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Journalists condemn ads on BBC

Posted on January 9, 2012 by CIoJ in CIoJ Press releases | Leave a comment

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 broadcasting.

The attack comes from the oldest organisation representing media workers – The London-based Chartered Institute of Journalists, and follows an announcement that the BBC Trust has approved a year-long pilot scheme to permit adverts to appear on BBC World Service.

BBC

The Corporation says that the move follows a Government request that the World Service generate £3million by 2013/14 to compensate for budget cuts made necessary by the end of Foreign Office funding. The Service’s Berlin frequency and its Arabic, Spanish and Russian Websites will all carry advertising.

The Chairman of the Institute’s Broadcasting Division, Paul Leighton said: “The move utterly undermines the BBC’s world-wide image as a source of authoritative news and information, totally independent and free from commercial or governmental influences”.

With the BBC’s licence fee income frozen for some years, he warned that the move set a precedent which could lead to advertising appearing on other BBC Radio outlets. “For years there have been calls from some MP’s for domestic Radio to carry advertising. Once this step has been taken those calls will become louder and more difficult to resist. Which branch of the BBC will be next on the list, BBC Radio 1? Radio 2? The Corporation’s Local Radio stations?”

The Chartered Institute is writing to the BBC Trust urging them not to proceed with the pilot and lobby Government for the restoration of Foreign Office “grant-in-aid”.

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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.

Book Now! – NATO, SHAPE and the European Parliament

WE ALREADY have a list of 12 people interested in the Brussels visit, and can only take 20 people so we ask you to immediately to confirm their interest by sending a payment of £50 to CIoJ Head Office, giving full name, home address, date of birth and the publication for which you work or, if freelance, publications that usually take your contributions.

Because of tight security at NATO and SHAPE they will need to know if anyone wishes to bring a camera, tape recorder or mobile telephone that takes photos. Please let Mr. Szemerey (see below) know if you wish to bring any of these, giving details of what you are bringing. We will then obtain permission for you to bring any of these with you. But please follow instructions at NATO and SHAPE, as the media is only allowed to film or photograph in some places.

If you have not indicated your interest in the visit and wish to go, please send the above information and £50, payable the CIoJ, now to

Dom Cooper, General Secretary, Chartered Institute of Journalists, 2, Dock Offices, Surrey Quays Road, London SE16 2XU.

Information about your wishing to take cameras, a tape recorder or a mobile telephone with built-in camera should be sent by e-mail to John Szemerey (john.szemerey@hotmail.com).

If you wish to telephone him, his number in Belgium is: 00322 687 90 16.

CIoJ welcomes Select Committee findings

Posted on April 6, 2010 by CIoJ in CIoJ Press releases, News | Leave a comment

NEWS RELEASE

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.

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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.

Institute urges release of British journalist

Posted on February 22, 2010 by CIoJ in CIoJ Press releases | Leave a comment

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.

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Notes for Editors:

NEWS RELEASE
Release time: 19 February 2010

Institute urges release of British journalist

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.

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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

NEWS RELEASE

Release time: 19 February 2010

Institute urges release of British journalist

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.

Ends+

Notes for Editors:

CIoJ Training – Writing for different media – 4 & 11 November 2009

Posted on September 30, 2009 by CIoJ in Training | 8 Comments

Writing for different media…

In this brave new world of multi-skilling and media convergence, the traditional demarcation lines between different fields of our profession have vanished.

Journalists are increasingly being asked to write copy for three different types of media – a newspaper or magazine, a website and a script for an online video or audio reports.

While the basic newsgathering and writing skills are the same, you need to tell your story in a slightly different way for each type of media.

This is how students on NCTJ pre-entry courses are now being taught to prepare them for their first jobs as journalists. The changes in the basic training have been led by demand from editors, who want trainees with a wide range of skills, some of which were, only recently, found only in specialists.

The Chartered Institute of Journalists is offering members a chance to get up-to-date with these changes at a one-day course run by NCTJ journalism lecturer Charlie Harris

The course will cover:

A refresher on essential newswriting skills

How those skills need to be adapted for

1) Covering breaking stories online

2) Pulling together news from numerous sources for the online round-up and the print edition

3) Paring the story to the basics for video or audio coverage

This will be done through a live exercise based on a major breaking story covered by the local newspaper which the course tutor used to edit.

COST: £60

Dates: 4th and 11th November 2009 – please indicate your preference when booking.

Venue: CIoJ Head Office, 2 Dock Offices, Surrey Quays Road, LONDON SE16 2XU

DOWNLOAD A BOOKING FORM HERE>>>

Your trainer…

Charlie Harris

The course will be led by Charlie Harris, a member of the Institute for more than 35 years. A past president of the Institute and former chairman of the NCTJ, Charlie worked for local newspapers across north London, SW Hertfordshire and South Bucks for 33 years, becoming editor of the Harrow Times Series, covering three London boroughs. Involved in editorial training since the mid-80s, he represented the Institute on the NCTJ for many years, and now teaches newswriting and public affairs on NCTJ-accredited courses at Brunel University in Uxbridge and at noSWeat Journalism Training in Clerkenwell. He is also an NCTJ-accredited examination and logbook marker, and helps run exam centres and serves on course accreditation panels for the council.

CIoJ welcomes release of journalists

Posted on August 13, 2009 by CIoJ in CIoJ Press releases, News, Press Freedom | Leave a comment

THE CHARTERED INSTITUTE OF JOURNALISTS has welcomed the release of journalists Laura Long and Euna Lee from captivity and hard labour in North Korea.

“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.

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

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?

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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:

Arrest of journalists deplorable

Posted on July 3, 2009 by CIoJ in CIoJ Press releases, Press Freedom | 1 Comment

Release date: 3 July 2009

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.

Dominic Cooper, General secretary, said: “Democracy cannot be served by gagging the messengers and if the Iranian authorities wish to project their state as a democracy on the world stage, freeing the press (and the press men and women) would be a better way of going about that quest.”

JOURNALISTS SHOULD NOT CENSOR NEWS

Posted on June 17, 2009 by CIoJ in CIoJ Press releases, News | 8 Comments

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.”

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