A parliamentary committee has heard a plea for quality and investment in journalism as the National Union of Jourmalists gave evidence in the House of Lords.

General secretary Jeremy Dear, Journalist editor Tim Gopsill and Julian Petley from the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom represented the union at the Lords’ hearing into media ownership and news.

In their evidence the union exposed the extent and impact of job cuts across the industry citing examples from the Coventry Telegraph to the Newsquest titles in Glasgow to ITV and the BBC.

The union reinforced the Stand Up for Journalism campaign message – that staff and budget cuts are damaging quality journalism – with a series of examples from all sectors of the media.

The union’s representatives argued for greater curbs on media companies’ profiteering, for greater protection for journalists and editors against proprietorial interference and against further relaxation of ownership and impartiality rules.

Jeremy Dear said: “I think the committee members were shocked to learn the extent of the cost-cutting that has gone on and its impact in newsrooms and editorial departments across the industry.

“We have left them with a lot to think about and hope they will speak out strongly in defence of quality journalism and proper investment in journalism.”

The session was part of the Lords Select Committee on Communications investigation into Media Ownership and the News.