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Are you Standing Up For Journalism today?

by HoldtheFrontPage Staff Published 26 Nov 2007

Journalism union members across Europe were today protesting, lobbying and campaigning against tight staffing and resources they say are undermining the quality of newspapers.

Stand Up For Journalism day is being marked by a march and rally at the Society of Editors conference in Manchester but a series of events is taking place at National Union of Journalists’ chapels across the UK.

The main event, at 12.30pm outside the Manchester Evening News building, will march on the editors’ conference and culminate in a rally in defence of journalism at the Friends Meeting House nearby.

Union president Michelle Stanistreet said: “We are delighted so many people are organising events in towns and cities across the UK and Ireland.

“It shows how much journalists care about our profession and our duty to keep people informed. Any journalists who want to join in should contact the union for support.”

Other action is set to include:

  • journalists from The Enfield Gazette & Advertiser, The Barnet Press and The Haringey Advertiser Standing Up For Journalism at a protest in Enfield town centre;
  • North Wales Weekly newspapers handing in their union recognition application;
  • Newquest York chapel holding tea-breaks at 11am and 3pm where they will be selling cakes to raise money for the newspaper’s Guardian Angels Appeal as well as leafleting the public;
  • members in Huddersfield handing in a collective grievance to their managers;
  • the South London Guardian chapel standing up together in the newsroom;
  • Local newspapers in Harrow and Brent handing out leaflets to the public;
  • a revival of Carlisle branch, which will hold its first meeting;
  • a revival of the Teesside branch, also due to hold its first meeting;
  • the Birmingham Post & Mail chapel meeting local MPs;
  • members at the Newsquest chapel in Colchester holding a consultative ballot;
  • members in Leicester holding a chapel meeting to discuss pay and conditions;
  • the Oxford and District branch – with the Oxford Mail and Times, BBC Oxford, and ITV Thames Valley Tonight – producing a poster featuring statements by journalists from the chapels about what they do.

    There will also be lobbies at the European Parliament, French National Assembly, and in towns and cities across the UK.

    The NUJ is protesting at “round after round of cuts” in the big media companies to increase profit margins.

    It fears journalists are reduced to a cross between call-centre workers and data processors.

    They criticise ways of working which see journalists “stuck at their desks re-jigging press releases”, and fears that corruption, lies, and law-breaking in the corridors of power may never be investigated – or even uncovered because of a lack of time and resources.

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