Standing up for journalism

ON 5 NOVEMBER representatives from NUJ chapels nationwide rallied outside the Manchester Evening News offices.  "It is good that we are rallying here," NUJ president Michelle Stanistreet told them, "because the MEN has cut 30 jobs in the last two years and we have to show that we are standing up for journalism."

Jeremy Dear (centre) leading the procession to the Society of Editors photo © Pennie Quinton

Julie Gordon, Mother of Chapel at MEN (chair of the NUJ there) told of defending MEN journalists from management accusations that they were afraid to embrace new technologies: "We do embrace new technologies but the management and editors have to look after their staff."

Around 50 people marched to the nearby Radisson Hotel, where the Society of Editors were discussing press freedoms. NUJ general secretary Jeremy Dear later said it was "scandalous" that the SoE had invited a representative from MI5 to speak on their platform, but had not extended this invitation to the NUJ... and if editors won't stand up for good journalism then journalists will."

One SoE member did come out to pay his respects to the rally, saying that editors and journalists were on the same side and that quality journalism was under threat. Jeremy said it is "shameful that even the Mail no longer employs enough reporters to cover stories, considering the profits they make off the backs of journalists. Today is not the end of the campaign," he concluded, "to stand up for journalism: it is the beginning." on Parliament Square, V for Vendetta stylee.

© Pennie Quinton