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Regional publisher defends ‘cash prizes for UGC’ scheme

chris-morleyA regional publisher has defended a new scheme offering cash incentives for publishing user-generated content.

Under the scheme, a total of £9,000 will be given to Newsquest’s publishing centres based on the number of pictures and articles they publish which are sent in by readers.

The competition will involve a top prize of £4,000 plus £3,000 for second place and £2,000 for coming third, with a league table of newspapers and websites being used to keep track of results, and awards also being given for the most-shared and fastest-growing local news brands on Facebook.

The competition, which was outlined in a message to Newsquest staff from chief executive Henry Faure Walker, has been criticised by the National Union of Journalists, but the company said newspapers have always published UGC and branded the union “out of touch.”

Chris Morley, pictured above left, NUJ Newsquest group coordinator, said: “Our members are aghast at this plan to pit colleagues against each other in a race to the bottom to fill pages and websites with material whose only criteria for publication seems to be that it is free.

“There is not one mention of the importance of quality or making sure content is appropriate and suitable. It’s only about filling space as cheaply as possible.”

He added: “Henry Faure Walker claims in his memo to staff that ‘professional journalism is the bedrock of our business’. But this is a perfect example of the company appearing to do all it can to undermine its journalists in the hope of putting them out of work.

“Members are appalled at this shabby scheme and want nothing to do with it. In fact one member said he would wear it as a badge of pride if his centre was bottom in the free copy league table.”

A Newsquest spokesman said: “Once again the NUJ has twisted the facts to suit its own propaganda PR machine.

“Local newspapers have been publishing content from the community for decades – readers’ letters, submitted photos, grass roots sports reports, updates submitted by local clubs and charities.

“Professional journalism rightly continues to be the bedrock of local newspapers, content from the local community complements this, and has done so for years.

“For the NUJ to say that community content doesn’t have a place in local newspapers is just plain wrong and shows how out of touch they are.”

4 comments

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  • April 24, 2017 at 3:00 pm
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    No Mr ‘spokesman said’ ,you’re the one twisting the facts to suit your own PR machine “..“Professional journalism rightly continues to be the bedrock of local newspapers…”
    Not when any old Facebook scraped piece or twitter comment lead can be subbed into a news story by a junior keyboard tapper it isn’t, as long as it’s free and attracts clicks it’ll do.
    …” content from the local community complements this, and has done so for years”
    Yes once it did, now it’s the majority rather than the excption, the NUJ are right in saying what we all know and is the main reason people no longer buy papers,its just space filler greedily taken as its free , stuff of no interest to the local communities or general public.
    As for; “..Local newspapers have been publishing content from the community for decades – readers’ letters, submitted photos, grass roots sports reports, updates submitted by local clubs and charities.”
    Correct but that’s not news’ is it? as well you know, now with little or no value put on quality the reliance on UGC is such that NQ have to offer carrots for UGC at any cost rather than recognising rewarding and encouraging the best journalism and reportage possible.

    My how far the once mighty publishing houses have fallen

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  • April 25, 2017 at 10:10 am
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    ‘The competition will involve a top prize of £4,000,’ followed by an ‘your job is at risk’ announcement to reporters, as ‘the great success’ of UGC means ‘we no longer need the same staff numbers to create content’.

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  • April 25, 2017 at 3:41 pm
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    “…Henry Faure Walker claims ….. ‘professional journalism is the bedrock of our business’
    It certainly was mr FW but no longer as this latest get rich quick by doing it in the cheap initiative proves

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