Journalists from across the UK met around 40 MPs at the House of Commons to discuss the future of the press and media.

The lobby group, organised by the National Union of Journalists, called on MPs and the Government to help stem the tide of cuts in jobs and resources.

MPs also spoke face-to-face with journalists from their own regions.

NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear said: “We want the Government to help but it needs to be supporting quality journalism – not profits for greedy shareholders.

“Newspaper companies in particular have made massive profits and sucked money out of local communities.

“Now that times are harder they are trying to keep up unrealistic profit margins at the expense of jobs and quality journalism.

“Any state support must serve communities not provide speculators with a taxpayer-funded cash machine.”

The NUJ says that many MPs have urged it to investigate alternative ownership models aimed at rooting journalism in local communities.

John McDonnell MP, secretary of the NUJ Parliamentary Group, said: “MPs rely on local media to communicate with constituents. We know the important role journalism plays in a democracy.

“The fight is on to ensure we have a properly funded media that’s accountable to local people.”

Comments

Sceptical hack (26/03/2009 10:20:40)
If anything comes of this, I’ll eat my own desk.

Old hack (26/03/2009 10:48:07)
Sceptical hack, you’ve got your own desk ? Luxury ! When I were a ‘ack , I shared a wastepaper bin wi two others and sucked on a piece of coal for lunch tossed by our proprietor Mr Hardacre. Then we were sent oop t’chimney lookin’ for exclusives.Them were t’days !!

Middle hack (26/03/2009 12:40:28)
Old hack, you had chikneys? Ee, you were lucky!

Middle hack (26/03/2009 12:46:14)
Sorry, old hack, that should have read chimneys (me poor, old withered eyes).

New hack (26/03/2009 13:10:26)
You have offices, chimneys and desks?! My office closed and i now have to work in a pub…not alllll bad i suppose

MacHack (26/03/2009 13:15:48)
Hey youse hacks, thanks for giving me a laugh. Freelancing is being wiped out up here in the land of the bagpipes.’Chikneys’? Don’t give up on them, could be fast-food franchise in that idea…

Chinese Hack (26/03/2009 14:11:26)
I am velly ‘appy to be Chinee hack..we write wonerful stolees for Mr Proprietor Sir. Him make big cash. We livee in rickshaws
wi lots kiddiwiks and wifee. (Wifee not velly happy. She say ‘Go in PR’. I say ‘No, I luvee news biz’ She say ‘Yoo crazee’.

Yorkshire Ack (26/03/2009 14:58:38)
I wish it were like that up ‘ere. Every Satdi our boss walks round t’office smackin us ‘eds wit big fat plank. And we get paid in flour. I’ve ‘ad t’same pen fer 20 years.

Yorkshire Ack (26/03/2009 14:59:40)
20 years!

Lancashire Ack (26/03/2009 15:16:09)
20 years ? That’s nowt. A were gi’en ma pen when I were still in t’cot and mi muther were tol’ a had to go n werk at t’newspaper up on t’ill when a wer 13. Still got it, too, and a’m 103 now. They don’t make bluidy pens like they use t’. Oh, t’expenses I filled in wi yon pen. You could go t’Blackpool n back, have fish n’chips, and it only cost forty grand. Eee !Still brings tears to mi eye.