Stand Up For Journalism - 5 November
BRISTOL JOINS EUROPEAN DAY OF ACTION FOR QUALITY JOURNALISM
Journalists from Bristol will be joining thousands of their colleagues from all over Europe to Stand Up for Journalism on Monday November 5.
They are taking part in action to demand improved editorial budgets, higher standards, and better pay and conditions for journalists.
Stand Up for Journalism day has been called to coincide with the Society of Editors conference being held in Manchester, where the National Union of Journalists will be holding a lobby.
The European Federation of Journalists is supporting the action and events are planned in 20 countries across the continent.
There will be a two-minute work stoppage by media workers in Serbia, a demonstration outside the National Assembly in Paris, and a petition to the government in Romania.
In Bristol journalists and their supporters will be lefletting from 9 until 10 am at BBC Bristol (Whiteladies Road entrance) and a demonstration will take place at the same location from 1 pm until 2.30 pm.
National Union of Journalists president Michelle Stanistreet said: “We are delighted that journalists in Bristol are playing a part in this Europe-wide day of action.
“Too many media are owned by a smaller and smaller group of extremely wealthy corporations.
“They make big profits but they want more. So journalists face a constant round of job cuts and dwindling editorial budgets. This means too many journalists are forced to cut corners and compromise quality.
“We want our editors to join with us and stand up to the culture of cuts. If they believe that journalism is important for democracy and for local communities they must take a stand. “
Bristol Branch NUJ Chair Christina Zaba said: “In Bristol the cuts in local newspapers and broadcasting continue to be draconian. They are dismantling a quality local, regional and national media which once broken, cannot easily be rebuilt.
“The media is important to everyone. It’s important to democracy. Imagine what it would be like to have no local news. That’s what we’re looking at and we in the NUJ think it’s time to say: enough’s enough.
We’re standing up for journalism and we hope everyone will join us.”
For more details see www.standupforjournalism.org.uk
For further information ring NUJ Bristol Branch Chair Christina Zaba 07967 323169, or Simon Chapman NUJ Bristol branch Secretary 07889 747916, Michelle Stanistreet NUJ President on 07881 628043, Jeremy Dear NUJ General Secretary on 0207 843 6381, or Miles Barter on 0161 237 5020.
Stand Up for Journalism Fact Sheet
“The result of the declining level of investment is that, despite the best efforts from editors and journalists, serious journalism is under threat”. Cardiff University School of Journalism
Jobs • More than 6000 media jobs have been cut since 2004 • The BBC has cut almost 4000 jobs with plans for another 2500 job losses. Major employers such as Trinity Mirror have cut more than 500 jobs and newspapers such as the Newsquest titles in Glasgow and the Telegraph Group have cut more than 100 editorial jobs each. ITV has lost almost 1000 jobs with hundreds more to go. • The result of the cuts has been studios and newsrooms closed, magazines folded, newspapers shut down and programmes axed.
Profits/ Media Ownership • The local media is a £4 billion sector delivering trusted, relevant news and information to over 40 million people a week across its print, online and broadcast channels. • Johnston Press made more than £150m profit last year, Gannett, the owner of Newsquest more than $2bn, Northcliffe more than £100m, and Trinity Mirror made over a quarter of a million profit every day. • Advertising spend has increased every year for the past 14 years. Online recruitment advertising on regional press websites has more than doubled in the past two years. • The top 4 regional newspaper publishers control a market share of 68%.
Pay • More than half of all journalists earn less than the national average wage. Three quarters earn less than the UK average wage of a professional worker. • Journalists starting rates are on average £7,000 less than the median starting salary for graduates. • 80% of journalists would be unable to obtain a mortgage to buy the average house in the UK.
Fat cats • Daily Mail editor Paul Dacre received £1.23m in 2006. • Express owner Richard Desmond ‘earned’ £40.6m last year – up from just £27m the year before • Trinity Mirror Chief Executive Sly Bailey received £1.45 million last year, despite falling circulations.