Bristol NUJ

Press Freedom House, a safe house for exiled journalists, is to start in Bristol. The project, set up by Bristol-based Exiled Journalist Network (EJN), is based on the 15-bedroom Maison des Journalistes in Paris and has the support of Channel 4’s Lindsey Hilsum, who is also a patron of the 200 members of the EJN, and The Independent’s Yasmin Alibhai-Brown.

It will provide 6 to 8 beds and assistance to journalists who have been forced out of their own countries, says Bristol NUJ branch member Forward Maisokwadzo.

There is a story on the BBC website here.

WORLD PREMIERE of TOPLESS MUM IN DEAD HERO SHOCKER!!! at the Tobacco Factory

NUJ MEMBERS SPECIAL OFFER; £2 OFF TICKET PRICE;

Wed 23rd May – Sat 16th June

Topless Mum in Dead Hero Shocker!!! is written by Ron Hutchinson – one of today’s most inspiring contemporary playwrights who has worked for Spielberg, the National Theatre and the Royal Court.

Extremely funny and thought provoking, the play looks at the consequences when a newspaper editor buys ‘fake’ pictures from a soldier invalided out of Afghanistan. It examines how easy it is to manipulate images and the impact of this on a world increasingly dominated by soundbites, slogans and rhetorical gestures.

The story follows both that of the soldier’s reception on returning home and the contortions the newspaper people go through to deal with the ‘error’. With alternative titles including, ‘Digital revolution leads to confusion between image and reality horror!!’ and ‘Shocking truth of the implications of a world dominated by visual information – what this means for you!!’, the play takes a sideways look at the role of the media in today’s society and how we are increasingly fed news headlines that may ‘grab the eyeball but leave the brain untroubled’; a style that defies logic and grammar and increasingly ends in exclamation marks.

With a highly respected director, Caroline Hunt, and a fantastic cast, it promises to be one of the most exciting shows produced by the Tobacco Factory.

SPECIAL TICKET OFFER FOR NUJ MEMBERS: £2 off the stated ticket price on the following dates: Wednesday 23 May / Thursday 24 May / Saturday 26 May / Monday 28 May / Tuesday 29 May. The play runs to Saturday 16th June and early booking is certainly advised! Usual ticket price £8 - £12

For further information and to book please call the Tobacco Factory box office on 0117 902 0344 or visit www.tobaccofactory.com . When you’re booking tickets at the Box Office please quote reference number SYN11.

We have posted the recent annual report of the branch so that everyone can see the activities that have been going on, some publicly such as the Tony Benn Lecture and the Journalism Matters events, and others in the background to support journalists working in Bristol and the South West. The details are in the About Us section.

BRISTOL BRANCH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING; WEDNESDAY 9TH MAY 2007,

CAFE HALO, 141 GLOUCESTER ROAD, BRISTOL; 7PM.

It’s the Branch’s Annual General Meeting next Wednesday 9th May, Cafe
Halo, Gloucester Road, 6.30pm for a 7pm start.

We will be reviewing the year just gone, and there will be reports on
the what has been happening in the sections of the Branch and a
financial report.

We will also be electing the Branch Officers for the coming year and
all the positions are available for nominations.

The positions are as follows: Chair, Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer, Equality Officer, Events Officer, Freelance Officer, Exiled Journalists Network Officer.

We will also be looking ahead to the coming year. Events coming up
include another of our Benn Lectures at the Arnolfini. Please come
along and have your say on any issues of concern and what you would
like to see happening within the Branch and in the NUJ.

We look forward to seeing you next Wednesday.

Simon Chapman

Branch Secretary

NUJ Bristol Branch