Magazine of the Chartered Institute of Journalists Spring 2013 TheJServingournal professional journalism since 1912 A long fight ahead By Charlie Harris President istory repeats itself, first as “What’s the point tragedy, second as farce”. of joining a union “HIt’s not often that you’ll that is on the side find Karl Marx quoted in The Journal, but of the ultimate occasionally he told the truth. For history is bosses - the repeating itself, and the outcome could be government?” a tragic – for journalists, those who value Some are joining free speech, and for the very democracy the CIoJ, attracted on which our country has for centuries by our principled prided itself. stand against state Having taken over as President of the involvement in Chartered Institute of Journalists a few the ethics of our weeks ago, I find myself involved in a profession. Such campaign with chilling echoes from my involvement by early days as a journalist. When I became the state is totally a local newspaper reporter 40 years ago, I u n n e c e s s a r y . found myself caught up in a bitter battle to The alleged Refuseniks: leading the editorial opposition to state regulation prevent a Labour government controlling malpractices which the press by enforcing a statutory closed led to the Leveson inquiry and the arrest of democracy of beefed-up press regulation. shop on our profession, essentially creating dozens of journalists are criminal offences, In a free society, a press under state control a licensing system. not ethical misdemeanours. is a far greater danger than a press out of As a 19-year-old junior on a small paper The problem is not a failure of the control. As Sir Winston Churchill said: “A in north London the part I played was regulatory system but the failure of the free press is the unsleeping guardian of tiny. I resigned from the NUJ and joined police to enforce the law. But supporters every other right that free men prize; it is the Institute. But there were many like me, of statutorily-backed ethical regulation, the most dangerous foe of tyranny. Where we had allies in the corridors of power – many of them the alleged victims of crimes free institutions are indigenous to the soil and we won. Four decades later, the exact committed by journalists, have hijacked and men have the habit of liberty, the cause of the fight we face may be different, the issue to seek revenge on the whole press will continue to be the Fourth Estate, but the issues are startlingly similar, and press for the sins of a few journalists on a the vigilant guardian of the rights of the many of the foes are familiar. handful of national newspapers. They are ordinary citizen.” using a blunderbuss instead of a sniper’s Kirsty Hughes, chief executive of Index Statutory underpinning rifle. on Censorship, a long established and The NUJ, long ago having given up the What they are proposing will seriously highly respected defender of free speech vain hope of forcing all journalists to join wound totally innocent journalists and a free press, said that involvement its ranks or face being unable to practise and sections of the press, such as local of politicians in the formation of the their trade, is now throwing its weight newspapers which were cleared by proposed Royal Charter undermined the behind moves to introduce an element of Leveson of any wrongdoing. Hacked Off fundamental principle that the press holds ‘statutory underpinning’ to the regulation and its allies in the political parties know politicians to account. “It is a bleak moment of journalistic ethics. It is standing this, but they don’t care. for the UK’s international reputation as a shoulder-to-shoulder with the Labour The ‘light-touch’ – but massively country where press freedom is cherished Party and the Liberal Democrats. expensive – statutory underpinning, as a fundamental principle and right,” she All three are in thrall to a small, self- which at the time of writing seems certain said. She is right. appointed, secretive and unaccountable to be imposed on us, would allow much pressure group, Hacked Off. tougher controls to be imposed by a future Continued on page And in another echo of the early 1970s, government with even NUJ members are leaving in protest. less respect for free One tweeted: “Just quit the NUJ after 39 speech and democracy. See centre pages for more years - appalled at its collaboration with MPs must consider the state control”, with a follow-up message: long-term effects on our articles on regulation Andy Smith Editor’s Comment Editor he British tradition of press freedom the press”. began over 300 years ago when Meanwhile, some journalists have TWilliam of Orange landed at breathed an audible sigh of relief that Brixham in Devon and proclaimed that the terms of the Royal Charter are not as he had come to overthrow tyranny and bad as they feared. The National Union bring civil and religious liberty to England. of Journalists and the Independent The Glorious Revolution of 1688-9 gave newspaper, among others, have welcomed Great Britain a balanced constitution and the new rules as, in effect, the least worst a free parliament, paving the way for the option. It is not surprising. The experience parliamentary democracy that we know of the Leveson inquiry had softened them today. Political freedom was followed by up to the idea of a regulated press. They press freedom when in 1694 William ended believe that British journalism can survive centuries of State censorship by doing the imposition of state regulation. Maybe it away with the system by which all journals can – but the real danger is not the Royal Production Editor: Dominic Cooper and publications had to be licensed by the Charter itself, or the new regulatory body authorities. Ever since then, democracy and that is being set up to police it, but where press freedom have gone hand in hand. this will all lead. So it is ironic that now, in 2013, it is The Royal Charter, the first peacetime In this issue: Parliament that poses the greatest direct regulation of the press in over three threat to the freedom of the press – and this centuries, is just the beginning of a long, Greek journalists targeted p4 apparently in response to demands from long road. Once the principle is established the general public (in reality the agitation that the state should exercise a degree of New MOD media director p5 of pressure-groups) for ‘protection’ from an control over the press, the extent of that over mighty press. Determined to hold the control will grow, inch by inch, year on Press freedom v regulation pp6-7 entire journalistic profession responsible year, until eventually journalistic freedom Crossing the floor p8 for the sins of a few phone-hackers, party has been extinguished in this country leaders from both sides of the House of altogether. Turning back the clock p9 Commons have agreed a new regulatory In the 21st century it is only in totalitarian regime for the British press. regimes, Islamic theocracies and Third Google deal p10 But who would be ‘protected’ by this new World banana republics that the State Obituary - Pat Latham p11 regime? The new regulatory system has not controls the press. We are a long way from been designed to serve the interests of the that, but – make no mistake – with this Presidential Handover p12 British nation but that of a tiny but vocal Royal Charter and the creation of a press minority. As Simon Jenkins wrote recently, regulator we are taking our first steps in “Press regulation is a victory for the rich, that direction. the celebrated and the powerful.” It is these Andy Smith people whose cause has been championed so effectively, and dishonestly, by the so- “Press freedom is the one that called Hacked-Off campaign – who feel so guarantees all the rest. Without it, threatened by a free press, and who have the corrupt, the criminal and the correctly calculated that enough politicians compromised can get clean away could be persuaded to side with them with wrongdoing — and thus in creating an unstoppable momentum for state control. So, here we are, after uninvigilated, the institutions of a The views contained in The Journal are those of the lengthy and monstrous show-trial of free society would turn rotten and the Editor and contributors and do not necessarily journalism at the Leveson Inquiry, with a disintegrate. Yet this crucial freedom reflect the views or policy of the Chartered Institute broad cross-party Parliamentary consensus is about to be thrown away.” of Journalists. All rights reserved. © CIoJ 2013 supporting what Nigel Farage has called, – Melanie Phillips, Daily Mail correctly, “a charter for the suppression of TheJournal CIoJ Council ISSN 1361-7656 Seven members put their names forward to serve on the Council for the term. News or views intended for publication The rules allow for six members to be elected but also have the option for should be sent to: two more to be co-opted. With that in mind the President took the view that there was no need for expense of a ballot. Accordingly, then, the following The Chartered Institute of Journalists 2 Dock Offices, Surrey Quays Road, have been elected to serve on the Council of the Chartered Institute of London SE16 2XU Journalists for a two-year term, 2013-15: E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 (0)20 7252 1187 Andy Smith Fax: +44 (0)20 7232 2302 Mark Croucher www.cioj.co.uk Janice ShillumBhend Vivienne Du-Bourdieu The Ex Officio members of Council in 2013-15 will be: Keith Lockwood Printed by Cool grey display & print Ltd Charlie Harris, President Karen Birch Tel: +44 (0) 1444 474646 Paul Leighton, Vice-President Ken Brookes Norman Bartlett, Immediate Past President Amanda Brodie, Chairman, Professional Practices Board The Journal - Spring 2013 edition New MOD rules on journalist safety in war zones he Ministry of Defence has given in war and of the freedom of movement of meet some of the concerns of INSI and the official recognition to the issue of journalists in the battle space was key for NSG, which comprises the BBC, ITN, Sky Tjournalist safety in war zones.