RELEASE DATE: 6 APRIL 2010

CIoJ welcomes Select Committee findings

The first job for the ‘Commons Culture, Media and Sports Select Committee after the election should be to push the Department for Communities and Local Government into action over council-run newspapers.

“Having highlighted the breaches on government guidelines for these propaganda sheets, the MPs who will form the new Select Committee should make it their urgent business to see that the controversy is ended once and for all time,” the Chartered Institute of Journalists said today.

The Institute had complained earnestly to the Select Committee during its investigations that these so-called newspapers were a grave threat to the continuance of established local newspapers, were one-sided and were a wrong use of public money at a time of austerity. “The report is a vindication of our views,” said Robin Morgan, Chairman of the Institute’s Professional Practices Board.”

“Generally speaking we welcome the Committee’s findings but there is a long way between its’ recommendations and seeing them put into practice – and the general election will not help speed things through. We hope a new Parliament does not create a new Select Committee membership that has different ideas, throwing our industry’s problems back into the melting pot,” he said.

Ends+

Note to 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.

NEWS RELEASE

Release time: 19 February 2010

The Chartered Institute of Journalists (CIoJ) has written to Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and asked for the immediate release of film-maker and freelance journalist Paul Martin.

President of the CIoJ, Liz Justice said: “This was an unprecedented step against a foreign journalist who had properly requested papers to work in Gaza and was approved for a visa to work as a journalist in the country.

“To arrest someone who is willing to go to court to back up a colleague by explaining that they are working as professional journalists goes against everything the CIoJ supports. The freedom of the press to operate objectively and openly is vital to any democracy.”

The CIoJ has also pointed out that British journalists are working with their colleagues across the world to help identify the people responsible for the assassination of the Hamas leader Mahmoud al Mabhouh in Dubai.

“We have pointed out to the Prime Minister that Hamas also need to act responsibility in dealing with press freedoms in their own country. Specifically the International media is focusing on this murder, making it more likely that the perpetrators will be found and any Government behind such action will be deterred from operating that way in the future.

Martin was arrested as a suspect for “harming Gaza’s security” after he appeared at a military court to speak on behalf of Mohammed Abu Muailik. The two had been working together on a documentary about Gaza. Muailik was held in detention in June accused of collaborating with Israel.

Ends+

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.

“This is a positive step by the North Korean authorities,” said CIoJ President, Liz Justice, “and demonstrates recognition that the journalists’ mistake was genuine and was no threat to North Korea.

“However, this situation should be an example to all journalists of the potential risks when trying to get their story. It also serves as a reminder of the situations and circumstances that journalists encounter on a regular basis in order to keep the rest of us fully informed as to what is happening around the world.”

Having written to Kim Jong-un appealing for clemency, the CIoJ will write again congratulating this decision.

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.

Statement

The CIoJ deplores the arrest by the Iranian Authorities of more than 30 journalists and the expulsion of some foreign reporters.   The Chartered Institute urges the immediate release of all  journalists arrested during the current political turmoil and the cancellation of the expulsion orders.

NEWS RELEASE

RELEASE TIME: IMMEDIATE, 17 JUNE 2009

THE Chartered Institute of Journalists believes that the election of BNP members to mainstream politics should be dealt with in the same even handed manner as all other political parties.

While the NUJ is holding a debate about the right way to handle the rise of parties like the BNP, the CIoJ believes that accurate reporting will undermine the strong support of such parties.

CIoJ President Liz Justice said: “It is not an option ignoring views of elected members because they don’t chime with your own political views.

“It is a reporter’s job to report – and a sub’s job to edit – without injecting personal feelings and prejudices into the story. The opinion writers’ job allows them to reflect their beliefs. It is not the job of a journalists’ trade union to dictate otherwise. That is why the Chartered Institute of Journalists is strictly non-political and urges its members to report the facts and let the readers (rightfully) make up their own minds.

The advent of the BNP should be treated no differently to any other political party by journalists dedicated to the concept attributed to Voltaire: ‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.’
“The electing public can make good decisions based on accurate reporting. I am clear that CIoJ journalists should not treat any political party with polite distain or use their own political stance to undermine fair reporting.

“These parties now have democratically elected members and they will also be newspaper readers. The best way forward for journalists is to treat them as any other contributor and interact in a challenging way. Journalists are in the perfect position to let the public know what they are voting for when the next elections come along.”

End+

RELEASE TIME: IMMEDIATE, Friday 12 June 2009

THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISTS (CIoJ) is writing to Kim Jong-un to ask him to intervene in the sentencing of two US journalists, Laura Long and Euna Lee, to 12 years hard labour in North Korea on Monday June 8.

Earlier this month Kim Jong-un, 26, was appointed to succeed his father Kim Jong-il as the head of the Korean Workers’ Party and head of state of North Korea and the CIoJ believe that he is in a position to review the length of the sentences.

CIoJ President Liz Justice said: “We are writing to ask Jong-un to show leniency and release the two women from a physically stringent sentence for what appears to be illegally crossing the border from China to a country which bans foreign journalists.

“We are not saying they did or did not break the North Korean law, but 12 years for trying and failing to cross the border is extremely harsh.”

The two reporters worked for a San Francisco TV production company which is owned by former US Vice President Al Gore. Many regard the sentence as indicative of an increase in hostility between the US and North Korean Governments.

“As the oldest professional journalist body in the world, we are making this very personal and professional approach because we understand that he was educated in Switzerland and will recognise that these journalists were on a path of discovery which posed no real threat to North Korea.

“We know that Jong-un is well respected and in our letter have pointed out that any positive action by him leading to the release of these journalists will be recognised as a mark of his enlightened approach in a country that many outsiders regard as austere and closed.”

Ends+

The court, presided by Belfast recorder Tom Burgess, is considering whether to order the Sunday Tribune’s northern editor, Suzanne Breen, to hand over information about the Real IRA murders of two British soldiers – Mark Quinsey, 32, from Birmingham, and Patrick Azimkar, 21, from London – in Northern Ireland in March. She had received a telephone call from the Real IRA, claiming responsibility for the murders, which she then reported in the Sunday Tribune.

“Confidentiality of sources is enshrined in European human rights law and which the UK accepted in the Human Rights Act 2006,” say the CIoJ and added: “There have already been several cases in which the European Court of Human Rights has overruled national decisions and ordered national courts to respect the confidentiality of journalists.”

The judge had given Breen’s legal team a week to find reasons why he should not require her to hand over her confidential information to the police. The case is scheduled to come back to the court on Friday this week, when The Recorder will give his final ruling.

It is clear, says the CIoJ that her legal team must spell out the meaning of Article 10 of the human rights convention. It should also give examples of legal precedent, where the European Court of Human Rights has interpreted the convention as meaning that national courts must respect the confidentiality of journalists’ sources and of information given in confidence to a journalist.

If the NI court still insists on the disclosure of confidential information and of sources, Ms. Breen must appeal, advises the CIoJ. Should the Appeal Court fail to overturn the lower court’s ruling that would be to the House of Lords.

She should also be prepared to take her case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, which – according to legal precedent – will very likely decide that she should not disclose her sources nor show her papers to the police.

The CIoJ’s view is supported by Ian Forrester QC, who was lead Counsel in an important case about the confidentiality of journalist sources last autumn. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) found against the European Commission and the Belgian state in the case of Hans-Martin Tillack, a correspondent for the German news magazine Stern, in which he wrote a series of articles about fraud and mismanagement at the European institutions. The court ruled that Tillack could not be requested to disclose his sources.

British barrister Forrester, who now specializes in dealing with European human rights cases at the ECHR in Strasbourg, comments that he finds it “difficult” to reconcile the Northern Ireland court’s decision with the ECHR’s judgments “about Tillack and the earlier Belgian cases”

In any case, comments the CIoJ, while appeals are being considered or are under way Suzanne Breen should not disclose her sources to the police or to any court.

“Confidentiality of sources is sacrosanct for journalists,” says Liz Justice, President of the CIoJ. “People need to be sure that they can blow the whistle about wrongdoings and tell the truth to a journalist without fearing that their identity will be revealed. In this day and age it allows the public to get to the truth.

“This safeguard may be paramount for the life and safety of the journalist and their family. He or she may well be attacked and even murdered if people who spoke to him/her fear that their identity will be revealed.”

End

Note to Editors

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

Liz Justice can be contacted on 07780 661926 and further information about the CIoJ is available at www.cioj.co.uk

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.

NEWS RELEASE

RELEASE DATE: 6 MARCH 2009

Plans by the Local Radio Company to produce local news for ten stations, from a central “hub” have been condemned by the Chartered Institute of Journalists as “shoddy and damaging cost-cutting”.

TLRC has begun a consultation exercise about the proposals – which would effect its ten southern stations as far afield as Hastings and Dorchester to Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire, and could see the loss of up to 12 jobs.

Chairman of the Institute’s Broadcasting Division Paul Leighton – formerly a Head of News at Aylesbury – described as “specious nonsense”, the Company’s claim that the move would “make the local news sound more closely integrated with the rest of the station’s output”.

He said “The growing use of “news-hubs” by independent radio stations as a form of cost-cutting undermines locally accountable editorial responsibility and can only damage genuinely local news coverage. What’s more it clearly runs counter to the intentions of Parliament when it first agreed to the establishment of independent local radio”.

The Institute – which has members throughout the independent sector and the BBC – is calling on OFCOM to investigate whether stations served by news-hubs are meeting the Format obligations to which they signed up, or are fulfilling their responsibility to provide a decent service of local news.

E N DS+

Notes to 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, Ireland and the Commonwealth.