MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS

WWW.NUJ.ORG.UK | AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018

Do you measure up? The growing pressures of analytics Contents

Main feature 14 Precision tools or click crazy? The challenges of using metrics News hat makes a good story in 03 Northern journalists face job cuts these digital times? It used to be straightforward – a proper Wide range of titles affected old-fashioned scoop that other 04 Cuts at BBC politics programmes newspapers or broadcasters were Union raises concern over quality Wforced to follow. Now it’s not so easy, the scoops aren’t kept secret til the last minute, they’re 05 Deficit looms for union shared online as soon as possible. So we have to look at other NUJ under budget pressure metrics to gauge the impact of a story. In our cover feature, Neil 06 Concern over RTE contracts Merrick guides us through ways that might make us digitally Workers trapped with fewer rights savvy or click crazy. Family and social affairs reporting can be difficulty, requiring “writers to get close to their subjects but not to cross a fine and Features often unclear line where they might become too close. Louise 10 Looking back to: Tickle, an experienced family affairs correspondent, looks at 1621 in the media how to try to tread a very difficult path. We also have a new series with Jonathan Sale reporting on 13 A ghost in the machine famous media anniversaries, starting with how producing the The problem of suddenly being ignored first newspaper got an early pioneer arrested. 16 A life, not just a story On top of this we have our media expert Raymond Snoddy Difficulties of reporting family issues commenting on the implications for press freedom of the Sir Cliff Richard privacy victory. And there’s news, views, arts, letters and to end everything on Regulars a humorous note our columnist Chris Proctor. 09 Viewpoint I hope you can find some time in the summer holidays to enjoy the magazine. 18 Starting Out 25 Story behind the picture 26 And finally...

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

02 | theJournalist news Northern journalists inbrief... GUARDIAN DIGITAL OVERTAKES PRINT face swath of job cuts Digital revenues have overtaken print for the first time at the Journalists in the north of England The letter, sent on 12 July from the NUJ Guardian Media Group. In the year have been hit with a series of job cuts with chapel, said: “We are currently seeking advice to April, the publisher reported some concerned that health and safety at as to whether there has been any breach by digital revenues up by 15 per cent work is being jeopardised. the company of the working time regulations to £108.6 million. Print revenue The cuts have hit: Newsquest’s Northern or on health and safety grounds.” We are seeking advice was £107.5 million, down from Echo and the sister titles of The letter was triggered by £119.6 million in the year before. the Darlington & Stockton the management’s decision to as to whether there Times, Durham Times and stop freelance cover. has been any breach Advertiser series; Reach titles Individuals have been known of the working time NEW EUROPEAN SETS the Manchester Evening to start the 9am shift at “ UP PART PAYWALL News (MEN) and the 5.20am to get all the necessary regulations or on The New European has put up a Huddersfield Daily Examiner; tasks done to deadline. partial micro-paywall on its and Cumbrian Newspapers, The union is fighting 15 health and safety website, charging 10p for premium which was bought by compulsory redundancies grounds articles but allowing free access to Newsquest a few months following a merger of journalist other content. Readers not yet ago. There is also uncertainty roles at the MEN and subscribed to the newspaper must over where reporters at the Huddersfield Daily Examiner, as NUJ Chapel, pay £3 into a digital wallet to read Barrow-in-Furness Mail will part of Reach’s strategy of Northern Echo content behind the paywall. be working. separating its print and digital Management at operations. The management Newsquest’s Northern Echo, which faces the said that posts would be created, including for BBC’S FIRST GENDER loss of eight posts, had already been warned video and football writers at the MEN, which AND IDENTITY CORR by staff that the situation in editorial was at would result in a ‘marginal increase’, but the The BBC has appointed its first crisis point. chapel said this included vacant posts. gender and identity reporter as The latest cuts, plus a failure to fill a The NUJ is calling on Newsquest part of its recent expansion of the vacancy, represent one fifth of the staff who management to make clear their intentions World Service. Megha Mohan, a produce the flagship Northern Echo and for The Mail at Barrow-in-Furness after the senior journalist with BBC Stories, Darlington & Stockton Times, and the Durham company told staff it wanted to shift its will join a division within the World Times and Advertiser Series. reporters more than 30 miles away to Kendal. Service in September covering issues such as LGBT+ experiences, faith and ethnicity. Social media displaces real news, say MPs JOHN NEAL IS NEW The amount of online network regulation. identify clearly who had data analytics firm and MARR SHOW EDITOR disinformation is so big The government said it published them. Facebook were at the centre John Neal has been made editor of that it is beginning to crowd planned to introduce a Labour said the government of a dispute over the The Andrew Marr Show. He had out real news, the Commons requirement for electoral “needs to wake up to the new collection and use of been acting editor for several Digital, Culture, Media & adverts to have a ‘digital challenges we face and finally personal data – and whether months after the previous editor, Sport Committee has said. imprint’. update electoral laws”. it was used to influence the Rob Burley, became editor of live The MPs warned that this This would mean that all The report follows the outcomes of the US 2016 political programmes. Neal also threatened democracy and political communications Cambridge Analytica data presidential election or the becomes editor of BBC Newswatch, called for tougher social carried online would need to scandal earlier this year. The UK Brexit referendum. which deals with viewers’ opinions on news coverage.

Haggerty quits Sunday Herald SOAPLIFE CLOSES AFTER WEEKLY MOVE Angela Haggerty, the Sunday Herald columns for the Sunday Herald and Herald Soaplife magazine, which started in news editor, who was previously sacked by newspapers despite quitting the newsroom. 1999, has closed less than six the paper in a row over Rangers Football Club, Haggerty, who joined the Sunday Herald in months after becoming a weekly has resigned because of online ‘threats and 2013, said she had been the subject of abuse title. Owners TI Media said that abuse’. and online trolling since editing Phil Mac sales were not sufficient to ensure She said she had dealt with online abuse over Giolla Bhain’s book Downfall: How Rangers FC viability. Soaplife, which published six years, but added: “It really took a toll on Self-destructed, published in 2012. its last edition in August, went my health last year. I need to take a step back from a monthly to a fortnightly from the intensity of that, at least for a while.” magazine in 2004 before going Haggerty is to continue writing her weekly weekly in February.

theJournalist | 03 news inbrief... BBC politics programmes CLEESE QUITS UK AND BLAMES THE PRESS John Cleese is going to move to the and commentary to be cut Caribbean because of the ‘lying and the triviality’ of UK newspapers. The NUJ has raised concerns over BBC WENN LTD / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO The Monty Python star, who is a plans to cuts its political coverage, with the supporter of Hacked Off, told loss of journalists’ jobs. Newsnight: “I’m so disappointed The Sunday Politics programme is to be with so much about this country at axed and Daily Politics replaced by a shorter the moment … my particular beef is programme. This represents around two hours with the newspapers.” of network politics coverage being lost on BBC1 and BBC2 every week, as well as the loss of eight journalists’ jobs. BORIS RACES BACK BBC Parliament is to lose all original TO THE TELEGRAPH programme making and a third of its small • Conversations – long-form interviews with Boris Johnson resumed his Daily editorial team. The channel will concentrate senior political figures about their lives and Telegraph column just days solely on live and recorded broadcasts of the careers, also shown on BBC2 and BBC4 after resigning as foreign secretary, House of Commons and the House of Lords, • BOOKtalk – a book review programme in breach of the ministerial code. some select committees and proceedings in • Speaker’s Lectures – historical lectures by We need to be able Former cabinet ministers are the UK’s devolved parliaments and assemblies. senior politicians that help to explain the expected to wait for a minimum of Currently, these broadcasts are accompanied current state of politics to see the work of three months after leaving office by on-screen information explaining how • Short films about and items explaining Parliament and the before taking up a business parliamentary procedure and legislation work, parliamentary procedure. appointment, according to the in line with audience feedback calling for more BBC Parliament’s annual budget is expert analysis and Advisory Committee on Business information. These cuts will result in the £1.6 million, compared with nearly “ Appointments. channel being unable to provide much of this £50 million for the BBC News channel and explanations provided information, making Parliament less accessible. more than £1 billion for BBC1. by BBC journalists Programmes to be cut include: Séamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general SCOTLAND FERRET • The Day in Parliament and the Week in secretary and Irish secretary, said: “We need SNIFFS OUT CASH Parliament – round-ups and explanations of to be able to see the work of Parliament and Séamus Dooley Scottish investigative reporting the day’s and week’s events in the Palace the expert analysis and explanations provided NUJ assistant general cooperative The Ferret has won a of Westminster. by BBC journalists.” secretary $100,000 two-year grant from Omidyar Network, a philanthropic investment firm created by Pierre Omidyar, the founder of eBay. It will enable The Ferret to expand its Appeal refused in Sir Cliff Richard case journalistic capacity. The BBC has been refused leave to appeal against Sir Cliff Richard OBE’s privacy case victory, which could have a ‘chilling effect’ on press freedom,according to the corporation. FUTURE APPOINTS If it wishes to overturn the decision, it will have to apply directly to the Appeal Court. GUITAR EDITORS Gavin Millar QC, of the BBC’s legal team, said: “The risk is a severe chilling Magazine publisher Future has effect on the freedom of the press in relation to reporting police investigations.” appointed editors for two guitar The corporation had broadcast a raid on the singer’s home in 2014. titles. Damian Fanelli heads Guitar Sir Cliff was awarded £210,000 in damages, as well as £20,000 in World and Christopher Scapelliti is aggravated damages because the BBC nominated the story for an award. at Guitar Player. Fanelli was Fran Unsworth, the BBC’s director of news and current affairs, said: “This previously online manager at Guitar judgment creates new case law and represents a dramatic shift against press PHOTO STOCK / ALAMY AMER GHAZZAL World, where he raised its Facebook freedom and the long-standing ability of journalists to report on police following to more than one million. investigations. This impacts not just the BBC, but every media organisation.” Raymond Snoddy, Page 19

GRANTHAM JOURNAL GOES BACK HOME The Grantham Journal has moved Irish Times buys Landmark group back to the street where it was founded in 1854, and will be open The union has group. Séamus Dooley, Irish uncertainty. We welcome the “The NUJ enjoys a positive to the public five days a week. The welcomed assurances secretary, said: “Staff at all commitment of the owners to relationship with The Irish regional weekly and website, which from The Irish Times of the media organisations, honour existing agreements Times and our chapel has has moved to Watergate, had following its acquisition of including The Examiner and and work in a collaborative negotiated a number of previously rented a shared office the Landmark publishing Echo, have endured a period of way with the trade unions. agreements over the years.” block with no public access.

04 | theJournalist

news Deficit looms for union as inbrief... MPS LIKE STANDARD, TIMES AND GUIDO budget planning starts The Evening Standard and The Times are the most popular The NUJ could go into deficit of more although the occupants are on low or rent-free newspapers with UK MPs, than £750,000, the new chair of the introductory periods. according to a Comres poll. The union’s finance committee has warned its However, Professor Frost said that even most popular print journalist was ruling national executive council (NEC). when full rent was being paid for the space, Daily Mail columnist Quentin Letts. Professor Chris Frost said in an information that money would only deliver between 2.5 The NEC will need to Guido Fawkes was the most guide for NEC members that if current staff per cent and 4 per cent of the union’s popular blog. vacancies were not filled, the total income. consider carefully deficit by the end of 2020 There are vacancies for an how it wishes to would be £440,713 and, if organiser in both Scotland and proceed over the next TELEGRAPH INCOME people were hired to those Ireland and in the magazines, “ AND PROFIT DOWN posts, the shortfall would rise books and PR department. few months and that The Telegraph’s revenues fell by to £765,433, assuming an At present Scotland is covered by £17.5 million last year to £285.7 inflation rate of 2.4 per cent. just one officer, as is magazines, requires all members million while pre-tax profits nearly The warning came after the books and PR and Ireland by two halved to £13.7 million. However, NEC failed to win sufficient officers. to take the union’s digital subscription revenue jumped support for an increase in The union is stepping up future seriously 30 per cent. The Telegraph said that subscriptions at the biennial recruitment efforts to try to it has more than 2.5 million delegate meeting in April. Any increase in increase income. registered customers. However, it subscriptions requires a majority of two thirds Budget planning for the next financial year, has not disclosed how many of in favour. Some delegates had argued against which starts in October, is under way. them pay to access content through an increase, saying that the rise would fall Professor Frost said: “The NEC will need to its partial paywall. disproportionately on lower paid members. consider carefully how it wishes to proceed The union’s headquarters recently over the next few months after the budget underwent a £2.3 million refurbishment with committee has presented its proposals and 30 YEARS FOR a view to letting out office space to other that requires all members to take the union’s HIGHLANDS BALL organisations. That space has now been let future seriously.” Charity event the Highlands and Islands Press Ball marked its 30th anniversary by reaching a total of £100,000 in donations. The occasion attracts 250 media professionals, politicians and heads Life membership for Kevin of public and private organisations. This year, it raised £5,000, Members of the Derby & Burton branch have celebrated the NUJ life membership of Kevin Palmer (centre), following 46 active years in the union. They paid tribute to a man described as the linchpin of the union in the east TICKLE WINS GRANT Midlands. Now a freelance, Kevin worked for regional newspapers including the FOR COURT RESEARCH Derby Evening Telegraph and Birmingham Daily News. Journalist Louise Tickle, a specialist Midlands NEC member Di Peasey (right) presented his certificate and Chris in child protection and the care Morley, Northern & Midlands senior organiser (left) said: “I know just how much system, has been awarded a grant the NUJ means to him and especially how important it is to have his union from the Paul Hamlyn Ideas and milestone recognised for what it is – a truly inspiring record of dedication, integrity Pioneers fund to research ways in and solidarity to his fellow journalists.” which secret family court processes can be better scrutinised. If you have an interest in the subject, please email louise@louisetickle. Buzzfeed UK rejects NUJ representation co.uk.

Journalists at Buzzfeed UK voted overwhelmingly not to be represented by the NUJ following 18 NEW EDITOR AT months of campaigning by union activists for recognition and by the company against union representation. NURSING STANDARD Out of a 29-strong bargaining unit, only four journalists voted for recognition. Nursing Standard has appointed The NUJ Buzzfeed chapel said: “We were disappointed to hear the result, though not entirely surprised. We first Lynn Eaton as its new editor. Eaton asked management for recognition more than 18 months ago after months of organising At that point, there was is joining the monthly trade enormous enthusiasm among BuzzFeed UK employees for a stronger voice in the workplace and a collective push magazine from the Chartered for improvements. Society of Physiotherapy, where “But, following heavy redundancies over the winter and a series of departures since, the make-up of the staff she was the editor of their has changed.” Frontline magazine.

theJournalist | 05 news inbrief... RTE freelance and staff contracts ITN CHIEF EXECUTIVE HARDIE TO LEAVE ITN chief executive John Hardie will too alike, law firm review finds leave at the end of the year after nine years as the head of the An independent report into Irish payments. RTE said it would implement the company. Hardie, whose remit broadcaster RTÉ’s freelance contracts said report’s recommendations and introduce new covers ITV News, Channel 4 News that as many as one in four contracts with policies and procedures. and Channel 5 News, joined ITN freelances and contractors should be reviewed Dooley said: “This report shows that a from Disney. In 2016, according to because they were similar to those of full-time significant number of workers trapped in the company’s annual report, he employees. inappropriate contracts have employment was paid more than £700,000. The report by law firm Eversheds Sutherland rights and must have their status corrected. found inconsistencies in “We accept that it will certain roles where some take time to address the FACEBOOK MOVE people have been hired as individual issues, involving MAKES PRINT A LIKE staff and others engaged a minimum of 157 cases, Facebook has made its first move into to work as contractors including 106 deemed print with a quarterly publication with fewer employment ‘high priority’ by the aimed at business leaders. However, rights such as sick pay, independent legal the company said its print marketing pension rights, access to advisers. A significant number product was not a magazine, trade union representation “The RTÉ group of of workers trapped although it runs interviews with and maternity and paternity leave. unions must be fully engaged in this business people. Grow by Facebook Séamus Dooley, NUJ Ireland secretary, said process. Line managers must never again be in inappropriate was launched in the UK in June. the report’s findings vindicated the stand taken allowed to act as if they had the right to contracts have by the union over several years about refuse employment rights based on “ employment contracts at RTÉ. The union also unspecified criteria.” employment rights BBC WORLD SERVICE wants a review of self-employed contracts in He added: “The issue of bogus self- INCREASES AUDIENCE the commercial print and broadcasting sectors. employment is a major feature of the media and must have their The BBC World Service has The NUJ’s campaign on employment industry. RTÉ is not unique in this regard. The status corrected increased its audience by 10 million contracts at RTÉ has been backed by the Irish Department of Social Protection should to 279 million. Last year, the service Congress of Trade Unions. Both groups are consider carrying out a sectoral review of made its biggest expansion for more now calling for an urgent implementation of media organisations in the commercial print Séamus Dooley, than 70 years, adding 12 languages full employment rights and compensation and broadcasting sectors.“ NUJ Ireland to its news service, supported by a £289 million funding boost from the government. Picture your pitch for TV success

HELEN THOMAS It may seem obvious, but ‘think visually’, was a key take-home message from HEADS BBC ENGLAND award-winning freelance investigative journalist/TV producer Greg Lewis and ITV Cymru Helen Thomas has been appointed Wales’ editor Nick Powell at a networking event organised by NUJ’s Cardiff & South East Wales director of BBC England, a new role branch to celebrate National Freelancers Day. designed as part of the corporation’s Powell’s ‘What are we going to see?’ is the right question to ask, Lewis agreed. Also key is policy to reflect all of the UK’s finding an independent company to work with in partnership, and looking for programme gaps nations and regions. She will have that commissioners need help filling. editorial and operational Pitching is difficult, but sticking to one or two sides of A4 helps said Lewis, who transitioned responsibility across all non- from print to TV. But what is often hardest is TV commissioners sitting on your ideas – sometimes networked TV, online and radio for many months. output in England. She has been Zoe Thomas, news editor, promised she would give straight answers when she takes up her editor of BBC Radio Humberside, new post as editor, English language programmes at ITV Wales’ Cardiff Bay hub in September. and head of regional and local programming in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire. Bob and Gerry go for gold ROCHDALE ONLINE MARKS 20 YEARS Long-standing Belfast Both members have worked badges and framed pictures MARK DIMMOCK Rochdale Online, which claims to be NUJ branch members Bob tirelessly to support fellow at a recent Belfast NUJ the oldest hyperlocal news website Miller (left) and Gerry Carson NUJ members and deserve branch meeting. in the country, has celebrated its were recently awarded gold their award. All members at the Belfast 20th birthday. It says it has an badges for services to their The two members were meeting praised the awards average 160,000 visitors a month, union, writes Brian Pelan. presented with the gold decision. up from 58,000 in 2011.

06 | theJournalist news Union welcomes BBC’s inbrief... EDDIE MAIR LEAVES THE BBC TO JOIN LBC apology to Carrie Gracie Eddie Mair, presenter of Radio 4’s PM programme, will join LBC in The BBC has apologised to Carrie September after more than 30 Gracie who quit her job as the years at the BBC. Mair has been corporation’s China editor in a dispute over praised for an informal yet incisive equal pay. approach to interviewing and for The NUJ, which has been representing more This was always about tackling subjects from different than 180 other BBC women in equal pay angles. He regularly sent up cases, welcomed the resolution that came the principle. I’m Robert Peston, with Peston’s after direct negotiations with BBC director delighted to donate co-operation, and conducted general Tony Hall. powerful interviews with PA WIRE/PA IMAGES all the backdated pay Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, “ broadcaster Steve Hewlett when said: “It’s great news that Carrie’s case has appointment, apologises for underpaying from the BBC to help Hewlett had cancer. finally been properly resolved, addressing the Carrie, and has now put this right… points of principle she has pursued all along. “Carrie has made, and will continue to women striving for “During that time, the spotlight turned make, an important contribution to the BBC. STANDARD LOSES on pay inequity has led many other women During her tenure as China editor, Carrie equality at work NEARLY £10 MILLION to take up cases of equal pay, not just at delivered reports, analysis and work, that were London’s Evening Standard the BBC but also across the media industry. as valuable as those of the other international Carrie Gracie reported a £9.98 million loss for the The NUJ will continue to fight these cases editors in the same period.” year ending September 2017. It until the scourge that is unequal pay is Carrie Gracie said: “I am glad to have been made a £2.2 million profit in the stamped out.” able to resolve this with the director general previous year. Owner ESI Media The BBC said in a statement: “The BBC – it shows that we can make progress. said the newspaper, which is acknowledges that Carrie was told she would “I’m also pleased that my work as China edited by George Osborne, was be paid in line with the North America editor editor has now been properly recognised by developing its brand, editorial when she took the role of China editor, and the BBC and relieved that this difficult period product and advertising she accepted the role on that understanding. is over. proposition. The losses were “The BBC is committed to the principle “For me, this was always about the blamed on weak advertising. of equal pay and acting in accordance with principle, rather than the money. I’m our values. delighted to donate all the backdated pay “The BBC acknowledges the specific from the BBC to help women striving for GUIDO’S WICKHAM circumstances relating to Carrie’s equality at work.” JOINS BUZZFEED UK … Alex Wickham, news editor of political blog Guido Fawkes, is joining Buzzfeed UK as a senior Orwell winners look to the nation political correspondent. Wickham, who is known as Wiki Guido on This year’s three the prize for Books for Poverty for their ‘spreadsheet and on the impact of big data on Twitter and who is also a GQ winners of the Orwell Safari: Understanding the shoe leather’ report on the the EU referendum and the columnist, will join Buzzfeed Prize focused on modern Anger of Britain’s Underclass. relationship between US presidential election. in September. Britain. The judges said they • On the Edge, a Financial poverty and mental health The prizes reward the revealed a ‘turn to the Times team of Sarah in ‘forgotten towns’ left writing that comes closest to nation’ in political writing in O’Connor, John Burn- behind by the UK economy. achieving the aim of George … WHILE KEMPSELL the continued wake of the Murdoch and Christopher • Carole Cadwalladr won Orwell, an NUJ member, of JOINS TALKRADIO EU referendum result. Nunn, won the prize for the prize for journalism for making political writing into Guido Fawkes chief reporter • Darren McGarvey won Exposing Britain’s Social Evils her reports in The Observer an art. Ross Kempsell has joined Talkradio as the commercial radio station’s first political editor. Kempsell started last month at the station which is owned by Wireless Group, RSA fellowship for Jill Segger part of Rupert Murdoch’s News UK.

Cambridge NUJ branch member Jill Segger has been made a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. The citation for Segger, who is an associate director at KEHOE QUITS SUNDAY political and religious think-tank Ekklesia,said it was “in recognition of your BUSINESS POST commitment to social justice, through your role at Ekklesia, in particular your Ian Kehoe, the editor of Sunday work on political and labour movement issues”. Business Post in Ireland, is stepping Fellowships of the Royal Society of Arts are awards granted to individuals that down after four years in the role. the Royal Society of Arts judges to have made outstanding achievements to He will continue as editor until a social progress and development. replacement is found.

theJournalist | 07 reporting

the other hand, researching the life of someone killed in an act of violence can make the bereaved feel appreciated and help them deal with their pain. Respect and collaboration can be therapeutic. The involvement of Gill Moreton, a psychological therapist based in Edinburgh, and Susan McKay, a

TIMOTHY BUDD / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO STOCK BUDD / ALAMY TIMOTHY journalist collaborating with Dart and Queen’s University, Belfast, to produce a guide to working with trauma victims, added depth to the discussion. They emphasised that respect for interviewees means listening, seeking consent and not offering fake sympathy; and that self-respect for journalists can mean saying no to work that may be too difficult to take on without support, and having a plan to cope on the day and afterwards. Attendees from around the UK agreed with speakers in rejecting imposed narratives focusing on ‘heroes and villains’, on ‘helpless victims’ and ‘guilt and forgiveness’. One spoke of the problem of dealing with large-scale acts of violence as single events when they comprises many individual tragedies. In the wake A discussion about journalists’ responsibilities and rights as employees highlighted the NUJ’s Code of Conduct and the importance of of trauma training and support from the union, especially for freelance staff. Advice on self-care for journalists Steve Bird reports from the #donoharmjournalism was seen as helpful for those who may be suffering in silence, possibly with conference looking at covering personal tragedies secondary post traumatic stress disorder. This conference, which took place nterviewing people who “what happens to those we report on thanks to the support of the Belfast are vulnerable is harder when journalists leave”. NUJ Branch, benefited from a growing than interviewing the The most powerful expression of how knowledge about the psychology and I powerful. This journalism can shape those who biology of trauma. The rise of social message, which may experience trauma came from victims media, the sharing of imagery, the seem counterintuitive, was at the heart themselves, three of whom spoke about speed and pressurised nature of much of a recent conference in Belfast on positive and negative treatment by the reporting and, in some cases, the dealing with trauma and how media after personal tragedies born of relative inexperience of journalists, is journalists report and handle it. the conflict in Northern Ireland. changing our exposure to trauma The #donoharmjournalism event Drawing on their experience and that of while limiting coping mechanisms. was the first of its kind to focus on others helped by Belfast’s Wave Trauma At the end, the only criticism of the journalists’ responsibilities to others – Centre, they were clear that even small Self-respect for #donoharmjournalism conference was and to themselves – and brought mistakes of fact or failure to empathise journalists can that there was not enough of it. together educators, health can have major consequences. At its “ Whether reporting from war zones, professionals, journalists and trauma worst, attempts to impose a narrative mean saying terror incidents at home or at Grenfell victims in a city that offers continual onto vulnerable interviewees can do Tower, whether we are picture editors proof of the physical and psychological serious harm. At its best, respect, no to work that exposed to multiple harrowing images effects of violence and its legacy. listening and collaboration can help or witnesses to traumatic evidence in Angelina Fusco, one of the victims deal with their trauma. may be too court, an understanding of the effect of conference organiserss is a fellow of The conference heard how actions as trauma on ourselves and others is likely the Dart Center for Journalism & seemingly trivial as climbing on a gate difficult to take on to become increasingly important. Trauma and a television editor with to take a photograph at a funeral or without support many years’ experience in Northern sitting in a particular chair in Steve Bird is a member of the NUJ’s Ireland, brought home the relevance of someone’s home can provoke anger national executive council and joint the host city to the day’s discussion of and bring up long-buried memories. On FoC at the Financial Times 8 | theJournalist ” viewpoint

Attitudes limit men’s access to family life, says Jeremy Bowden

the right person. That choice is not open to men. Gender equality lags Most male primary childcarers are in the role because their partner died or is unable to do it, and not through behind in parenting choice. It is still difficult to find a woman (outside London at least) who is willing to hand over the domestic have been a lone parent The consequences include a lack of reins to her partner, partly because she since 2008 when my real choice for men in their lives, and a too has been conditioned – although son was two, and a wider gender pay gap – if women take this is changing. In family courts, too, I successful freelance more time off to look after the kids than judges should aim to bring the custody journalist for the past men, their pay suffers. However, my pay award balance up to 50:50. eight years. The childcare commitment has probably been hit too, suggesting Action is needed to address men’s has made some aspects of journalism this element of the gap is more an under-representation in primary tricky, including conferences and trips issue of role than gender. If more men childcare roles. We need positive male of any length, restricting me largely to were primary childcarers, it would help role models, inclusivity in media home-based work. But the job is narrow the gender pay gap, as well as representation and greater equality of flexible enough to work around school improve men’s access to family life. opportunity – parenting is where the runs and events, sleepovers and The first thing that needs to change greatest gender inequality lies in the illnesses, and the combination provides is media portrayal. Just as successful UK. This is essential if we are to give for a balanced and contented life. female workplace role models and men the choices women already enjoy One thing that has struck me is the representation in the media are and help tackle the gender pay gap. under-representation of men in the important, so male representation is key parenting world. My peer group is almost to encouraging men to opt for childcare entirely women, especially in the single roles. Showing these roles as exclusively parent category. I know of only four other female is little different from portraying male primary carers or lone parents. boardrooms as exclusively male – Our local single parent group was something that unacceptable today, almost exclusively female, as were the and rightly so. Gender fitness classes during the day at the gym stereotyping the home role is – quite a shock for me as my full-time as bad as doing so in the newsroom environments (in London workplace – it reinforces and Singapore) had been balanced. social conditioning. There are many reasons for the Caring for children needs under-representation. A lot of it is to be portrayed as inclusive to down to beliefs (and consequent The lack of men at least (apart from unsuitability) on the part of some men, pregnancy and birth), and and because pregnancy and childbirth “representation perhaps should be aimed at make mum the default carer. But much men if we want a more is also due to conditioning, including of men in the equal society. But on its the lack of representation of men in the media as primary own that won’t be enough. media and society as primary carers of There also needs to be children, which leaves many feeling childcarers leaves equality of opportunity to work is their only option, and that they be primary childcarers, should go if a partnership breaks down. many feeling that which doesn’t exist Then there is discrimination. In the now. Obviously, men workplace, this traditionally made they should go if cannot get pregnant, women the lower earners, so they take so it is difficult to the childcare role for financial reasons. the partnership ensure this equality There is also discrimination against breaks down – if I’d been a woman, I men in the family courts, where the would have had another tendency had always been to put the baby a few years ago, kids with the mother (less so today). whether or not I’d met  8 For all the latest news ”from the NUJ go to www.nuj.org.uk

theJournalist | 9 In journalism’s first days, His mistake was a failure to obtain the official secret policemen into thinking these were all licence necessary for his publication, a ‘coranto’, different papers with different proprietors? Theto come out at all.printer This was one of a new breed of Another low-key element of the launchs edition tale printing home news printed journals or newsletters providing a was the splash, which demonstrated that, being could land you in jail. ‘current’ of flowing news. (It was also known as a an engraver, the publisher had a somewhat' corrant, corante or courant – in the 17th century idiosyncratic news sense: ‘The French Jonathan Sale reports there was no spellcheck or indeed spellchecke.) ambassadour hath caused the Earle of Dampier to Consisting often of only a single sheet of paper, be buried stately at Presburg.’ This was a hard act from the 17th century scrappily printed and coming out sporadically, to follow and van den Keere may well have hoped corantos were what the 17th century had instead that he could top it with, say, a fascinating homas Archer, a printer based in of the internet. account of a deceased Italian aristocrat who had Pope’s Head Alley off Cornhill in These newsletters began in Germany and took been given a stately send-off. Sadly, the post from the City of London, made his off in a bigger way in Holland, with Amsterdam Rome was delayed, to judge by a story (if that’s the T mark twice in the early pages of becoming the news hub of Europe. The Dutch word) which began: “The new tydings out of Italie journalism. In 1621, he became corantos were written, naturally enough, in are not yet com,” an interesting variant on the the first person to bring out in England what Dutch. However, the Corrant out of Italy, concept that no news is good news. could be called in any sense a newspaper; and, in Germany etc was a different kettle of font. Still, there was plenty more where that came late summer of the same year, became the first It occurred to Pieter van den Keere, an from – ie the back numbers of the Dutch person in the news business to be imprisoned Amsterdam map-engraver who had worked in publications – and soon several rival corontos were because of his trade. England, that he could recycle material from being hurriedly translated and printed in time to It was not the betrayal of state secrets or Dutch corontos by having articles translated catch the next boat tacking across the North Sea. hacking into private correspondence of into English and exported across the Channel. The Dutchmen were flying high: coranto affairs 17th century citizens that caused Archer to be The heavy linguistic lifting could be done by sailed along smoothly, ticking over financially on escorted through the prison gates. It was not that the untouched pool of, well, not exactly talent, circulations of a mere 500 copies. And they were he had infringed the tyrannical Star Chamber’s let’s say unskilled labour hanging around all safe from the attention of the king of England. ban on the publication of any domestic news Amsterdam in the shape of dissident Puritans At least they were for a while. Coming between – he obediently confined himself to items about and mercenaries waiting for their next gig on the Gunpowder Plot and the English Civil War, the other side of the Channel, which would not the battlefields of Europe. those were politically edgy times. To James I, all stir up anti-government feelings on this side of The result was the Corrant out of Italy, this anodyne stuff about an earl’s burial it. Even then, he would surely have avoided Germany etc. The first edition wasn’t called by arrangements and Italy being very quiet was as

HULTON ARCHIVE anything contentious: in the fraught Catholic vs that title or indeed anything at all, while later contentious as Wikileaks today: too much Protestant atmosphere, he would have watched editions of the Corrant did bear that name but information for the hoi polloi to be trusted to his step as surely as if there had been a notice with slight variations of it in the mastheads. This handle. Although James could not lock up pinned up in his office commanding: ‘Don’t may or may not have been a way of keeping the proprietors who were safely over the water, he mention the Thirty Years’ War!’ editorial head down; would it fool the dimmer could and did tell the Dutch authorities that he

10 | theJournalist Looking back to: 1621 FALKENSTEINFOTO / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO When Galileo was a star story

The pioneering publishers news books for a lot less money of his subjects knowing too of news were a highly but to many more readers. He is much about the world, let alone respectable bunch. Johann credited with a stellar scoop – a their own country. Carolus of Strasbourg produced report on Galileo’s telescope. His Royal Highness stamped handwritten newsletters for Other German papers out these exports from the rich subscribers until, in the were launched then Holland Netherlands, whereupon would take it as a personal favour if they banned summer of 1605, he decided to became the news hub of Thomas Archer brought out the the export of these English language upgrade from quill pen to Europe, with the launch of first coranto printed in England. The printers talepublications. And so the Anglo-Dutch press was printing press and sell his tiny Courante uyt Italien, Duytslandt Pretty soon, this pioneering instantly deleted. in 1618. printer and publisher had his ' This left a gap in the English Other corantos followed, first collar felt. market, which Thomas Archer in Dutch then translated for the ‘King Locks Up Editor Shock thought he could fill with his English market. Horror – Come Off It Sire, We home-produced product. These were pretty minimalist Say’ was the headline of Coming out perhaps as early as productions, often a single Archer’s paper. At least it would the spring of 1621, Corante: or, sheet of paper. However, they have been if he hadn’t been Newes from Italy, Germany, rattled James I, who disapproved banged up. Hungarie, Spaine and France, had a not very snappy title which echoed – or ripped off – the first of the now banned England and The lucky licencee of the Weekly Newes was Anglo-Dutch papers. No stay out of jail. recorded only as ‘N.B.’, which did not, sadly, stand copies survive but a letter The trick for a nibs or news in brief but were the initials of from a reader does. It seems employed by the proprietor, whose identity is uncertain but that Archer’s crime consisted the enterprising was either one Nathaniel Butler or a Nicholas of not only reproducing Weekly Newes Bourne. Whatever the name of its press baron, Dutch articles without a was the simple the paper broke new ground (but probably not government licence but also expedient of stories) by coming out regularly for a sustained ‘adding’ to them without investing in ‘a period of three years, although it kept its readers showing which bits were his licence to print on their toes by varying the title occasionally. own creations. corantos and sell Its longevity was possible only because it While today we must all frown on them, honestly steered clear of any home news. Luckily for the inventing of quotes, a spell behind bars does translated out of the Dutch’. British journalism, the Star Chamber was seem a draconian punishment for printing In this context, ‘honestly’ meant that, unlike abolished in 1642, freeing journalists from its unattributable information. Archer was soon let Archer’s ‘newes-paper’, no concepts were added tyranny. This was, of course, too late for poor out of his cell but this episode seems to have to the Dutch texts. The idea of an exclusive had Thomas Archer and the corantos but they lived put paid to his short career as a coranto CEO. not troubled the original corantos. The fact all on in the title of the first successful English daily He would have been less than pleased to learn the material was secondhand demonstrated its paper, launched in 1702. The Daily Courant was that the gap in the market which he had left was accuracy. The proud boast was: remember, you established “next door to the King’s Arms Tavern being filled by a competitor who managed to read it here second. This would avoid fake news at Fleet Bridge”, so the editor always knew where produce an English publication, print in or, as they put it at the time, ‘mif-information. to find the staff in a hurry.

theJournalist | 11 Hungary

government is protecting them against imaginary threats and that the critical media are foreign agents,” says Tamás Bodoky, editor-in-chief of investigative site Átlátszó. Set up by veteran journalist Bodoky in 2011, Átlátszó ‘doesn’t do the news race, only explosive stuff’. It has paid the price for its independence, having to scramble for short-term grants and crowdfunding to survive and being targeted by a government smear campaign naming it as a Soros-grantee – and therefore the enemy. “There’s a huge pseudo-media sector offering well-paid jobs … Journalists in the independent media need job security and time to do their work and keep the government accountable,” says Bodoky. “When the EU criticises Hungary, Orbán says journalists are not in jail, so it’s OK.” Orbán seems to be getting along fine without resorting to harsher methods. INDEPENDENCE He knows it would play badly on an international level, says Urbán. “Continuous hidden pressure and step-by-step restrictions can be more WITHERING useful,” he adds. An irony is that EU money is propping up at least one propagandist. Orbán’s Lorraine Mallinder examines the media’s childhood friend, Lőrinc Mészáros, went from being a gas pipe fitter to owning an health under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán array of companies, including the country’s biggest media organisation, which runs Echo TV and a stable of ungary’s Viktor Orbán for migrant rights), distributed in the influential regional newspapers. Átlátszó positions himself as a form of advertising contracts reserved calculates that, between 2010 and 2017, renegade leader for friends of Fidesz. nine of the Mészáros family’s 203 H speaking hard truths to There is no such fortune for companies won public tenders worth the EU liberal elite. But, independent outlets, which battle it out €1.5 billion (£1.31 billion), 83 per cent of when it comes to his own regime, the in a rigged market. “[The government] which came from EU sources. independent voices speaking truth to puts pressure on different sectors and “In various ingenious ways, they’re the autocratic prime minister are companies not to run advertising in taking over the country. It’s like: ‘We’re slowly being silenced. independent media,” says Urbán, a the only game in town. There’s no Now embarking on his third straight specialist in media economics. escape’,” says Dan Nolan, a freelance term in office, Orbán has built what Such was the fate of Magyar Nemzet, journalist who writes for The Guardian some term a mafia state, dismantling an 80-year-old daily shut down in the and Al Jazeera. He recently came under the democratic checks and balances of wake of April’s election. “For the last attack from the regime, accused of being the post-communist era while enriching three years, we struggled to get a ‘political activist’ after exposing the an inner circle loyal to his Fidesz party. advertising because [companies] knew They convinced government’s direct editorial control of A few of those party members now that they’d get a special inspection voters that the state and pro-government media. control the media outlets that would from the tax office,” says Csaba Lukács, “ “I’m not optimistic,” says Dániel otherwise be holding him to account. a foreign correspondent who had been government is Szalay, a freelance media correspondent Orbán’s control has been cemented with the newspaper for 18 years. for 24.hu, who has spent the past few with a simple method: advertising spend. As the independent sector shrinks, protecting them years tracking the assault on “Propaganda media have unlimited public service broadcasting and a independent media. “I’ve seen many state resources,” says Ágnes Urbán, of roster of once-independent names, and that the tragedies, professional journalists losing Budapest-based watchdog Mérték such as television channel TV2 and their jobs or [leaving] the country. Now Media Monitor. Take the €40 million of news site Origo, are expanding fast and critical media are it’s just the fighters who are here.” taxpayers’ money spent last year on producing anti-migrant, anti-Brussels (The Prime Minister’s international campaigns against Hungarian-born and anti-Soros scare stories. foreign agents communications office declined to philanthropist George Soros (who “It’s aggressive brainwashing. They comment, stating that it doesn’t invoked Orbán’s wrath with his support convinced Hungarian voters that the comment on media affairs.) 12 | theJournalist ” communications

Being suddenly ignored isn’t only confined to dating, reports Gina Clarke

She explains: “With remote working and internal pods becoming integrated into normal ways of working, there is less face-to-face team connection and that can lead to people feeling sidelined if they are left out of the conversation.” McCann believes people ghost when they have something negative to say but don’t want to ruin the previous rapport. She says: “Avoidance is natural for humans, but it’s not always beneficial. The person doing the ghosting can be left feeling guilty and confused as they have not effectively confronted the issue.” Of course, there are issues on the receiving end too. Therapist Sally Baker recognises workplace ghosting can cause an unsettling train of reactions. The emotions can follow an arc similar to that of grief, beginning with feelings of shock and denial through to overwhelming sadness. She says: “Initially, a person can feel A ghost in confused and even doubt that they are being ghosted so keep making repeated and sometimes more intense efforts to contact the person. “It’s not unusual for the ghosted the machine person to feel excessive and increasing levels of anguish as the whole scenario of being sidelined keeps being played hosting is a term She says: “One particular editor over and over in their mind. synonymous with the snaps up several ideas in a row, then “The idea that multiple failure of a lover or suddenly goes quiet for months at a communication platforms are an aid G date to respond, time. Once I pitched two ideas in June, has become the accepted wisdom of the despite previous and she responded in the December day, but the reality is very different.” promising communication. That once with two commissions. It does make Of course, simpler reasons could be special person simply slips out of your it very hard to know where you are at play too – such as the news agenda. life, like a ghost. with work.” Angharad Salazar Llewellyn is a senior In the workplace, there are more of Still, there are ways around it, such as freelance editor and believes a us – myself included – who feel using social media. Freelance Kate fast-paced environment could be a modern technology can make it far Chapman uses Twitter to chase up her One editor snaps cause for concern. easier for an editor or case study pitches. She says: “One old editor used to love interviewee to ignore us. She says: “It’s often because editor’s “up several ideas an idea one day, save it for the next and This isn’t a case of having made a bad inboxes were full and they bounced then be completely bored by it as it pitch or expecting a response to a my messages back. I think they’re in a row, then wasn’t new any more.” cold email. Ghosting is to drop just so overwhelmed with emails, Whether ghosting is down to mid-conversation from what has junk and pitches that they very often suddenly goes technology, a need to remain ‘nice’ sometimes been a cultivated don’t see communications as well. quiet for months or even the news agenda, it is having a relationship into nothing. Worrying times.” worrying psychological impact on In part, the explosion of Additional stress arises from at a time. It makes freelance and remote workers, communication platforms is at fault. wondering if someone never comes who often work without the presence Large teams tend to rely on Slack, back to you, whether it is polite to it very hard to of another human for several days WhatsApp, Trello or others, meaning a move on without ending the a week. good idea can often get lost among the conversation. know where you As freelances continue to juggle white noise. Psychologist Rebecca McCann from are with work everything from loneliness to financial Freelance journalist Gillian Harvey clickfortherapy.com believes that this worries, it means dealing with our believes ghosting is becoming par for way of working can generate more ghosts is often far more unsettling the course. pressure than an office environment. than it needs to be. ” theJournalist | 13 analytics

Using analytics to see which stories are the most popular is part of life in many newsrooms. Neil Merrick looks at the risks and the potential of this Precision tools or click crazy?

t is getting on for six years since the big screens platform’ ” that helps online titles build a more loyal audience. were installed in newsrooms at the Cambridge It reveals not only how long people spend reading each News and other Trinity Mirror titles. story but also whether they found a story through social I Showing how many people are reading media or a search engine. The platform also shows whether online stories at any time, they are, says they remain on the site and read further articles. Cambridge News editor David Bartlett, part of the furniture. Loyal readers are those who visit a website eight times over a They also reflect the media’s growing fascination with analytics. 16-day period, while anyone visiting more than once a month Advanced tools not only reveal how people find their way is classed as regular. The key, says Bartlett, is to convert regular onto news websites but also whether they do it frequently readers into loyal ones, while attracting new people. “We are in enough to be considered loyal or regular readers. the business of growing our audience,” he says. But, in a click-crazy world that leaves editors and publishers with increasing amounts of data at their disposal, is there a risk of journalists being assessed on page views rather than quality? Analytics can throw up intriguing results, says Bartlett. Yes, people want to read about murder and other crime, but can be more interested in rail timetable changes than anticipated. “It gives you a better feel for what people are interested in,” he says. Occasionally, readers search for a story that has yet to be written, alerting news teams to a road accident, for example. Three years ago, Trinity Mirror dropped plans to include ‘click targets’ in journalists’ contracts following NUJ opposition. Reporters, stresses Bartlett, “are not targeted on page views”. However, analytics may be used when deciding (based on readership data) whether to run certain types of story. David Higgerson, digital editorial strategy director at Trinity Mirror, says there are journalistic as well as business reasons for analysing audience behaviour. Stories that attract more readers may be elevated to a more prominent position on a home page or placed nearer the front of a print edition. At the same time, journalists should ask why a story did not attract more readers. Was it down to the nature of the story – or how it was presented or promoted? “Online journalism shows us that stories stand or fall on their own merits,” he says. Trinity Mirror titles uses Chartbeat and Google Analytics to examine online readership. While Google is a free tool giving readership figures over longer periods, Chartbeat shows how many people are reading a story at any time. Chartbeat is a US firm used in the UK by The Independent as well as Trinity Mirror. Jill Nicholson, its director of customer

ILLUSTRATION: STUARTKINLOUGH ILLUSTRATION: education, describes its service as a “content intelligence

14 | theJournalist analytics

According to Chartbeat, 45 per cent of readers leave a story within 15 seconds of clicking onto a page so cannot be Hooking readers with a score counted as having read it. “If a reader launches a page view and does not read it, it’s not valuable for journalists,” says Ever wondered how knowledge in a story, and others’. “It’s not a leap of Nicholson. “We want to know how far into the content the much you learnt from a how best to direct readers imagination to say longer reader makes it.” story? Or what more you to further information. articles will be more Why don’t people scroll further? Is it because they aren’t could find out? Answers to Offering a score plus the knowledge rich,” he says. interested? This, says Nicholson, is something for newsrooms such questions will be prospect of raising it is an “We may need to blacklist to discuss but complex language is generally a turn off, while available to FT digital advanced form of reader stories that don’t lend pull-out quotes may tempt readers to stay longer. subscribers by September engagement. themselves to the concept.” She agrees analytics should not be used to rate journalists’ if, as planned, the FT starts “We are not going to test The scheme could raise performance but says they can help writers to improve. giving live knowledge readers on knowledge,” an estimated £1.5m a year “Analytics are not a good or bad thing. It’s about the culture scores based on what stresses FT group product if subscribers visit the FT you create around data,” she says. “There is a recipe that goes people read. manager James Webb. “We site more often or read into success on digital platforms.” Tests with volunteer want to reach people who more articles. But Webb Adam Tinworth, a lecturer in journalism at City University, subscribers are due to be are less engaged with a insists there is no question London, says it is vital that journalists are involved in discussions held over the summer. new behavioural hook.” of journalists being asked over the use of analytics. “People could reject it because of the With digital production According to Webb, it is to increase or ration discomfort of being measured or lack of understanding, or firm Crux, which helped reasonable to assume FT information to influence because [they think] it automatically means clickbait,” he says. develop the tool, the FT readers will wish to online behaviour. “The Rather than wait for management to impose simplistic has to decide how to achieve a high score, and editorial team is fiercely targets, journalists should show interest in the potential of measure the amount of maybe compare it with independent,” he says. analytics. “It’s done best when staff are supported, and they understand what the measurements mean and know what the objectives are,” he says. “There is no good in having a story with 500 hits if people Laura Sharman, editor of online journal Local Government are on the page for 15 seconds,” she says. “We are not about News, normally checks Google Analytics three or four times clickbait. We are interested in quality journalism.” per day to see how many people read stories. While Sharman is particularly interested in the ‘bounce rate’ – how important for advertising, the results also demonstrate Online many readers stay on LGN’s site to read further stories. “You interest in topics. She stresses it is not just about how journalism have to know what you are looking for. Are you retaining your counting many hits a story receives. audience? Where are they going next?” she asks. “As a journalist, “shows us that you want to write articles that are right for your audience.” Persuading people to become regular readers is becoming stories stand more of a priority. The Times and Sunday Times appointed an engagement editor to attract online readers, while the Financial or fall on their Times is about to offer subscribers live knowledge scores, based on the what they learn from reading articles (see box). own merits Figures showing the week’s most popular stories can come as a surprise. It is not unusual for a story that is a year or two old to be more popular than recent news. According to Tinworth, journalists should not be concerned if readers are attracted into online archives. “It’s a concept we have to get around,” he says. “We are no longer producing a product that will go into the recycling in a few days.” Media organisations are not short of choice when it comes ” to analytics. Facebook provides a free tool called CrowdTangle, which measures a story’s performance based on social media interactions, while Parse.ly, another US firm, offers a live dashboard service similar to Chartbeat’s. Daniel Banta of Parse.ly agrees that page views should not be the be-all and end-all when it comes to measuring success. Just as interesting, he says, is whether people are likely to read stories on a desktop or a mobile device, and what this means for using graphics and images alongside text. Back at Trinity Mirror, Higgerson says discussions are continuing over how to ensure some stories are better read. No story is above scrutiny, he says, regardless of how worthwhile or important it seems. The question is how journalists and editors interpret data and use the myriad of tools available now and in the future. “The key is to allow yourself to be led by analytics, but not governed by analytics,” says Higgerson.

theJournalist | 15 reporting

Louise Tickle looks at when the line between the personal and the professional becomes blurred in reporting traumatic case studies A life, not just a story

ast summer, a young man I’ll call Peter took protective, she often worries something might happen further an overnight bus from Newcastle to London down the line that is out of her control: “A cruel or misleading Victoria. Shortly before 9am, he stepped out headline, overzealous subbing, a thoughtless picture caption. L in front of an incoming tube train. Or, at the very worst, out-of-context paraphrasing or rewriting.” Just 20 when he died, Peter was the eldest Telling someone how compelling and important their child of ‘Annie’, who I had spent nine months working with as I experience is, while also trying to explain that an emotionally researched how North Tyneside Council had removed her gruelling two-hour interview might result in only a couple of youngest son at birth. Interviewing Peter, it became evident paragraphs in print, or indeed nothing at all, is a delicate line that he had been deeply traumatised by watching his mother’s to walk. “People sometimes expect more emphasis on their ordeal and the threat of losing his baby brother to adoption. The feature was published and, over the next year or so, I kept in close touch with Annie. I had seen her at her most vulnerable but had also watched as, taking strength from the simply as programme validation she felt from having her story told, she thrived Being a case study fodder, which has professionally and personally. We became friends. happened, just the once. Ten days after Peter killed himself, I went with her to see My initial feelings be repeated on a national Journalists have mostly the spot where he had died. Then we drove to Westminster when Louise first scale – a nervousness been clear that, while they mortuary, loaded Peter’s body into the back of my car and drove approached me were that was replicated when will make every effort to out of London along the Edgware Road. Annie couldn’t afford a apprehension and I was asked onto the be accurate, I might not like funeral director’s transportation costs to Newcastle and besides, unease, writes ‘Annie’. Victoria Derbyshire show, everything that goes out. because of her experiences with social services, she found any I had visions of LBC and local radio. I’ve also noticed that intrusion by officialdom incredibly painful. She was viscerally sensationalist, clickbait It’s frightening to let accuracy on a complex determined that she, his mother, would bring him home herself. headlines. I was concerned yourself be vulnerable on story takes a lot of time I will never feel anything other than honoured that she let me about being exploited and this scale. I’ve been lucky, and care – and that means help her. However, it is also the case that I have never developed worried that my anger though, because through hours of the case study’s a relationship this close with a ‘case study’. It’s a fundamental over the injustice of my working with journalists time as well! You’re not at aspect of a journalist’s role to interview people at the very experiences would blind who have respected me, the media’s mercy; you can worst of times – and we often disappear once the job is done. me to this. I’ve learned how to retain a degree of control Talking to colleagues, it’s clear that this can lead to a sense I was desperate to distinguish between by being clear about of unease about how we navigate the ethics involved. What do illuminate the problems I’d sensation seekers and boundaries from the start. we owe the people whose stories we tell? Anything? Nothing experienced in the care those genuinely To journalists, I would other than doing them justice in our copy? Do they have a system, which I felt were interested in telling my say never make promises call on us afterwards? How can we protect our case studies – damaging other families family’s story with dignity, you can’t keep, always and ourselves? And is it OK – or not – to get as involved in too. I’d also spent years respect and humanity. I’ve keep in mind this is someone’s life as I did, eventually, in Annie’s? feeling powerless and was not liked it when I’ve felt someone’s life, and don’t Kelly Rose Bradford has written numerous case-study-led anxious that this would someone is after me abandon them afterwards. features for national media, and believes ‘we owe them absolute honesty and openness, and a lot of hand-holding’. Highly

16 | theJournalist CULTURA CREATIVE / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

reporting

cause than a one-line explanation and weblink to their course leader at Liverpool John Moores University, and charity or GoFundMe,” says Bradford. “It’s very important to co-author of Reporting Bad News: Negotiating the Boundaries manage expectations from the start.” Between Intrusion and Fair Representation in Media Coverage While The Guardian’s Windrush campaign shows how of Death. Not only can stories help the interviewee ‘because personal testimonies can transform policy and practice, there I feel guilty they acknowledge grief and loss, [providing] a societal are often limitations to what can be achieved by opening up. acceptance that they have lost something and that we care’, “I feel guilty when I don’t use what [they] say and they’ve when I don’t use she says, but also it helps hold power to account. “People who invested in speaking to me and revisited something “ are bereaved have the right to talk about their experience in an traumatic,” says Kirstie Brewer, who writes case-study-led what they say uncensored way, on things that we might self-censor,” she says. stories for BBC Stories. There’s more guilt, when an and they’ve Brian Woods, the multi-award-winning director of True Vision interviewee contacts her a couple of months later “wanting TV, operates on the principle that contributors can withdraw you to do more and, actually, you can’t”. Having more time, as invested in consent at any point during a filming process that may last she now does at the BBC, to develop relationships with months or even years. The relationship journalists build with interviewees means she can spend longer explaining how the speaking to me case studies is different from a friendship, he says, “but it’s also story might look when published, and help prepare them for different to a professional relationship that a doctor might the online reaction. and revisited have with a patient – it is more intimate in some ways and akin Yet lines can sometimes feel blurry. In fostering the trust something to a friendship, but not a friendship, and you need to be clear”. that allows interviewees to feel safe enough to relive painful However, Woods is also clear that if people are letting you experiences, I personally struggle because they may believe traumatic into their life, ‘if you can help them, why wouldn’t you?’ the relationship is closer than it really is. The risk lies, he says, in encouraging dependence. Certain NUJ ethics council chairman Professor Chris Frost says: people, because of their vulnerabilities, may stretch boundaries. “You can’t carry on as a journalist unless people trust you, but “We made a film with a woman who was addicted to drugs, who you have to be transparent that what you’re doing is a story on ended up texting the producer 20 or 30 times a day, wanting them – and that your editor is very likely going to be pressing money and wanting her to go up there and sort out her life,” he for details that, when in the open, they might not like.” remembers. “Then you have to say, well, making the film was Branding journalists’ interactions with people in distress as a professional act and, while we’re happy to support you as exploitative does not acknowledge the constructive function far we can, no we can’t just give you money or come up.” of telling these stories, argues Jackie Newton, journalism ” Though the producer spent many hours on the phone listening and helping her, eventually the contributor had to be blocked. Ultimately, says Woods, what journalists do is ‘try to bring attention not only to people’s plight as individuals, but also to everyone who is living in the same situation.’ And that is often what swings a person’s decision to talk to journalists – a motivation of generosity as well as of wanting to be heard. Perhaps with complete respect and clarity from the off, so that both journalist and case study understand what each is getting from the interaction and what level of control each has, we don’t need to feel guilty any more, or that we’re exploiting people’s pain for our own purposes.

theJournalist | 17 first person

StartingOut Bucketfuls of resilience and an entrepreneurial spirit are vital, says Marianne Lehnis

am an aspiring editor and and exams and the exhilarating yet working hours were reduced and I knew journalist – interested in terrifying question of how I was going it was more than time to move on. I travel, culture, people and to manage the leap into a very I was ready for stability and 9-5 generally the wonders competitive industry. hours. I took a deep dive into the world and beauties of the world around me. It was a random stroke of fate that of global business and finance as a “I’d like to write for and about those brought my first journalism break: reinsurance journalist. who don’t have a voice and need to be towards the end of my MA I went to a I was hired at the launch of the heard. I’d like to write about those who campus house party and met someone Reinsurancene.ws site; it was a steep have contributed to the world who who had worked for Brighton’s Latest industry jargon learning curve and have something to say that needs to be TV and magazine. production-intense work. said. I’d like to write prose and poetry She offered to pass on my CV, and By the time I moved on after 15 that will carry you away from the I landed an internship as a video months, the news site had grown to present and into another world. journalist. become one of the most read in its “My journey of discovery … to It was three years ago now, but I still area and I’d produced about 40 per remember a simple pleasure that remember the sheer joy and relief I cent of the content. young children know and adults forget. had felt at having got my foot in the I found that after I left the firm, the The joy of discovery.” media door. byline on my articles was changed I wrote this on my ‘about me’ I remember watching my first from my name to ‘staff writer’; this blog page, six years ago, as an self-made video news package aired on taught me to carefully check, undergraduate of English literature local TV. The footage I had shot was out understand and agree on copyright and creative writing with high hopes of of focus and way too bright. I stood in After I left, my and accreditation terms. a journalism career. an obscure Brighton alleyway and It’s still early days as a freelance in With a love of communicating, emphatically told the camera: “This “byline was London but, so far, I’ve learnt that with creativity, ideas, discovery and social may seem like a quiet, residential enough creativity, courage and drive, a impact, I knew working in the media neighbourhood, but just a few hours changed to world of opportunity awaits. would be the right fit for me. What I ago, a woman was followed, dragged Starting out as a journalist has not didn’t know was what it would take to into this alley and raped …” ‘staff writer’ – been an easy ride. Through the highs get to where I wanted to be. What followed was an exhausting and lows, I’ve learnt that bucketfuls of Deciding to do a master’s in year of working all hours to juggle a which taught resilience and an entrepreneurial spirit multimedia journalism felt like a brave back-office job at American Express me to check, are key to creating a career and life to step in itself; the thought of working in with the six month unpaid internship be proud of. media provoked images of a ‘dying’ followed by working at Latest TV as a understand and And, if the journey is the industry with shouting editors, tight video journalist. destination, then mine will be one with deadlines, even tighter budgets and I’ll have to say a word about agree on a story or two to tell. having to scrounge for work. Latest TV – a pub by night, a broadcast It was a leap into the unknown and a studio by day. It smelt of detergent and copyright and big investment in a career which, from old beer. It was home to chaos, accreditation @mariannelehnis the outside, did not have promising confusion and enthusiastic youngsters prospects but offered a chance to chasing big ambitions. Cringeworthy terms illuminate, entertain, inform and ask yet unforgettable. meaningful questions. Work became increasingly scarce as My MA passed in a whirlwind of the BBC launch grant ran dry. People shorthand, media law, news writing moved on or were made redundant, my

18 | theJournalist ” on media

Raymond Snoddy on the fallout from the Sir Cliff Richard case

internet awash with rumours, some more lurid than the reality. Meanwhile, More restrictions, the mainstream media would be prevented from reporting the facts. It’s not just a case of the media more abuse of power playing the freedom of the press card – it’s about freedom of information for everyone. here was the dangerous Yet a life can be publicly trashed And so it is that the BBC, which pleasure of having a without a shred of credible evidence, must be at least a little embarrassed scoop on your hands as Field Marshal Bramall and Lady and bruised by the ramifications of its T involving a universally Britten, the widow of Lord Leon Brittan, scoop, now has a clear duty. known personality, can testify. After Mr Justice Mann backed his after horse-trading with the police. In Sweden, newspapers go further misguided judgment by blocking the Then there was the almost gloating and usually do not name those on trial initial right of appeal, the BBC must helicopter coverage – and the until they have been found guilty. It’s a now see this through and go directly to unfortunate reality for the BBC that result of cultural pressure rather than the Appeal Court – for both the media after two years the investigation was any legal requirement. and society. quietly dropped without charge. Should we follow the implications The BBC was heavily criticised, of the Sir Cliff case in the direction rightly, for under-reporting and almost of anonymity? ignoring the Jimmy Savile affair, so was The answer is almost certainly not. this exuberant over-reporting of Sir For the greater good, it is always Cliff a subconscious reaction? important that as much is known The BBC has won few friends as about police activities, investigations the singer accused the corporation and arrests as possible. of acting as his ‘judge, jury and This society has been marked by too executioner’ and the overall bill heads many cover-ups by the authorities towards £5 million. over the years to think that Understandably perhaps, Sir Cliff was introducing further reporting curbs less than magnanimous and went on in would be a good idea. victory to make biblical demands – that Right on cue, MPs voted senior heads should roll at the BBC. themselves the right to On one side is an apparently Society has been anonymity in cases of insensitive BBC and on the other are allegations of sexual some of his millions of fans singing “marked by too misconduct and expenses Congratulations outside the High fraud despite promises of Court after Sir Cliff’s victory. many cover-ups greater openness. One national institution has reason As for the newly to feel very ill used by another. by the authorities minted Sir Cliff law, at Wipe away the tears and the the very least, the ruling emotion, and the issue comes down over the years of an individual judge to one that is easy to state but more to think that should be examined for wider difficult to resolve. implications. Should the media name potentially introducing One obvious benefit of openness innocent suspects when they are is that publicity can bring forward merely being investigated, not even further reporting further witnesses on either side. arrested, never mind charged, and has In sexual cases, publicity has Mr Justice Mann created new law? curbs would be often led to many further victims Legal specialists were quick to point a good idea who have suffered in silence for out that criminal suspects will now be ages coming forward – though able to block the media from reporting tellingly not in the case of Sir Cliff. their arrests – to protect their privacy. Any such ban would see the

For the latest updates from Raymond Snoddy on Twitter 8 follow @raymondsnoddy”

theJournalist | 19

arts

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

Theatre by Tim Lezard Freedom of speech takes centre Exhibition Film stage in editor’s prison drama Their Work is Not Forgotten Lucky Edinburgh Museum On general release from Though suffering low, low times Until 14 October 14 September in prison – “I hurl obscenities at the As you’ll know, 2018 is the centenary When Oscar Wilde said “Life imitates walls, the heavens and the city. I year of the first women receiving the art far more than art imitates life”, he shock myself with my own fury. I’ve right to vote, and this exhibition could have been talking about John never seen myself like this” – Can celebrates the milestone by looking at Carroll Lynch’s debt feature Lucky. survives his 92-day ordeal through the individuals who played such an Not that it was lucky for its star, companionship within his cell important role in the suffragette Harry Dean Stanton who, at 91, (paper aeroplanes, alfresco lunches, movement. Edinburgh was the site of played a 90-year-old man coming football and Adele) and solidarity a major protest in 1909, where to terms with his approaching without it. women took to the streets to death … then died before the film Apart from his family (“I am campaign for their right to vote. This was released. proud to be your son and honoured exhibition follows 2009’s display, Described by US film critic Mike It’s not often journalists are to be your friend”), it is his fellow A Gude Cause, representing the D’Angelo as Stanton’s “accidental but portrayed as the good guys (or girls). journalists who give him the most voices of young people in Edinburgh ideal swan song”, the film is a I know – we all know – how vital succour. A former colleague arrives today and examining how, if at all, meditation on mortality, loneliness, our work is to the democratic at the prison gates carrying a they engage with political and spirituality and human connection. process, but it’s a fact that all too wooden chair, beginning what will social action. www.luckyfilm.co.uk often goes unnoticed. turn into the Vigil of Hope. www.edinburghmuseums.org.uk Yet when it does get noticed, Other journalists are swift to The Children Act that’s when the trouble really follow, organising a rota and Books On general release from 24 August begins. Take the story of Can arranging coach trips to the prison; Beef Cubes and Burdock Hot on the heels of Chesil Beach Dündar, for example. this culminates in his colleagues John Phillpott comes another adaptation of an Ian Editor-in-chief of Turkey’s older holding their weekly editorial Midlands journalist McEwen novel, The Children Act. and most prestigious broadsheet, meetings at the gates. John Phillpott has Starring Emma Thompson as a Cumhuriyet, he was arrested in This is an uplifting, important, published a book high court judge who has to November 2015 when his story to tell and one I’d recommend about his 1950s decide whether a teenage newspaper received a flash drive to anyone who cares about media childhood growing Jehovah’s Witness can refuse to containing evidence of illegal freedom. up in rural have a blood transfusion that will government activity. As Can says himself: Warwickshire. save his life, Richard Eyre’s #WeAreArrested tells of his “#WeAreArrested is an allegory of Starting his production beautifully balances the imprisonment after publishing – the imprisonment of an entire career as a trainee professional with the personal, as against advice from his chief society. Our tormentors will vanish reporter on the Thompson’s husband announces his executive – details of how the from the annals of history, but art Rugby Advertiser, intention to have an affair with a Turkish state was sending weapons and literature will survive for ever. Phillpott went on 28-year-old statistician. to Syrian Islamist fighters. And articulate our dream that the to work for numerous regional www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms/film/ Performed in the RSC’s The Other entire world will one day shout ‘We newspapers during a career spanning the_children_act Place in Stratford-upon-Avon, the are free!’ ” nearly five decades. play is written by Can himself, Now retired, he says his book is Comedy adapted from his book We Are Both the screenplay and Can both a lament and a celebration of a Rachel Parris Arrested: a Journalist’s Notes From a Dündar’s book can be bought from: vanished landscape, a lost way of life It’s Fun to Pretend Turkish Prison, and succeeds in https://shop.rsc.org.uk/products/ and a depressingly vastly diminished On tour throughout UK transforming his cell into a making-mischief-we-are-arrested- biodiversity. Star of the BBC’s surreal Mash Report, microphone to the world. day-of-the-living-pb www.austinmacauley.com/book/ Rachel Parris hits the road with a new beef-cubes-and-burdock show for autumn, in which she

20 | theJournalist arts

showcases a combination of comic Book review anthems alongside her all too relatable, bittersweet stand-up. It’s no wonder she’s been described as Horror and hope through a lens “Tim Minchin in a frock”. http://rachelparris.com Let me focus on one chapter of “The army act differently this heart-breaking, yet when they see cameras,” says Music ultimately hope-inspiring, book Israeli photographer Haim Dunmore East Bluegrass Festival written by human rights defenders. Schwarczenberg. arts East Dunmore, London-based Irish photo- Photographer Sozan Fawaz Waterford, journalist Joanne O’Brien contributes Zaraqu from Hebron agrees: Ireland a chapter – This Life Goes Out to the “Soldiers coming to attack are very 23-26 August World Through Our Lenses – in enthusiastic, but when they see a For one weekend which she talks to seven camera they stop.” only, the photographers and videographers These brave journalists are using beautiful Irish about what it is like to work in the their cameras on the front line, not seaside town of East Dunmore turns occupied territories and Gaza. only as tools of their trade but also into a small piece of the US. Now in They tell not only of the as weapons for peace. its 24th year, across four days, there difficulties and dangers of Defending Hope: Dispatches from the are 40 free shows for fans of documenting daily violence, but also Front Lines in Palestine and Israel by bluegrass, honky-tonk, rhythm ’n’ of the sense of freedom and power Eóin Murray is published by Veritas blues and Americana. their work gives them. http://tinyurl.com/yd33pu45 Big names include Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters as well as the Demolition String Band, Whiskey Deaf and newcomers Kiss My Grass. badgers tour the country playing for numbers. Downton life the beauty and brutality of www.discoverdunmore.com/events/ old-fashioned Scrumpy and Western Abbey’s Ed Speelers football, the working man’s 38-dunmore-east-bluegrass-festival music with a modern edge. Some call plays Raymond’s ballet. A play about football, it folk, some call it punk, but everyone long-lost brother who is for sure, but also a play about Courtney Barnett agrees it’s (clever) entertaining trying to get his mitts a man and his humanity, On tour throughout November nonsense, with setlists powered by on the family fortune as www.redladder.co.uk Australian songbird Courtney Barnett agricultural wine; once heard, classics they embark on a road returns to these shores in the autumn such as Viva Lyme Regis, Magnaz, trip across the US. The Lions of Lisbon to promote her second album, Tell Cider Riot and Bad Town On The Coast www.atgtickets.com/ On tour in Scotland Me How You Really Feel. It’s a big can never be unheard. They’ve shows/rain-man/ October & November departure from how she started, supported The Wurzels as well. Don’t Continuing the football theme, playing guitar in Melbourne garage say you weren’t warned! The Damned United Ian Auld and Willy Malley’s comedy band Rapid Transit. Sounding like a http://skimmityhitchers.co.uk In Salford and Scarborough from follows a group of Celtic fans who modern-day Liz Phair, she’s worth 25 October head to Portugal to cheer on their checking out. Theatre In this play adapted from David side in the 1967 https://courtneybarnett.com.au Rain Man Peace’s excellent novel, the Damned European Cup Touring the UK until March 2019 United refers to Leeds United, the final. Very Skimmity Hitchers Based on the Oscar-winning film team footballing genius Brian funny. At a festival near you starring Dustin Hoffman and Tom Clough openly despises … and now www.list.co.uk/ If you haven’t heard of the Skimmity Cruise, this stage version features manages. event/243521- Hitchers, it’s time you did. Formed Gavin and Stacey’s Mathew Horne as The drama takes you inside the the-lions-of- from the ashes of Who’s Afear’d, this autistic Raymond Babbit, a man with tortured mind of a genius slamming lisbon/ band of brothers, blaggers and a remarkable memory and a genius up against his limits, and brings to Storytelling course Bleddfa Week of Storytelling Spotlight: hundreds of events at Cheltenam Literature Festival Bleddfa Centre, Bleddfa, Wales 16-22 August Atkinson, William Boyd, Sebastian If you want to tell stories in your Big names in the world of words Faulks and Rose Tremain, actor Sir personal as well as your professional Like Topsy, the Cheltenham jokes. There was no repeat last year David Attenborough, former life, then come to the rolling Welsh Literature Festival has just when Hillary Clinton addressed a ballerina Dame Darcey Bussell, hills and find your voice. growed. 2,500-strong audience who left cricketer Shane Warne, cyclist Chris This week-long residential course Established in 1949, it’s one of the happy, despite her being an hour late. Hoy, footballer Kevin Keegan, plus will look at myths, legends and oldest literary events in the world This year, more than 600 of the Baroness Helena Kennedy, Max folktales from any period or place. and pulls in massive names. world’s finest writers, actors, Hastings, political activist Akala and Based around practical experiences I remember a decade or two ago politicians, poets and journalists will BBC North America editor Jon Sopel. and activities, tutors will look at listening to former PM John Major take part in the 10-day event. Names www.cheltenhamfestivals.com/ specific aspects of story preparation telling embarrassingly unfunny released so far include novelists Kate literature/ and delivery. www.bleddfacentre.org

theJournalist | 21 TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE

Ten reasons why you should be in Who should join the NUJ? Journalists including photographers, creative the National Union of Journalists artists working editorially in newspapers, Protection at work magazines, books, broadcasting, public relations • and information, and electronic media; or as • Commitment to improving the pay and conditions advertising and fashion photographers, advertising of journalists copywriters and editorial computer systems • Free legal advice service workers. We also welcome student journalists. • The leading trade union in the fight for employment rights If you have any questions please contact • Expert advice on copyright issues the membership department on Tel: 0845 4500373 or Skilled representation at all levels • email [email protected] • Your own national press card putting ‘Membership Enquiry’ into the subject field. • Strong health and safety policies • A champion in the fight for press and Application forms available at broadcasting freedom • Major provider of training for journalists www.nuj.org.uk Training

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theJournalist | 31

theJournalist | 31 inbox

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

H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H following the government’s decision to scrap part two of the Leveson inquiry. I went to a recent event held by There are other suspects Hacked Off, and it was one of the most TIM ELLIS eye-opening experiences I have had. To in Copyright Cluedo hear from people who are not famous nor a celebrity on how their life had been Mick Sinclair’s piece on copyright infringement was interesting and so drastically impacted made me think informative and I agree with most of it. how, as journalists, our actions have But, as every journalist knows, there are two sides to every story. consequences. It was horrible to hear I can’t be the only NUJ member who is also a publisher, my news how they were followed and harassed. and picture agency having expanded into magazine and website Some publications were misleading publishing almost 20 years ago. about the recent vote, especially about Daily, we are inundated with press releases, many with how much part one of the inquiry cost, pictures. Most are of no use but occasionally one is and we use it, the impact of a second, and how ‘all usually online. issues have been resolved’. Regulation Now we are being threatened with legal action by two of the is still an issue, but there issues still ‘growing number of specialist companies’ Mick refers to, who claim remain. Thank you for being balanced. to represent photographers based abroad, whose copyright we are Lydia Wilkins alleged to have breached simply by using a press release sent by a Brighton branch PR company. These companies have business names that bear no relation to Budding novelists: beware the service they purport to offer, employ people who don’t use of predatory publishers their surnames and demand fees of around £600 for In the changing world of journalism, I pictures that anyone could take with their phone. recently completed my first novel – Maybe Mick should add PR agencies to his list of gripping, page-turning, descriptive chimney sweeps, barristers and fire brigades who £30 English that would give Dan Brown, infringe copyright. prize Stephen King and JK Rowling sleepless David Skentelbery letter nights. Or so I would like to think! Warrington Having searched for an agent without success, I submitted my synopsis to a H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H London publishing house. They wrote back to say my submission was ‘being It was ever thus that we are Contact the NUJ Freelance cases and have helped me in the past. considered’. Several days later, they in need of protection office if you want help The London Freelance Branch website said they had approved my story, were Joseph Williams founded the It was good to see articles on both also has copyright advice. willing to proceed and asked for the Musicians’ Union and was its general copyright and the General Data The GDPR has potential to impact full manuscript. secretary from the start in 1893 until he Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the negatively on our work, depending on But there was a hitch. The company, a retired in 1924. last edition. how it is interpreted and on what the ‘hybrid’ publisher, wanted ME to pay for It all began when he posted a notice Copyright is vital for freelances in forthcoming Data Protection and the printing. in a theatre band room in Manchester allowing them control over who uses Journalism code will say. The GDPR Online, I discovered warnings from stating: ‘The union we require is … one their work, and the ability to make may be used to roll back freelance journos against sending manuscripts to that will protect us from amateurs, multiple sales from the same work copyright. If anyone has received a hybrid publishers as you can end up out protect us from unscrupulous after first publication is what keeps ‘GDPR compliance letter’ from a client, of pocket and unknowingly hand over employers and protect us from some freelances afloat. It’s long been they should read it carefully and ownership of work. In the meantime, I ourselves. A union that will guarantee said that a photographer’s archive is contact the Freelance Office if they feel have given away the plot of my story our receiving a fair wage for their pension, which is dependent on the terms limit their rights. but not the full manuscript and, for all I engagements. A society that will keep copyright. The European Court of Justice Simon Chapman know, it could end up in print in outer the amateur in his right place, and ruling on hyperlinking is unfortunate Bristol branch Mongolia or Azerbaijan without one prevent his going under prices.’ and detrimental to rights holders. penny coming my way. Some things never change.. Members who feel their copyright has Good to see balance over In the meantime, does anyone know #WorkNotPlayMU been infringed can contact the NUJ Leveson Two’s scrapping a kind, caring, sympathetic agent? Keith Ames Freelance Office, who have much Thank you for your balanced coverage Ken Murray Musicians’ Union PR Official experience in dealing with copyright of the judicial review that was granted, Irish Eastern Branch

theJournalist | 23 obituaries

Settling in Bardsey, she travelled Ken eventually left the the world, thought nothing of construction giant to found the going to London to catch a show or Jackson-Brown PR agency, which he see friends and completed a 12,500- ran with his wife Hilary for many foot parachute jump for charity. years from his home at Sandon, Martin Fisher, NUJ father of near Stafford. chapel at ITV Yorkshire, said: “She Over the course of more than 20 was a remarkable woman. The sight years, he worked for a number of of her mastering T-line while using well-known clients, including her teeth was something I will building firms Chase Midland, never forget and put to shame Mowlem, Maitland Selwyn, retailer anyone not putting the effort in. Beatties and many others. She was a staunch supporter of the He was a life member of the NUJ Heather Clark union, joining myself and other and a long-serving member of colleagues on the picket lines Birmingham Press Club. during the strike at ITV in 2015. Family and friends recall a kind Heather Clark, an “Heather was a fine journalist, a and generous personality who inspirational journalist, fighter and a friend and she will be could find common ground with all showed just what could be sorely missed.” walks of life. achieved no matter what She was independent and feisty Former colleague and life threw at her. and determined to overcome any ex-Birmingham Post Business She was a reporter and producer obstacles. However, even she Ken Jackson Editor Fred Bromwich said: “Ken for ITV Yorkshire’s Calendar news admitted that her diagnosis with and I first met up in the 1950s when service and deputy mother of incurable ovarian cancer 18 months Ken Jackson was a highly we were both on the National chapel. ago was a ‘blip’ – as she called her respected West Midlands Council for the Training of Her motto was nothing is challenges. journalist who played a Journalists course and, as with impossible, and she proved that She is survived by a brother, pivotal role in the launch of many of his former colleagues, he many times, having been born with Howard, nephew Sam, and niece the Channel Tunnel during had remained in contact ever since. no limbs – her mother had taken Georgia. a distinguished 50-year Ken enjoyed a great career as an morning sickness drug career in newspapers outstanding journalist in his field thalidomide. and PR. and he was the complete PR Heather, who died aged 57, grew He was director of corporate professional.” up in Leeds in the early 1960s and affairs at Wolverhampton-based Ken leaves his widow Hilary as 1970s, when her disability was seen Tarmac when the construction well as daughter Debra and son as a stigma – but she proved that giant was lobbying for the contract Marcus from his first marriage. anyone with preconceived ideas to help build the tunnel. about it was wrong. Ken, who died at the age of 76 Jon Griffin With the support of parents, Tom following a lengthy illness, helped and Christine, who always believed mastermind the Tarmac publicity she should never be held back, campaign, which eventually led to Heather was determined to live life the construction of the historic to the full. She attended a UK-France link. mainstream school and thrived. At Born in Chadsmoor, Cannock, the four, using her artificial legs, she miner’s son began as a trainee had ambitions to be a ballerina. reporter with the Cannock Later she had riding lessons and Advertiser before moving to dreamed of being a showjumper. newspapers in the north-east. He Her father adapted a car for her as a returned to the West Midlands in teenager, using a joystick to steer 1964 to work on the business desk and she was able to be of the Express and Star in independent. She started work at Wolverhampton. 19, ending up at Yorkshire He later joined the Birmingham Television, now ITV Yorkshire, Post as property editor before where she enjoyed a 25-year career. taking up his first PR job as public The show jumping came into its relations manager with the Reliant own when, aged 30 and working as Motor Company in Tamworth. a reporter, she discovered the He returned to newspapers with Riding for the Disabled Association. the Birmingham Evening Mail She took up carriage driving, going from 1970 to 1977 before switching on to win numerous national back to the PR world after being championships on her beloved headhunted by Tarmac boss Sir Eric horses Barney then Pickle, and Pountain. He enjoyed a 20-year competing at international level career at Tarmac, rising to director against able-bodied riders. of corporate affairs.

24 | theJournalist photography

As a photographer with the Manchester Evening News, I was covering a lecture in 1994 at Manchester’s town hall attended by 500 teachers and students. The speaker was a Jewish man who had been a St ry prisoner in Auschwitz. Holocaust survivor Leon Greenman spoke for more than one hour. Greenman was born in Whitechapel, London, in 1910 and believed he was the only Englishman sent to Auschwitz. He was English but his wife Esther behind (Else) was of Dutch-Jewish descent. Later, they went to Holland where she looked after her grandmother. Greenman commuted between Britain and Holland for his father-in-law’s book business. In 1938, he went to bring his wife to England but, after hearing a speech the by Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, they stayed – a fatal decision. Greenman hoped to be evacuated by the British Embassy but was late. In March 1940, their son Barnett (Barney) was born. Two months later, the Germans invaded. picture Greenman and his family were sent to Auschwitz. He’d trained as a boxer and looked quite fit and was selected as a worker and separated from his family. He never saw them again. He survived the camp and a march through Holocaust survivor Poland to Buchenwald camp. In 1945, he was liberated. Greenman never remarried and became a market trader in London. He Leon Greenman gave talks about Auschwitz. I photographed him showing his concentration camp number – 98288 – By Bill Batchelor tattooed on his left arm. I sent him my photograph and he sent me a leaflet written by him, which I’ve used for reference. During some additional research, I learned Barney was born on 17 March 1940, just 12 days after my own birth. I was the lucky one. Barney was not. Leon Greenman died on 6 March 2008. He was 97.

theJournalist | 25 and finally...

Attitudes both ancient and modern

rephrased it to conform with contemporary values Chris Proctor finds the as: “It doesn’t really matter what they [journalists] write as long as it is objective and truthful.” stone age everywhere Similarly: when the president suggested, “When somebody comes into our country, we must he woman who wrote The Little immediately, with no judges or court cases, bring them House on the Prairie in the 1930s has back from where they came.” This could be updated been kicked off the US list of to read: “If after human rights and the penal system approved scribblers. Her work had been fully considered, an immigrant is proved to T offends modern values. Fair play, I be illegal, repatriation could be considered say, but how come we leave people alone who are reasonable.” writing now with stone age ethics? As regards stereotypes, attention is clearly required The Association for Library Service to Children says for his view that black people were not to his liking Laura Ingalls Wilder’s work “includes stereotypical for counting cash in his Atlanta casinos: “The only attitudes inconsistent with core values of inclusiveness, kind of people I want counting my money are short integrity and respect, and responsiveness”. guys that wear yarmulkes.” I suggest a rewording You have to say it’s a fair cop, guv. Like when Laura along the lines of: “Honesty is the only criterion explained that it was OK to occupy the land as “there of importance when dealing with financial were no people on the prairie. Only Indians lived there.” matters.” One neighbour was of the opinion that “the only good In some cases, I concede that the subbing Indian is a dead Indian” and Pa, when not taking his system would prove unwieldy and more belt to the children, was a great fan of minstrel shows. radical action may be Wilder is clearly a tad old fashioned: but, in her necessary. I offer the defence, many attitudes that were acceptable when example of Jacob they were written are offensive now, even those of Rees-Mogg. It would be our sainted Bard. When the Sydney Opera House tedious work to simply staged his Merchant of Venice last year, they gave insert the word ‘not’ in each sentence, so Jessica a few extra lines to explain her guilty feelings, it might be less burdensome to ignore him and invented a new end for the play where Portia completely or, better still, re-cast him as a predicts a bright new world without prejudice. satirist. What line, properly viewed, is more I can see reasons for these things: even if Mein lampooning than his comment on the Kampf were nicely written, I’d still be happy to live increased take-up of food banks? “I think it is without it. No art’s so precious that entire races rather uplifting and shows what a good, should have to suffer for it. compassionate country we are.” Add an No, my complaint is that if we can update old exclamation mark and it’s a positive rib-tickler. books and plays to conform to modern norms, why Reassessing Tony Blair with reference to can’t we do it to current writing that reflects the integrity would provide plenty of work for subs. morality of Fred Flintstone? Apart from being His declaration to NBC that “We know that socially useful, it would create stacks of jobs for subs. Saddam has stockpiles of major amounts of A legion of us could be allocated to Donald. Ask chemical and biological weapons” is best yourself – do his tweets reflect inclusiveness, refashioned, “I’d promised my mate I’d hold his integrity and respect? For example, he once confided coat while he changed a regime.” As an aside, it also to Esquire magazine that, “It doesn’t really matter reads better. what they [journalists] write as long as you’ve got a On the same probity basis, a revision of young and beautiful piece of ass.” Borris’s“we send the EU £350m a week: let’s fund Call me pernickity, but I don’t see this as over our NHS instead” should really read, “I’ve no idea respectful (or grammatical) and it is certainly about Brexit finances but, in the unlikely event discriminatory. On Don’s formula, I’d never have been that there are savings, they won’t be going into the offered a day’s work in my life. public sector, I’ll tell you that.” A good sub could have stepped in here and

26 | theJournalist Moved house or changed your email address?

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