NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE

Informedissue 35 May 2021

Only war and a global pandemic sessions which will be open to all Yet, as the union’s News Recovery Plan have managed to derail the union’s members via Zoom. The business end of shows, there is much more to do and Delegate Meeting and , thanks to DM will kick off on the morning of Friday we need to maximise the opportunity 21st-century technology, the union’s 21 May, and the conference will end on to reset the industry as it (hopefully) policy-making body will take place Saturday at 6pm. The Friday social will be emerges from the pandemic. DM this month online with a state-of-the- open for all members, a night of comedy will discuss LMNs from the national art voting system and a week of virtual headlined by Mark Thomas and his executive council (NEC) which call for events open to all members. All the guests Jonny and The Baptists and Shazia the union to step up its work in the UK agenda items that would have been Mirza. See the DM listings on page 7. and Ireland to secure a set of proposals dealt with at the planned Southport Covid-19 has had a huge effect on our to create a plural, vital and well-funded conference will be addressed and lives and work. The union’s all-member media. The NEC has also put the safety there will be an opportunity to submit survey showed many members suffered of journalists, following the escalation of Late Notice Motions (LMNs) dealing from the stress of juggling work and attacks on our members and the growing with urgent and current issues. Tim home schooling, seeing their freelance threat to media freedom across the Dawson explains how it will all work work evaporate or finding their hours cut globe, firmly on the agenda. on page 4. or facing redundancy. However, in his Michelle Stanistreet, general secretary, The new format also provides analysis of how the media industry has said: “While we will all miss the social an opportunity to bring DM to the fared a year after the first lockdown, Ian side of meeting up for DM this year, it’s membership with a week of events Burrell has found that it has come out good that the business can carry on starting from Monday 17 May – fringes, (so far) battered but not beaten and has and that DM activities are open to all panel discussions and training taster innovated in the face of the crisis. members.” Also Michelle’s DM After in this Message Events Covid-19 issue: Page 02 Page 07 Page 08 02 Informed Michelle’s Message

They’ve all involved a sterling effort Re-reading those solidarity messages from members, reps and officials, [https://www.nuj.org.uk/resource/ working together to deliver up messages-of-support-flood-in-for-iran- an agreement with employers international-chapel.html] this week, intended to help shape the industrial relationship and improve collective When the Iran terms and conditions. News of the conclusion of negotiations International with one employer this month was a recognition deal was red letter Day for all involved. The path to recognition at Iran International has eventually done, there been the most arduous and painful of were tears of relief from journeys and reaching an agreement was a very special – and emotional – moment. members and for me No sooner had our national broadcasting tears of pride. official shared the news with me and our reps then we were all exchanging emails, from NUJ members and reps right across With DM advancing, with some of us in tears. Our reps spoke the unions, is also emotional as know I’ve been reflecting of their joy after keeping the faith in the how much they buoyed our chapel face of the odds. members and gave them to fight on events of the past My tears were of pride in their strength on when the situation seemed almost year while writing of character and fortitude in sticking hopeless. with the NUJ in the face of the most Dealing with pressure to quit the NUJ, the addendum to stressful and challenging of difficulties to join BAJ to provide them with a fig-leaf the annual report over the past couple of years – the kind of legitimacy, supporting members who no-one should have to put up with simply felt threatened and bullied, keeping – the sheer scale for wanting to organise collectively in the the chapel together – it’s been quite the of industrial work union of their choice. The pressure they slog for our reps. It’s also one that led to have faced has been extreme and wholly the forced redundancy of our amazing the NUJ has been unacceptable. FoC and another founding committee engaged in, the NUJ members have supported our member – both cases we’re pursuing for Iran International chapel through trade union victimisation through the many victories this long process – sending message tribunal process. Our team, including of support and speaking out publicly lawyers from Thompsons, ensured our and wins for our when the company tried to thwart the arguments through the CAC won out, members, really application for recognition by signing a and eventually a recognition deal has secret sweetheart deal with the British been reached. stand out. Association of Journalists. A deal their It’s not the end of a process of course, general secretary charmingly likened this is simply the beginning. It’s going to to “walking past a sweet shop when the take some collective effort to improve owner comes out with a big bag of sweets industrial relations and to start the real and offers them to you for free, ‘of course work at hand. It’s important our chapel you’re going to say yes.’” In the face of committee has a period of stability to public pressure, BAJ walked away from regroup and focus with chapel members the deal – although we subsequently on the priorities they would like to see discovered through the Central addressed in the coming months. Arbitration Committee (CAC) process It’s twenty years since my own that they went on to sign a second involvement as a young rep helping secret recognition deal just days after revitalise a chapel and regaining publicly disavowing the first. Despicable recognition at Express Newspapers – behaviour from a union not worthy of the spurred into action by the overnight sale name. of the newspapers to Richard Desmond, Informed 03

a little-known purveyor of porn mags and OK magazine. We were supported by then newspapers organiser Jeremy Dear. Just as it looked like the NUJ was about to get its first national newspaper recognition back in many years, a spat over the REASONS ☞ imposed closure of the staff canteen had Jeremy receiving ever more angry early TO JOIN morning messages from executives Networking arriving at our Blackfriars Road office, The union puts on events for media the Grey Lubyanka. We’d commissioned workers to come together to share their a cartoon – a brilliant depiction of knowledge and expertise. These can be by sector, such as the freelance forums and Desmond, legs up on his desk, fat cigar in photographers’ summits, or cross-sector on hand, his butler serving up a banana on issues that unite all media workers. Students a silver platter (all true) with a group of and newcomers can benefit from meeting experienced members in the industry. hungry hacks in the doorway. I’d stayed in the office until late the night before, Are you keeping good company? and worked my way around the building Join the NUJ today at sticking up posters everywhere – on nuj.org.uk/join pillars, noticeboards, toilet doors, lifts, the stairwells… Given the company had refused to talk to the chapel reps, we thought we’d make them take notice another way. And how they did. First entreaties to remove them all before the chairman’s chauffer arrived in SE1, then threats to kibosh any recognition deal before it even got off the ground. All while the butler was dispatched to tear down posters – just as quickly replaced by NUJ members. We stood firm and within hours we had the discussions we had first sought to ensure that staff working through the nights and weekends – without the perk of a liveried butler on hand – were fed and watered. We got our recognition deal and embarked upon what was to be many crazy years of dealing with dysfunction and using our collective strength www.nuj.org.uk to neuter the management’s worst excesses and secure better terms and conditions for our members. That first brush was a lesson for me – in effort into securing regardless of size. to the Fairness at Work legislation. An sticking together, in the power of satire, We do that because we know the imperfect but pivotal law that restored and in the lengths some will go to in real difference they can make to our a legal right to recognition and spurred order to protect the ego and vanity of an members’ lives – they are the conduit to a organisation across the NUJ ever since overgrown toddler in an executive suit. genuine voice at work. Something former – enabling members to breathe life and More than any other union, the NUJ has general secretary John Foster knew spirit into those agreements, working a vast number of collective agreements, instinctively when he pioneered the together to ensure a collective voice at all of which we put significant collective Press for Union Rights campaign that led work becomes a reality. 04 Informed

DM Update DM but not as you know it

be controversial, delegates can object, Tim Dawson sets the scene for a virtual and a conventional debate initiated. DM, plus events now open to all members Where tabling bodies have submitted rule-changing motions that have been Imagine, for a moment, that Moving all proceedings online also overtaken by events, they can update somewhere in Birmingham’s Acorn meant that parts of DM could be opened their texts. For example the NEC’s Hotel, in the year of 1907, there is a up to all members. From Monday 17 May motion to revise subscription levels crack in the space/time continuum. a series of online events, including the which, of necessity, must contain a Through this, a delegate to the 5pm Talk-Ins, a series of panel events future date from which a change will NUJ’s inaugural annual meeting with expert guests, fringe meetings occur, will need that addition. inadvertently slips. From Edwardian and sectoral get togethers will be open Tabling bodies have also been given England they emerge into Southport’s to all members, including a show with a fresh window to propose Late Notice Floral Hall in April 2018 where the comedian Mark Thomas and friends in Motions, referring to events that have NUJ’s most recent delegate meeting aid of the union’s charities. occurred since the deadline for the is in full swing. Ubiquitous digital On the Friday and Saturday delegates conference’s main business. The devices, the absence of hats, and will settle down to do the real business format for discussions – proposers, air free from tobacco smoke may of conference. The video platform seconders and alternative speeches for bewilder our time traveller for a will be one and the electronic voting and against – will be just as usual. moment, but once they focused on system should, hopefully, end all Our observer from the union’s founding the NUJ at work much would be card vote disputes. The order paper conference may well experience reassuringly familiar. will, in essence, be that from last brain melt at the prospect of conferring At heart, our union’s policy making April, although with modifications. with a camera. Hopefully, streaming’s and priority setting have changed little To streamline proceedings, Standing rhetorical requirements won’t tax during an otherwise turbulent century. Orders Committee (the elected body the rest of us unduly after 12 months Branches and other tabling bodies draft that runs the Delegate Meeting) has on Zoom. What our Edwardian interloper motions describing policy positions and taken all uncontroversial motions under will, hopefully, recognise is that, despite changes to our union’s rule book. These Standing Order 3, known as SO3. This our deliberations being shared in the are published in a lengthy final agenda allows motions to be adopted into policy form of pixels, they remain true to the document. Then delegates gather to without discussion. Should any prove to NUJ’s robust democratic traditions. argue the toss – adopting or rejecting propositions by show of hands. If, however, that same activist logs on to our first virtual delegate meeting at the end of May 2021, it will be a radically changed format they encounter. Had Covid-19 not swept the world the spring before last, the NUJ would have assembled in Southport in April 2020 for a meeting much like those that have taken place for more than a century. Lockdown put paid to that and DM had to be postponed to May this year. Hitherto, only world wars have interrupted the NUJ’s decision and policy making. As the current crisis took hold, it became clear that our rule book was ill-suited to the circumstances. The union decided to make an opportunity out of what was a crisis. Informed 05

DM

The union campaigns for members Financing the union on issues such as media freedom, government policy, media training, education and international issues, After seven years without a subscriptions represents members and their views increase, rates must rise to maintain a to government and other authorities. It organises professional training for top-level service, argues Chris Frost members and provides support services, such as legal advice and insurance The union’s national executive council reduced membership by 21.8 per cent in services, as well as shopping discounts (NEC) has agreed the union’s subs the past 10 years from 28,170 to 22,027. schemes. should increase in July 2021. Significant savings have been made There is an understandable concern Members’ payments have held at the and the Covid-19 pandemic measures, that an increase in subs could lead to a same level for the past seven years but, such as reductions in travel costs and fall in membership, but the union’s subs despite various cost savings, including the temporary suspension of printed structure means those earning less than reducing staff through restructuring, the copies of the Journalist have cut costs £25,000 can limit what they pay to 1 per union now needs to increase its income significantly. This allowed the union to cent of their income; 60 per cent of new or risk its ability to support members in continue functioning during this past recruits in 2019 fell into that category. the future. difficult year, but no further savings The NEC will ask our Delegate Meeting Failure to do so would mean journalists of significance can be made without next week to approve a change in would cease to have the specialist massively reducing its services. subscriptions, so members earning less support that has been so invaluable to so Organising collective action over that £14,500 per annum (€16,000) many over the years, leaving members working conditions and personal will only be asked to pay £12 (€12.60) to struggle alone with hostile employers, workplace support is at the heart of a month from July. Those earning less low salaries, vicious social media and the union. The NUJ provides a level of than £16,000 (€17,500) in 2022 will a government determined to prevent service that is significantly more than only pay £13 (€13.80) a month. For criticism. most unions through our democratic all other members the subs will rise in Our present income from subs in structures, from local chapels to the 2021 by another (£1) (€1) a month for 20/21 is projected to be £4.73m, despite NEC and our paid organisers. All of our all earning up to £20,000 (€24,000) an increase in membership during the organisers, from the general secretary p.a., £2 (€2) a month for those earning past year, but our costs are now running down, undertake personal casework. NUJ from £20,000 (€24,000) p.a. to £29,000 closer to £5.5m. Media redundancies legal and industrial representation has (€36,000) p.a. and an additional £3 (€3) and changing working patterns secured more than £9m for members in a month for those earning more than throughout the UK and Ireland have the past year alone. £29,000 (€36,000) pa.

Journalist safety on the tech giants to end Plan, with a levy on the tech of Journalists’ Global An NEC motion will call online abuse and encourage giants to fund public interest Journalism white paper, for a major campaign to members to respond to journalism, a stable funding noting its warnings on the protect members from the UK government’s call model for public service decline of media freedom. the escalating levels of for evidence on threats to broadcasters, greater media It pledges the union to attacks and intimidation. journalists. literacy, a package of tax participate in the global It commends the union’s breaks for newspapers and effort to stand up for press role in the government’s Recovery plan reform of media ownership freedom and the rights of action plan on the safety The NEC will call on the rules. journalists by lobbying for of journalists and says the union to step up its work the release of the more than union will prioritise the across the UK and Ireland Media freedom 250 jailed journalists around development of a safety to secure a plural and vital A third NEC Late Notice the world and the enactment toolkit, greater engagement media as set out in the Motion backs the of the IFJ’s International with the police, put pressure union’s News Recovery International Federation Safety Convention. 06 Informed

DM

Sakeus Iikela, General Secretary DM Week Events of the Namibia Media Professionals Union, talking about the strike at NBC; Sabina Inderjit, General Secretary of Tuesday 18 May, 17.00 the Indian Journalists Union, speaking Welcome to DM The Right to Know. about the siege of Kashmir and the use week, here is the NUJ president Sian Jones, NUJ of sedition laws against journalists; Jim president, introduces: Rob Evans, Boumelha, IFJ Honorary Treasurer, on programme of Guardian reporter; Jenna Corderoy, the unions’ fight against impunity; plus events, taster openDemocracy; Paul Lashmar contributions from Turkey and the US. investigative journalist and research training sessions academic; Lizzie Dearden, home Thursday 20 May, 17.00 and a special gig affairs and security correspondent Defending public service at ;Aasma Day, broadcasting. during the week former HuffPost correspondent and JP The BBC, ITV, , Channel 5, leading up to DM investigations unit; and Tim Dawson, have a long and proud tradition in NUJ NEC, to discuss the challenges they the UK, delivering impartial and trusted weekend. face when reporting in the public interest. news and UK-originated programmes. They were the heroes of the pandemic Wednesday 19 May, 17.00 as people tuned into them for trusted Journalism under attack: unions news. Rebecca Keating, Radio 4’s Today fight back! programme output editor, will ask Jo Every evening from 5pm Monday From killings to jailings, from internet Stevens, Labour’s media and digital to Thursday of DM week shutdowns to job cuts and media shadow secretary, Sir Peter Bazalgette, 5PM Talk-ins. closures journalism across the globe ITV chair, Owen Evans S4C chief Starting on Monday 17 May, you can is under threat. Join the International executive, Patrick Barwise, co-author of take part in a series of debates and Federation of Journalists and unions The War Against the BBC andCearbhall discussions with an expert panel. from around the world to hear about Ó Síocháin, RTÉ Irish language how unions are fighting back – and what broadcaster, how the PSBs can stave Monday 17 May, 17.00 you can do to stand in solidarity. Jeremy off the threats of cuts to journalist jobs, Following the Road Map: NUJ’s Dear, IFJ deputy general secretary, will political interference and competition News Recovery Plan. chair a panel of speakers including; from the likes of and Disney+. Join Michelle Stanistreet and NUJ colleagues who have been working with the Westminster, Irish, Welsh and Scottish governments to put in place measures to bring about a vibrant, diverse and plural press as the industry recovers from the pandemic. Speakers: Siobhan Holliman, joint chair, Irish Executive Council and member of the Irish government’s Future of Media Commission; Joyce McMillan, NUJ Edinburgh Freelance branch chairand a member of the Scottish government’s short-life working group on public interest journalism; Nick Powell, chair of the NUJ’s Welsh Executive Council; and Andy Grimm, reporter at the Chicago Sun-Times and lay activist at The NewsGuild – Communications Workers of America. Informed 07

Skills taster workshops. There is a programme of lunch-time Stand up for taster skills classes, to introduce you to Journalism gig: accomplishments: Friday night social

Monday 17 May, 12.30-14.30 Thursday 20 May at 19.30 News writing with David McKay, NUJ Training Scotland. Join comedian Mark Thomas, winner News writing is a craft, not an art, where of Amnesty Freedom of Expression facts are king and simplicity is all. award for his show about spy cops and Email: [email protected] to book. in the Guinness Book of World Records for attending the most political demos Tuesday 18 May, 12.30-13.30 in a day; Shazia Mirza, award-winning Podcasting taster with Dan Mason. British stand-up comedian and star with so many journalists working from of Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls; home, there has never been a better time and Jonny & The Baptists, musical to launch a podcast. With a little know- satirists as seen on TV and radio; for a how, you can join the podcast boom and Friday night social starting at 19.30. get started for free. From top: Mark This gig is free – although we’re asking Thomas, everyone who registers to make a Jonny & The Wednesday 19 May, 12.30-13.30 Baptists and Social media campaigning taster donation to the NUJ’s welfare charity, Shazia Mirza with Dan Mason. NUJ Extra, and the George Viner Social media is a vital tool in getting Memorial Fund, which awards training your message across. The key to a good bursaries to aspiring black and minority social media campaign is a structured ethnic journalists. Tickets for the gig approach, creative content and result will be snapped up quickly so book your that hits a measured target. Friday night in now!

Thursday 20 May, 12.30-14.30 Introduction to scriptwriting with James Doherty. Caroline Holmes, NUJ reps’ training, NUJ Training Scotland. You will learn Federica Cocco, FT rep & Raj Ford, about what makes good stories, the BBC rep. characters that drive them and how to bring ideas to life. Special event Email: [email protected] to book. Thursday 20 May at 18.30 Remembering Lyra McKee. 15.00-16.00 Séamus Dooley, assistant general Fast and Free Online Tools for secretary introduces a panel discussion Journalists with Dan Mason. on the life and legacy of NUJ member Includes tools for reading, sharing, Lyra McKee, left, who was killed in Derry searching and storytelling, as well as tips on 18 April 2019. Guests will include that cover research, networking and self- Sara Canning, Lyra’s partner, Kathryn promotion. Johnson, freelance journalist and friend of Lyra and Owen Reidy, assistant Trade union workshops general secretary, ICTU. Wednesday 12.00-13.00 Tuesday 12.00-13.00 Organising and recruitment in a Equality in Action: BOOK FOR ALL EVENTS: hybrid/remote workplace. How chapels can embed equality into https://www.nuj.org.uk/learn/ems- With Caroline Holmes, NUJ reps’ all their structures and policies, with event-calendar/nuj-delegate-meeting- training co-ordinator. Natasha Hirst, Equality Council chair, 2021-full.html 08 Informed

Spotlight

messaged colleagues from self-isolation in March 2020 to tell them the print edition was being suspended. He said Covid-19

Matt Kenyon Matt presented the business with the “two horns of a buffalo”. In America, Joshua Benton, head of Harvard University’s Nieman Journalism Lab, prophesied doom. “We’ll see cities lose their last daily newspapers at a scale far beyond anything this country has seen.” The World Economic Forum published an article warning the pandemic signalled “the imminent loss of local news”. Yet the picture today, as the United Kingdom lifts its latest Covid restrictions, is of a news media battered but not beaten. The pandemic has also introduced a new working culture which may have changed the practice of journalism forever. “The industry hasn’t sunk into a depression, it has responded really positively and you can see innovation almost everywhere you look,” says Douglas McCabe, CEO of Enders Analysis. Charlie Beckett, media professor at the School of Economics, is similarly impressed. “The pandemic has been very good for the news industry in the sense that we have seen huge [online] traffic, increases in subscriptions and, vitally, Battered but not much more attention paid to mainstream media,” he says. “Generally speaking, I think UK media responded very well.” beaten The fears expressed for the local press were not unfounded. The chief threats A little over a year ago, much of the to its existence – the demise of print Despite initial news media appeared to be facing sales and falling ad revenues – were only doomsaying, the annihilation. With locked-down exacerbated by the pandemic. But the consumers avoiding newsagents for UK’s quality national press has, in many pandemic has fear of catching Covid-19, titles that ways, thrived during the crisis. injected innovation depended on cash sales were deprived reports a 43 per cent of even the dwindling circulation increase in digital reader support, with and change for good revenues that had kept them viable. 268,000 additional subscriptions and in the media, argues Around the country printing presses recurring payments. Its total of 900,000 were turned off, from Northumberland’s paying supporters is up from 632,000 Ian Burrell News Post Leader to Brighton & Hove’s before the pandemic. The Telegraph Independent, as distribution became announced in March that it had passed impossible. National papers saw physical the 600,000 subscriber mark in print and sales fall by 30 per cent. Hardest hit digital, worth an average £188 per reader, were free titles that served commuters. and claims to be on course for its target of Christian May, editor of City AM, 1m subscribers by 2023. Informed 09

Covid-19 has helped to make the case says Paul Siegert. “Many risked their own imperative that local publishers focus on that quality journalism is worth paying for health to bring these stories to people and quality online information. “There is still online. “We can see a sustainable future they feel let down that there has not been this insatiable desire for quick and easy for quality publications with subscription more financial reward for them.” stories. Reliable and trusted news has models,” says Nic Newman of the While BBC News continues to worked well throughout the pandemic, Institute for the Study of Journalism. implement a pre-pandemic programme of so it’s in publishers’ interests to keep Traffic to news sites surged, especially job cuts, the new TV channel GB News is promoting it.” during the first lockdown, improving recruiting. Reach has also announced widespread programmatic ad revenues. Free from The tech giants have had a good newsroom closures and a decisive shift the distribution issues of print rivals, pandemic, with profits soaring and the towards working from home, leaving online-only The Independent racked up shares prices of Facebook, Alphabet just 15 office “hubs” to service a national pre-tax profits of £2.7m in the year to 27 and Microsoft hitting an all-time high. portfolio of 110 titles. September 2020, up 17 per cent on the Last month’s reported Charlie Beckett, who has been “amazed year before. that first-quarter revenues at Facebook by the amount of work being done from Douglas McCabe estimates that UK increased 48 per cent to $26.1bn. bedrooms” under lockdown, is concerned publishers added 800,000 paying That is why the NEC’s motion to DM that the strain of working in isolation from customers during the crisis. “It’s funny demands urgent action to ensure the other journalists will prove detrimental. that a pandemic can force companies to tech giants pay their share, after years of “It’s not just that they can help you out make sharper decisions,” he says. “One benefiting from news content they have on a story but the support system; the of the reasons subscription couldn’t not funded. solidarity and company that you get from work in the news industry [previously] your colleagues.” was that the news industry didn’t Ceri Gould, Reach’s editorial director, experiment and make it work.” He has “The industry has says its Home & Hub approach recognises praised publishers for introducing niche responded positively that staff have lives outside of work. newsletters and podcasts to improve and you can see It allows parents to avoid 5.30am their editorial offerings. News UK’s launch commutes and allocate their time more of during the crisis was innovation almost effectively, she claims. “The idea that you “extraordinary”, he says. “It’s a completely everywhere” would conduct a better interview because different experience of than you have been working in a newsroom is a anyone has had before.” Yet local papers remain in peril. At nonsense.” Broadcast news is also emerging from the onset of the crisis, Laura Davison, NUJ national organiser the pandemic in a stronger place. At and JPIMedia announced pay cuts for newspapers and news agencies, regional and local level, broadcast news and put large numbers of staff on the argues the case for staff being paid has “never been so popular” as audiences government’s furlough scheme. Months home-working allowances. “There are have flocked to public service outlets for later, Newsquest imposed job losses additional costs which come with working trusted coverage, says Paul Siegert, the across the country, prompting Chris from home; utility costs, broadband NUJ’s national broadcasting organiser. He Morley, the NUJ’s Northern & Midlands costs, having to upgrade where says BBC local radio’s Make A Difference senior organiser, to complain that arrangements aren’t suitable. People campaign played a key role in building furlough was “fast turning into a waiting working in living- or dining-rooms have community cohesion during lockdown. room for redundancy”. lost their own private space.” But some journalists at the BBC and ITV More positively, Brian Murphy, head We emerge from lockdown with a media believe those broadcasters were wrong of news operations for the National that is starting to look quite different from to impose pay freezes on hard-working Federation of Retail Newsagents, says the one at the start of the pandemic, with staff after their newsrooms delivered a big intense promotion of the Deliver My The Times operating as a radio station, GB increase in public confidence. ITV paid Newspaper scheme has led to an upturn News pioneering an opinionated, rolling staff an unconsolidated bonus of £750 for in home delivery. “If that’s what the news channel, and news executives their efforts, while BBC staff received an consumer wants, then the supply chain around the country actually encouraging extra day’s holiday. has got to deliver that.” staff to work from home. “There is a sense of anger that people Local titles have also seen increased Covid-19 has been terrible for so many went beyond the call of duty during the web traffic. Reach put its digital news people in so many different ways but for pandemic, being out on the streets and in service “Live” on a national footing, the news industry it has so far not been hospitals reporting on what’s going on,” adding 50 new journalists. Morley says it’s the catastrophe that was predicted. 10 Informed

International

An independent press is one of the cornerstones of democracy but political polarisation, the rise of social media and advertising money moving from publishers to tech companies – leading to fewer resources for some publishers – have been blamed for the situation, together with the rise of authoritarian political leaders.

Kees Metselaar / Alamy Stock Photo Stock Metselaar / Alamy Kees As a Reuters Institute’s research paper, What can be done? Digital Media Policy Options for Europe (and beyond), said in 2019: “If journalism is undermined, it will leave European citizens less able to play an active and informed part in the political process and European democracies less resilient Democracy dies in to internal and external threats.” One of the key aspects it identified was funding. “Given the rapid decline of darkness legacy businesses, this funding will have to come from a combination of a new, Reports show 70 per cent of the globe digital, business of news and various forms of public support, including for does not have access to a free press, Tara independent public-service media and Conlan investigates non-profit media,” argued the paper. Increasingly governments are blocking a plural press. In Poland, the Lyse Doucet, the BBC’s chief 389 in prison, 57 held hostage and nine government has targeted independent international correspondent, has a in 10 killings of journalists remained media outlets with a levy on media long and awarding-winning career unsolved. advertising revenue. Hungary’s media which has taken her to many trouble Lyse Doucet said: “I don’t think we’ve regulator refused to renew the licence spots across the globe and she is in no lived in a time where people in power, of an opposition-leaning station called doubt that journalism and journalists people who don’t want to be written Klubrádió in February and Czech are under attack as never before. about, don’t want to be held to account TV has been stacked with governors The numbers tell the story. The Press and don’t want questions asked or sympathetic to the government just Gazette’s Media Freedom Health Check answered can act with impunity and ahead of a parliamentary election. revealed this March that 70 per cent of get away with it. You need more than Meanwhile, in Russia journalists the world’s population has little media the fingers on your two hands to count say there is increasing pressure on freedom. The index used 18 indicators, the number of places where journalists independent media, with popular site including pluralism and journalists’ have been murdered in broad daylight Meduza branded a “foreign agent”. safety to evaluate each country under a and there is no accountability. Questions Shanthi Kalathil, director of the US traffic light system. Just eight countries – go unanswered, the grief of families International Forum for Democratic including all those in Scandinavia – were and friends is unrepaired and justice is Studies at the National Endowment given a green light for all sectors. denied.” for Democracy, said: “Illiberal regimes But 71 countries were marked red, All this is not happening just in far-off and others have actively seized upon including Eritrea, China and Turkey. conflict zones. While Norway, Finland, the new media environment to spread The Media Freedom Coalition and Denmark lead the World disinformation, fuel polarisation and conference, hosted by Canada online Press Freedom Index of 180 countries, exploit democratic vulnerabilities.” in November 2020, revealed 1,000 some of the EU’s members such as Noel Curran, European Broadcasting journalists were killed worldwide during Malta, Hungary and Bulgaria rank Union director general, said it was not a the past 12 years; in 2019 49 were killed, among the lowest. coincidence that the top 15 countries Informed 11

for media freedom were all countries with a strong public service media (PSM) presence. But keeping PSM independent The chilling fields Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general requires pressure on governments to While journalism is under attack as secretary, said: “There is a clear and ensure that all avenues are pursued never before, “online violence…has pressing need for harsher penalties to to maintain press freedom, including become the new frontline in journalism deter and punish the perpetrators, and appointments to their boards and safety - and women journalists sit at the we also need more engagement and adequate funding. epicentre of risk”, according to a study co-ordination between law-makers, On World Press Freedom Day, Monday called The Chilling: Global Trends social media platforms, employers, 3 May, the NUJ pointed to harmful UK in Online Violence Against Women unions and independent safety legislative measures, including the Journalists. experts. The NUJ endorses many of the government’s Overseas Operations Put together by the International recommendations in the Unesco report Bill which lets “the powerful hide from Centre for Journalists and Unesco, it and we want to see effective solutions accountability” and the new Police, was released on 30 April to coincide implemented via cross-sectoral Crime, Sentencing and Courts Bill which with the World Press Freedom efforts.” poses a substantial threat to public Conference. The BBC’s Lyse Doucet said: “In some interest journalism. The global survey of 901 journalists countries it’s no longer safe enough to International co-operation is key. from 125 countries included ask the questions… and in others you The Global Pledge on Media Freedom examining more than 2.5 million posts can, but you won’t get the answers. was launched in 2019 and has been on Facebook and directed And so, democracy dies in darkness.” signed by more than 40 countries. It at Maria Ressa, a Filipina-American She highlighted Afghanistan where, says signatories must shine a light on journalist and author in the Philippines, despite help from her and BBC violations and abuses of media freedom and the British investigative journalist Media Action to improve legislation and they must encourage regulatory Carole Cadwalladr. It found that there protecting journalists, death threats environments promoting transparency was a sharp increase in threats, with and attacks are increasing in the in judicial processes. “women journalists now more exposed country as Nato-led forces withdraw. Two of those signatories were the to online violence than ever”. Nearly More than 300 Afghan women United States and France. Yet, according three-quarters of women respondents journalists have quit their job since the to Jim Boumelha, International said they had experienced online spate of female media workers’ killings Federation of Journalists’ honorary violence, with 20 per cent saying it in the country, according to a report by treasurer, the corrosive effect of Donald spilled into real-life abuse. the IFJ. Trump’s negative tweets about the The report said: “Online violence Malala Maiwand, a female journalist press while he was president, “created against women journalists is designed at Afghanistan’s Enikass TV, was a toxic atmosphere that was picked up to: belittle, humiliate, and shame; murdered in December 2020 and by so many other governments that induce fear, silence, and retreat; three more women colleagues were journalists became, almost overnight, discredit them professionally, killed in March – Shahnaz Raufi, branded enemies of the people”. And undermining accountability journalism Mursal Waheedi and Saadia Sadat. in France, the government’s attempt to and trust in facts; and chill their active Another colleague, Nadia Momand, pass a security bill to prevent journalists participation (along with that of their subsequently posted a picture on social from taking pictures of police during sources, colleagues and audiences) media of herself still working but her demonstrations has been met with in public debate. This amounts to an father wanted her to stay at home. protests from the public. attack on democratic deliberation Lyse messaged Nadia Momand: “She “The decline of the newsroom,” said and media freedom… For too long, told me, ‘I love journalism, but I also Jim Boumelha, “especially following the emphasis has been on making love to live,’ which seems to sum it the pandemic, makes it much more women journalists responsible for their up – you have to choose between your difficult for journalists to do their job own defence and protection, rather love of journalism or your love of life. and to fund and protect themselves.” than making the perpetrators and How can we possibly be in this sort of But recent stories, including exposing instigators, the platform enablers, situation in 2021?” David Cameron’s lobbying links provides and law enforcement and media evidence of hope that, despite the employers accountable.” https://en.unesco.org/publications/ pressures they are under, journalists will thechilling continue to hold power to account.

S S S U L S D A A I T O R S I P G W R B P S E N H T E E O L I E S E L F S R D N X Y M T V D T O O R S S T A I S I P C W G S R T A U H F S C B S O I I L E C A E N V H T U C V C I P M Y I O I D C S A I S W T O U T P C R M N G C D C N S V S T Y 1 U E A P C E E C T O N E I L I 9 N U E T O S J V I S M N R I S D A N I N S W 1 O F T O U I S M N S E B D Y R T H P C 9 H B O 1 R D O I U E E R I S Y R E R C E L 9 J E P N N A D E H S I S R X O O I R J S N I B B H C T H R B S O B P O I U O I E S T S R B B Y R U O G E R P T P S D E U L V S R T S X O E L S J H T G S S I A F W S H S C X O O O I H E H R T S I B B T I S C C S I R P F I E L E I T S S P A O T S E E L F M A N H N T B X O M P C T S T E S O I O U U O S H R H S I E W R E R G T S R N N E A S U D I N A D A E L S E B S E R C T A T S E T O T A H O R Y R R B T S C G R S E S H R S U S H O E L B J E N S R H A D A A O R T T S E R S C R B A H E U C S D T

Not just for the crisis years DM 2021

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