union Council. The bar is on kitchens providing food. The Chapel co.uk/