CIoJ warns Met over Filkin report


CIoJ PRESS RELEASE 9 JANUARY 2012 The Chartered Institute of Journalists has written to the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, urging caution against over-zealous application of the Filkin

Journalists condemn ads on BBC


CIoJ PRESS RELEASE 9 JANUARY 2012 Plans to allow advertising on the BBC World Service have been condemned as a damaging precedent - and likely to prove "the thin end of the wedge" for BBC

CALL FOR LEVESON INQUIRY EVIDENCE


Members of the Institute, and indeed all journalists, are urged to give evidence to the Leveson Inquiry.  This is your time to speak up about practices you have come across or incidents that you

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Alerts

Former IoJ Deputy General Secretary, Jim Paterson, dies

Posted on November 10, 2009 by CIoJ in Alerts, News, Obituary | 3 Comments

Jim Paterson

Former Institute Deputy General Secretary, Jim Paterson, has died aged 88.

Members of the Chartered Institute of Journalists remember with great fondness, the 17 years’ service that Jim Paterson gave to the organisation as its Deputy General Secretary.

Above all, he will be remembered for his loyalty and dedication to the IoJ and his sheer mental and physical energy at chapter meetings and annual conference, where his mantra of ‘recruit – recruit – recruit’ is still remembered today.

Jim’s commitment to fighting the closed shop during the 1970s played no small part in bringing about change to the law on union membership. Similarly, his diplomacy and sound advice when handling disputes won him admiration among his peers.

He was a human dynamo who was equally loved by members and staff for his strength, kindness and boundless good humour.

CAROL SERVICE – 7 December

Posted on October 25, 2009 by CIoJ in Alerts | Leave a comment

Once again the Institute will be supporting the St Bride’s communication industry carol service, which will take place on Monday 7 December. All members are welcome to attend and enjoy a mince pie and glass of wine with Institute colleagues after the service.

The Institute is now on Facebook

Posted on August 10, 2009 by CIoJ in Alerts | Leave a comment

This allows us to keep in touch with members who use the leading social networking site, and also to recruit new ones.

Our Facebook page is open to all users, whether members of the CIoJ or not.

Updated daily, it carries information about the Institute as well as links to news about our profession and the industries in which we work.

Each day we trawl through dozens of news sources looking for items of interest, including trade publications, the daily press and the websites of media organisations, both in the UK and abroad.

Anyone logged onto Facebook can see the page, read information posted there and follow up the links. Those who register as “fans”, in the Facebook jargon, see all posts and links on their own pages without having to switch to the CIoJ page.

The page was set up in late July, and at the time of writing has 23 fans, about a third of them Institute members.

The Facebook group is “closed”, which means that people can become members only by applying to its administrators, or by being invited to join.

It carries far more information about the Institute than the page, as well as links to other organisations which members might find useful, such as the NCTJ, Insi, the PCC and Mediawise; campaigns, such as Save the Observer, Frontline and Article 19, and blogs, including Gentlemen Ranters (memories of the “golden days” of Fleet Street).

The group can also be used to get debates on important issues going. The current one is “are bloggers journalists?”, a question which is exercising council as more and more bloggers apply to join the institute.

The group also carries photographs of the elected officers of the Institute.

Both the page and the group are new creations and work in progress. We will add more and more useful information over the coming weeks and months.

We hope all CIoJ members who are on Facebook will become fans of one, and members of the others, and draw them to the attention of friends and colleagues through Facebook’s networking tools.

Please let the administrators (general secretary Dominic Cooper and council members Alun Hill and Charlie Harris) know what you think of this new resource so far, and offer suggestions of what you would like to see posted.

How to find us

Our Facebook page

Our Facebook group

What price democracy? Audit Commission can’t answer…so who will?

Posted on July 30, 2009 by CIoJ in Alerts, CIoJ Press releases, News | Leave a comment

cioj-arms

NEWS RELEASE

Release time: 30 July 2009

The Audit Commission’s inquiry into local authority newspapers, ordered by the Government in its Digital Britain report, will not include an examination of their effect on traditional local newspapers.

Steve Bundred, chairman of the Commission, told the Chartered Institute of Journalists that it does not have the expertise to examine that contentious area.

Dominic Cooper, general secretary of the Institute said: “Although Digital Britain has encouraged an assessment to determine the value-for-council taxpayers’ money of these publications, this is only part of the equation. These council newspapers and magazines are more cover-up than cover-all and rarely, if ever, report anything other than council propaganda. What effect these publications have on democracy is just as important as how much taxpayer’s money they waste.

“We have seen how they have affected the performance of traditional local newspapers – leaving the public without independent scrutiny of local authority actions.”

Mr Bundred told the Institute: “The Commission is the champion of value for money in local public spending, and regulator of local public services. We plan to carry out research that examines the value achieved by council spending on communicating with the public and allows us to spread good practice and make recommendations about improving value for money in this area. This research would include council newsletters and newspapers, income derived from these newspapers, and spending on recruitment advertising.

“The Commission’s role and expertise do not lend themselves to examining the health of local newspapers or isolating the impacts of specific local authority practices on commercial bodies. This element of Digital Britain invitation appears better suited to regulators with a specific competition remit.”

Mr Cooper said: “While we welcome the inquiry because we believe it will show the exceptionally poor value for money that taxpayers get – only last week a council publication in Cornwall closed after 11 months at a cost of £700,000 to taxpayers – but unless their overall effects are studied the question still remains: What price democracy?

Ends+

For further information please contact:

Dominic Cooper: 020-7252-1187, or by e-mail at dc@cioj.co.uk;

Robin Morgan: 01226-203778, or by e-mail at robinmorgan@cioj.co.uk

Notes for Editors:

Formed in 1884, the Chartered Institute of Journalists (CIoJ) is the world’s oldest established professional body for journalists, and a representative voice of media and communications professionals throughout the UK and the Commonwealth.

FIGHT FOR THOSE WHO CAPTURE NEWS EVENTS ON WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY

Posted on May 4, 2009 by CIoJ in Alerts, CIoJ Press releases, Freedom of Information, Press Freedom, World Press Freedom Day | 1 Comment

ciojarmscolourON THE OCCASION of World Press Freedom Day, the Chartered Institute of Journalists (CIoJ) challenges the media industry to unite against police interference when professional press photographers attempt to record news events.

New Anti terrorism rules mean that press photographers now face jail for taking pictures of police or the armed forces. In addition to this, there has been an increasing record of attempts by the police to restrict what is recorded at public order incidents.

Incidents at the recent G20 summit highlight the vital role of photographers and cameramen who act as the public’s eyes and ears at these incidents.

For years our members have been stopped or hindered in their attempts to record incidents by Police either acting as moral arbitrators or, latterly, abusing anti-terrorism laws. Now, after a change in those terrorism laws, Press photographers can face jail for taking a picture that shows a policeman or member of the armed forces.

Although it may be a defence for a person charged with an offence under this section to prove that he or she is a professional news-gathering journalist carrying a National Press Card or other acceptable identification, the CIoJ believes this is not enough.

On World Press Freedom Day we are calling for the Police to recognize the law they uphold and accept that it is the right of photographers to take pictures in any public place. Britain should be leading the world in ensuring true democracy and open speech and not curtail the free press which is fundamental to our human rights.

A photographer carrying Press accreditation should be allowed to do his job in the same way as the police officer.

It is simply not acceptable to clear the matter up afterwards when cameras have been seized or photographers have spent hours in a police cell instead of filing the pictures which capture the news.

1. World Press Freedom Day (May 3) is a day to celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom; to evaluate press freedom around the world, to defend the media from attacks on their independence and to pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the exercise of their profession.

2. May 3 was proclaimed World Press Freedom Day by the UN General Assembly in 1993 following a Recommendation adopted at the twenty-sixth session of UNESCO’s General Conference in 1991. It serves as an occasion to inform citizens of violations of press freedom – a reminder that in dozens of countries around the world, publications are censored, fined, suspended and closed down, while journalists, editors and publishers are harassed, attacked, detained and even murdered.

Posted on December 2, 2008 by R Morgan in Alerts | Leave a comment

December 1:  Archant Norfolk – Managers at the Eastern Daily Press and Norwich Evening News announced a “productivity review” to be carried out this week. Consultants are being brought in at the Eastern Daily Press and Norwich Evening News to measure journalists’ output. Staff told there no specific plans for cost-cutting or job losses…

 

 

Job losses in the industry so far

Posted on November 28, 2008 by R Morgan in Alerts | 3 Comments

CRISIS IN NEWSPAPERS – THE TOLL SO FAR.

June 18, 2008: Newsquest - Northern Echo - cut four of five district editions; six jobs to go.

June 18: Newsquest - Yorkshire Evening Press (York) – eight jobs to go

June 19: Johnson Press – Central Counties Newspapers (Aylesbury) 34 assorted jbs to go on 18 titles.

July 15: Newsquest – Brighton Argus - close weekly Sports Argus, reduce two editions to one.

August 1: Johnson Press - Kettering – Northants Evening Telegraph, Northhampton Chronicle & Echo to be printed overnight; printing to be moved to Peterborough.

August 6: Johnson Press – Scotsman, Edinburgh Evening News, Scotland on Sunday 30 jobs, including some in editorial to go.

August 7: Johnson Press - Sheffield Star – close Barnsley and Rotherham branch offices and make two district reporters redundant in addition to some head office jobs.

August 19: Trinity Mirror -Midlands area – sell or close seven weekly titles. Centralise editorial.

August 28: Archant – Eastern Daily Press & Norwich Evening News – 21 jobs threatened.

Sptember 5: Johnson Press – Anglia Newspapers - possible redundancies, including editors of Haverhill Echo & Suffolk Free Press.

September 8: Trinity Mirror - Abergele Visitor, Rhyl & Prestatyn Visitor, Your Vale, to be replaced with Denbighshire Visitor; in Lancashire, Midweek Advertiser, Ormskirk, Huyton & Roby Star to close; Formby Times to go free and office to close along with Crosby and Ormskirk offices; Wirral News Group editions reduced and one closed.

September 10: Newsquest - Hampshire Chronicle & Romsey Advertiser – Sports department moved to Southampton; Winchester & Romsey offices to be cut back.

September 11: Johnson Press – Shoreham Herald – three jobs cut.

September 16: MEN Media (Guardian Group) - Six branch offices to close – Heywood Advertiser & Middleton Gazette to move into Rochdale Observer offices; Didsbury & Beswick offices to close; Accrington office to close; South Manchester Reporter & Manchester Metro News at Didsbury to move to Stockport; Macclesfield Express & Wilmslow Express to combine in Macclesfield; Beswick staff to move to Tameside.

September 23: Kent Messenger – close offices in Dover, Faversham, Sittingbourne & Tunbridge Wells; radio studios at Maidstone and Tonbridge to close.

September 26: Tindle Newspapers Enfield Gazette to go ‘free’ and reduce coverage content.

October 6: Newsquest – Waltham Forest Guardian, Wanstead & Woodford Guardian, Epping Forest Guardian - 12 jobs to go in restructuring.

October 8: Cumbrian Newspapers – Carlisle News and Star & Barrow North West Evening Mail to centralise at Carlisle.

October 14: Archant Suffolk - East Anglia Daily Times & Evenign Star to pool content along with weeklies.

October 16: Bolton Evening News group - Bolton News, Bury Times, Bury Journal, Leigh Journal to have less editorial content.

October 21: Newsquest - Bucks Free Press - five jobs to go.

October 27: Midland News Association – Wolverhampton Express & Star and Shropshire Star & weeklies merging some operations; Express & Star printing to be moved.

November 7: Trinity Mirror - Newcastle Journal, Evening Chronicle, Sunday Sun to operate single newsroom; Five district offices at Guisborough, Stockton, Redcar, Durham & North Shields to close.

November 12: Newsquest – Southern Daily Echo, Basingstoke Gazette, Andover Advertiser, Hampshire Chronicle, & Salisbury Journal - centralised subbing, 43 jobs threatened.

November 14: Trinity Mirror - Eight jobs including two editors to go offices to close at Aberdare, Ebbw Vale, & Neath, affecting Merthyr Express, Rhymney Valley & Gwent Gazette, Rhondda Leader, Pontypridd Observer, Cynon Valley Leader, Glamorgan Gazette & Neath & Port Talbot Guardian.

November 18: Iliffe News & Media Group - 80 jobs to go at Cambridge & Staffordshire; Close Burton Mail’s Swadlincote office; editions already cut at Cambridge.

November 21: Newsquest – Lancaster & Morecambe Citizen offices to close and relocate to Blackburn (30 miles away!) leaving one reporter to cover area.

November 21: Daily Mail and General Trust – Grimsby Telegraph and sister papers Scunthorpe Telegraph, Lincolnshire Echo and Hull Daily Mail, currently printed at the plant in Grimsby to have printing moved to either Leicester, Stoke or Derby. 60 print jobs to go.

November 24: Northcliffe – Somerset Guardian & Somerset Standard to merge; Standard’s office at Frome to close.

November 24: Observer Standard group - staffing levels are to be reduced by 20pc across the company – up to eight editorial jobs to go. Titles include the Bromsgrove Standard, Coventry Observer, Kenilworth Observer, Redditch Standard and Worcester Standard.

November 25: Newsquest – Northern Echo, Darlington and Stockton Times, Durham Times and the Advertiser Series - 17 editorial jobs to be culled at the Darlington centre.

November 25: Guernsey Press to shed around ten jobs due to advertising downfall.

November 26: Northcliffe - Herald Express, Torquay, five sub-editors being reduced to two, casual staff shed including at least six community correspondents on local news pages, and the sub-editor who worked on them; copy from the Herald Express, Exeter’s Express and Echo and Plymouth dailies The Herald and Western Morning News will be available for sister papers. Western Morning News’ two reporters in Torquay office told they could lose their jobs or be moved to the Herald Express.

November 27: Carlisle News Group - News and Star, Carlisle, and the North West Evening Mail, Barrow, along with weeklies including the Whitehaven News, Cumberland News and Hexham Courant is to shed 30 jobs and freeze pay increases. The group has already decided that its radio stations in Banbury and Coventry will be sold or closed down and there will be no pay increases for staff next year.

November 27: Trinity Mirror – A total of 59 journalists’ jobs and a further 19 non-editorial roles are set to go across the Merseyside and North-West regions including the Liverpool Echo and Daily Post, North Wales Daily Post, Huddersfield Daily Examiner, Chester Chronicle and Southport Visitor. The largest number of editorial job losses will occur at the company’s main regional centre at Old Hall Street, Liverpool, where 43 out of 175 existing posts will go.

November 27: Trinity Mirror – The Liverpool Daily Post is to scrap its Saturday edition.

November 27: Trinity Mirror – Huddersfield Daily Examiner is to move to overnight printing The plan mean the loss of 16 van drivers’ jobs, three transport supervisors and four editorial roles being axed.

December 1: Archant Norfolk – Managers at the Eastern Daily Press and Norwich Evening News announced a “productivity review” to be carried out this week. Consultants are being brought in at the Eastern Daily Press and Norwich Evening News to measure journalists’ output. Staff told there no specific plans for cost-cutting or job losses…

ALERT…Magazines facing online ‘Magster’ piracy threat

Posted on August 13, 2008 by CIoJ in Alerts | Leave a comment

The PLS recently reported that magazine publishers need to be aware of a website, Mygazines.com, which is infringing a number of UK based magazines’ intellectual property rights.

Dubbed ‘Magster’, Mygazines.com encourages users to upload scanned copies of magazines – without the permission of a large proportion, if not all of the magazine publishers, and then makes them freely available to view online. In addition to uploading, Mygazines.com allows users to browse, share, archive and customise magazines free of charge.

Publishers are encouraged to check that their content has not been uploaded without authorisation. Should you find that your content appears on Mygazines.com – and you wish to have it removed – the most prudent course of action is to issue a cease and desist letter (also known as notice and takedown). To view the site please click here (http://www6.mygazines.com/) to check your content is not being used without your authorisation.