THE National Union of Journalists’ (NUJ) campaign to support vital local news media, as hundreds of local papers are going to the wall, is launching a week of action from Friday 24 March to Saturday 1 April.
Calling for support for Local News Matters Week, the NUJ says: ‘Local newspapers, websites and associated apps are read by 40 million people a week and they enjoy a high level of trust from their readers. Local journalists are breaking important stories, many with a national significance, and they provide vital and entertaining local information as well as doing their utmost to ensure democratic scrutiny, accountability and encourage an active citizenship.
‘Yet, the sector is in crisis. According to the Press Gazette, there has been a net loss of almost 200 newspapers since 2005 and during this period the number of journalists has halved. Numerous daily titles have gone to weekly publication and many weekly titles no longer have dedicated editorial teams. The NUJ has collated its own roll call of newspaper closures.
‘Mergers and take-overs have severely restricted reader choice, with four publishers accounting for almost three-quarters (73 per cent) of local newspaper titles across the UK (Trinity Mirror, Johnston Press, Newsquest and Tindle Newspapers).
‘Industry expert, Enders Analysis, reported that the media industry’s revenue in 2015 was approximately half its 2003/04 level. Despite adapting to many changes, journalists have not seen their pay improve and are experiencing heavy workloads because they are expected to bring in stories, cover events, produce videos and podcasts and use social media while covering for colleagues who have lost their jobs.
‘A survey of News Media Association members found that the revenue of the vast majority of media organisations (81 per cent) continues to come from print readership, with 12 per cent coming from digital. However, the industry is closing its newspapers and pursuing digital-only strategies without a business model which will recoup print revenue.
‘The NUJ’s Local News Matters campaign aims to reclaim a vital, vigorous press that is at the heart of the community it serves and is owned and operated in the public interest. The union has robustly fought to keep jobs, and members have gone on strike in protest against the loss of posts throughout the UK, such as action taken by our Newsquest members in south London.
‘This March we will launch a Local News Matters Week starting on Friday 24 March.
‘The event will feature a series of conferences and activities each day around the UK and its regions. Journalists from all parts of the local media – newspapers, online, start-ups, radio, TV, photographers and communications – will be involved in the campaign, along with politicians, community groups, sister unions and many others who know first-hand the vital role our local media play. Events are being planned for Westminster, the Welsh Assembly, and Scottish and Irish governments.’
The NUJ adds: ‘Our campaign aims include:
• a short, sharp, national inquiry into the state of local news;
• local papers to become community assets to prevent newspaper titles closing overnight and to give potential new owners, including local co-operatives, the time to put together a bid for a paper; action to stem the job cuts and attack on quality journalism;
• research into new models for local journalism, levies, tax breaks and other measures to fund community media.’
Broadcasting union BECTU members at the BBC are voting on the extent of protections being offered to staff as management presses ahead with plans for BBC Studios Ltd. BECTU was ‘disappointed but not surprised’ by last December 20th’s decision by the BBC Trust to approve plans for the setting up of a commercial production subsidiary, BBC Studios Ltd.
BECTU noted: ‘The move will enable the BBC to compete with the independent sector; the quid pro quo is that all BBC programmes will be put up for competition by 2020. We don’t buy the promise that this move will strengthen BBC production going forward, in fact we believe the reverse will be true. Ultimately the BBC’s long term future will be put at risk if BBC Studios Ltd is created,’ commented Gerry Morrissey, BECTU general secretary.
Whilst BECTU has argued the principles of the move, insisting the BBC’s place as a cornerstone of UK broadcasting will be severely compromised by unfettered commercialisation, recent talks have concentrated on staff conditions in the new company. BECTU is insisting that current staff pension rights should be protected in the same way that staff in BBC Worldwide, another wholly owned subsidiary, are permitted to be members of the BBC pension scheme.
Equally vital is future provision for pay and conditions of service, with BECTU arguing that the current abuse of buy-out contracts must end. ”BBC production staff are entitled to certainty in respect of their contracts which is why we’re insisting on transparency in this area,’ explained Gerry Morrissey.
The BECTU general secretary added: ‘Staff must know how many hours they’re contracted to work, how much they’ll be paid and how any additional demands they face will be compensated. The current abuse of buy-out contracts, which is also affecting junior staff, must end.’
Looking ahead, BECTU said it has also ‘made strong representations to BBC Television to secure guarantees over pay and redundancy rights for staff whose employment could transfer to a third party company’ as more and more BBC production is made available for tender.
More immediately, however, BECTU continues to represent members affected by the 300 redundancies announced last October, as production seeks to cut staffing ahead of commercialisation. The union said: ‘The current level of volunteers falls short of the posts intended for closure and BECTU has restated its opposition to compulsory redundancies.
‘A further meeting with BBC management is scheduled for 13 January to address the outstanding issues; a date for the consultative ballot of union members affected by BBC Studios Ltd will be set then.’
Morrissey concluded: ‘BECTU continues to believe that strong levels of permanent staffing supported by our substantial freelance talent base is the right ecology for BBC production. Further casualisation will harm both production and the workforce. The BBC has a duty to the licence fee payer and a reputation for excellence built over decades. It also has responsibilities for industry training and diversity which can only be fulfilled if it continues to be a producer/broadcaster with a unique identity.’
