MAGAZINE OF THE NATIONAL UNION OF JOURNALISTS WWW.NUJ.ORG.UK | DECEMBER-JANUARY 2020 Out with the old boys Media networking for the many, not the few Contents Main feature 16 Beating the old boy network How to break the ‘class ceiling’ News elcome to the last edition of 2019. 03 Scottish titles in strike vote It’s that time of the year when we look back and make plans and Anger at fresh Newsquest cuts changes for the new year. 04 ‘Scroogequest’ cuts hit local papers In a similar spirit of changing NUJ urges new investment Wsomething old for something new, our cover feature looks at how the old boys’ club is being 05 Dutch court boosts freelance pay changed in the media for a new way of networking. Holly Judgement hailed as historic Powell-Jones looks at how mentoring and helping young people 06 Irish delegate conference find accommodation in expensive cities can promote diversity Reports on biennial meeting in the media and give newcomers that all important first step. Another recent change in the media landscape is the growing “opportunity for journalists to make money from newsletters. Features Jem Collins guides us through the ins and outs of the subject. 10 Getting close to readers We’ve got a bit of looking back too. Jonathan Sale continues Newsletters can boost income his absorbing and entertaining media anniversary series, this time throwing the spotlight on the first newspaper colour 12 A riot of colour supplement. And Phil Chamberlain takes a look at the heyday Uproar over first supplements of the radical press and a new project to document it. 14 Heyday of alternative press As The Journalist went to press, we were awaiting the general Radical impact on mainstream media election in Britain and we have yet to see what the new government has in store for the media. And speaking of elections, I’m very pleased to have been Regulars re-elected as editor. I’m honoured and grateful to be backed by 09 Viewpoint those members who voted. Wishing everyone a happy and prosperous 2020. 19 NUJ & Me 26 And finally... Christine Buckley Editor @mschrisbuckley Arts with Attitude Pages 20-21 Editor NUJ [email protected] 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 18 Warners Cover picture www.warners.co.uk Dublin office Letters [email protected] Simon Spilsbury Distribution Page 22-23 GB Mail ISSN: 0022-5541 www.gb-mail.co.uk ” The Journalist’s polyfilm wrapping is recyclable at carrier bag recycling points in supermarkets. 02 | theJournalist news Scottish Newsquest titles inbrief... MALTA’S PM RESIGNS AMID PRESSURE ballot for industrial action Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is to resign in January NUJ MEMBERS at Newsquest’s Scottish titles, By coincidence, the NUJ had conducted a following public pressure for the which include The Herald, Herald on Sunday, stress survey shortly before the company’s truth about the 2017 car bombing The National, Sunday National, and the announcement. Among other findings, the that killed journalist Daphne Glasgow Evening Times, were balloting for survey showed that 83 per cent of respondents Caruana Galizia. Muscat will quit as industrial action over believe the quality of their They don’t believe it leader of the Labour Party on proposed staff cuts, as The title has declined over the January 12 and subsequently resign Journalist went to press. last year; 78 per cent say is possible to work as prime minister. The move is in response their workloads have harder than they do to the company’s increased in the last year; announcement on 57 per cent say they are already DAILY MAIL BUYS THE proposed redundancies, pressured to produce work “ I PAPER FOR £49M stating that it will make faster than they are The Daily Mail and General Trust, John Toner, NUJ compulsory dismissals if it comfortable with and just which publishes the Mail and Metro, Scottish Organiser cannot achieve proposed nine per cent said they has bought the i paper from JPI cuts of around £500,000 had confidence in the Media for £49.6 million. It said it by any other means. current management. wanted the i because it is a strong The ballot at the John Toner, NUJ print title with a reputation for Glasgow-based titles also national organiser for quality journalism. It promised to follows a series of Scotland, said: “Our preserve its editorial independence. structural changes that members are very staff say will have a detrimental impact on the committed to providing Scotland with quality quality of their work, health and family lives. journalism, and our survey demonstrates that ORWELL SOCIETY Although the company has yet to confirm commitment, despite the severe reduction in OFFERS BURSARY the exact number of jobs they will cut, this is staffing levels over many years. The Orwell Society is inviting seen as a further blow to journalists who have “This latest blow has galvanised them, and aspiring journalists to enter a faced more than a decade of cuts to staffing they don’t believe it is possible to work harder competition for a £3000 bursary. It levels and almost no increase in wages during than they do already, with fewer people than is open to students studying in the same period. they already have.” September/October 2020 or those aiming to take up a journalistic job at that time. For more information email [email protected] with Samira Ahmed claims pay parity Bursary Journalist in the header. THE BBC presenter Samira the programme in July 2018. By Ahmed, backed by the NUJ, has contrast, Samira was paid £440 REACH CLOSES LAST made a claim for equal pay at an per programme from 2012. This CORNISH NEWSROOM employment tribunal. The ruling increased in 2015 to £465 but Reach is closing its last newsroom in is expected soon. then reduced again when the BBC Cornwall and another office in the The case was heard at the moved presenters onto south west. Its journalists there will Central London Employment employment contracts. work remotely or in shared spaces Tribunal over several days and View between 2008 and July Samira previously secured while others go to a hub in Plymouth. focused on her contracts on 2018. He was paid £3,000 per backdated pay in line with male No jobs will go from the closure of the Newswatch. Her equal pay episode between 2008 and 2018. comparators for work on BBC Truro and Exeter offices. comparator was Jeremy Vine in His fee was then reduced to Radio 4’s Front Row and Radio 3’s relation to his work on Points of £1,300 in January 2018. He left Night Waves/ Free Thinking. JESS HURD GROCER’S TRIUMPH OVER APOSTROPHE A society that championed the Nicholson was eliminated correct use of apostrophes has Journalist editor re-elected second with 93 votes. At that closed. John Richards, a former CHRISTINE BUCKLEY has been scoring candidates are point Christine Buckley was sub-editor, started the Apostrophe re-elected editor of The systematically eliminated, elected with 1364 votes. Jane Protection Society in 2001 when he Journalist in a ballot of NUJ and their second preference Anderson polled 572; retired. Now 96, Richards is ending members. Nine candidates votes distributed to other Samantha Downes 120; his mission. On its website, he said: competed for the role. candidates until a candidate Alanna Gallagher 154; Marc “We, and our many supporters The election was conducted reaches a required quota. Bill Jones 169; Matt Salusbury worldwide, have done our best but by single transferable vote McCarthy was eliminated first 182; and Lynne Wallis 126. the ignorance and laziness present which means that the lowest with 55 votes and David Turnout was 11.2 per cent. in modern times have won!” theJournalist | 03 news inbrief... Union condemns ‘Scroogequest’ WIN FOR FREDDIE STARR’S HAMSTER ‘Freddie Starr ate my hamster’ has as Christmas cuts hit local papers been voted favourite Sun headline by readers. The poll marked the NUJ MEMBERS in Cumbria and Darlington majority of the experienced reporting staff in 50th anniversary in November of have been informed of hefty new cuts to local Carlisle have left in rounds of cuts. Rupert Murdoch taking ownership newspapers owned by Newsquest. Cuts are also being made at the group’s of the paper. One in five voted for The editor at the Carlisle News and Star is magazine titles, including Cumbria Life, the 1986 front page that said the leaving without replacement. At the Dumfries and Galloway Life, Carlisle Living and Starr had eaten a live hamster in a Workington and Whitehaven titles, the a business magazine. Six employees have sandwich. He later denied the story. associate editor and content editor are at risk been put at risk of redundancy and staff have of redundancy, as is the editor of the been told that two jobs will remain. Most of Westmoreland Gazette. the production work on the Cumbria THE SUN EXPANDS The arts and leisure writer at Westmorland magazines will move to Newport in Gwent. DIGITAL FOOTPRINT Gazette, journalists working on Carlisle The NUJ is urging the company to The Sun is expanding its digital features and the arts and leisure reconsider and operation to the US, saying it has writer in Kendal commit to investing in ‘ambitious plans for growth’. The are being sustainable local title, which is the most-read news consulted on journalism and jobs.