The Times: UK local press heading into the abyss

Posted by James Michael on 9 April 2009 at 17:03
Tags: Free Newspapers, Journalism, National Newspapers, Newspapers, Regional Newspapers

Martin Fletcher has a grim perspective on the future of regional journalism in today’s Times.

His report focuses on the rapid decline of south-western publications, the Bristol Evening Post and the 150-year-old Western Daily Press.

Some 40 of the 154 editorial staff at the two newspapers have recently lost their jobs, while a further 36 were casualties from a similar redundancy cut back three years ago.

Fletcher says: “What is happening in Bristol is happening all over the country, of course. Scores of local papers have closed in the past year. More than 1,000 provincial journalists have been made redundant.

“Across all Northcliffe’s regional papers, advertising dropped by about 37 per cent in the first quarter of this year. There is scarcely a title that is not struggling, and many more will fold.”

G20 protestor: evidence mounts against police

Posted by Mark Sheerin on 9 April 2009 at 15:20
Tags: Journalism, Newspapers, Online

Millions, claim the Guardian, have now watched G20 protestor Ian Tomlinson get on the wrong side of the law.

Among those to have now watched the video are the Independent Police Complaints Commission, the Crown Prosecution Service, Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and Met Commissioner Sir Paul Stephenson.

Not forgetting the territorial support group officer who stars in the film. Despite taking off his shoulder number and donning a balaclava, he’s now revealed his identity to managers.

The point at which he strikes Tomlinson, who tragically died shortly after being attacked, is now also revealed in new footage taken from a broken Channel 4 camera.

There is also new evidence to suggest that Tomlinson was attacked by police three times in total, the first of these an hour before his death.

Guardian video shows attack on Ian Tomlinson

Posted by Mark Sheerin on 8 April 2009 at 12:28
Tags: Journalism, National Newspapers, New Media, Newspapers, Online

Several papers are running with the story, but it was the Guardian who obtained footage of Ian Tomlinson’s clash with police.

Moments before his fatal heart attack, the G20 protestor appears to be in the vicinity of a riot officer’s lunge.

The Guardian has compiled a dossier on the incident which it handed to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) last night.

The full story makes the paper’s front page and is supported with spreads given over to video analysis and eyewitness accounts, plus a lengthy comment piece by Duncan Campbell.

On its website the Guardian reports how the piece has sparked outrage online and calls for a criminal inquiry.

Johnston Press journalists in Lancashire vote for strike

Posted by James Michael on 8 April 2009 at 12:27
Tags: Journalism, Media Business, National Union of Journalists, People, Regional Newspapers

NUJ members employed by Johnston Press in east Lancashire have voted in favour of industrial action over the company’s growing job losses and possible merger plans .

Journalists from the Burnley Express, Clitheroe Advertiser and Nelson Leader voted 90 percent for strike action, and 100 percent for action short of a strike. The chapel only won recognition from the union a few months ago.

The NUJ say that management want to restructure the way they manage all their papers and websites across the north west of England.

Chris Morley, NUJ Northern Organiser, said: “This is a very solid result. The chapel will not accept anything less than a proper negotiated agreement on the future of their titles and no compulsory redundancies.”

Journalists at Johnston Press in Leeds, Trinity Mirror in Glasgow and Newsquest in York are already taking industrial action against redundancies.

Estate agents threaten TV licence boycott

Posted by James Michael on 8 April 2009 at 12:26
Tags: Advertising, Agencies, BBC, Broadcast, Media Business, Television

Estate agents are threatening to withhold their BBC licence fees in protest against a BBC television programme that encourages people not to use them, the Daily Telegraph reports today.

The BBC One programme ‘Axe the Agent?’ has been criticised for the way that it instructs viewers to buy and sell property and avoid paying agents fees.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, Lee Bramzell, chief executive of the property industry website propertyindex.com, said that the programme’s premise and title were “deliberately antagonistic”.

“This is the kind of irresponsible broadcasting one might expect to see on Channel 5 but not from the state broadcaster,” he said.

Bramzell has written a letter of complaint to Mark Thompson, the director-general of the BBC.

But a BBC spokesman told the Daily Telegraph: “The programme has no intention of depriving estate agents of their livelihood and it complies with the BBC’s editorial guidelines. The question mark in the title is deliberate in making this a question and not a statement.

“At the beginning of each episode we also make it clear that not using an agent is a huge step and not to be taken lightly.”

Picture editor snaps up a milestone

Posted by Mark Sheerin on 7 April 2009 at 13:27
Tags: Journalism, National Newspapers, Newspapers, People, Photography

A picture editor who worked 50 years for the Daily Mirror turned 100 yesterday. His former paper reports that Bernard Coster celebrated with a party and a card from the Queen.

Mr Coster joined the Mirror staff in 1924 and covered Charles Lindburgh’s historic transatlantic flight in 1927. During the Blitz he passed pictures of suspected German boats to the MoD.

He retired reluctantly in 1974 and tells the Mirror: “I really didn’t want to give up work, but I’d reached 65.”

Life at Marie Claire without the gloss

Posted by Mark Sheerin on 7 April 2009 at 13:26
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Journalism, Magazines, People, Television

A new reality TV show takes the viewer behind the scenes at the US Marie Claire.

Starring as editor-in-chief is British journalist Joanna Coles, who revealed to the Evening Standard why she agreed to be involved: “I grew up with the BBC and the ITV in the 1970s and those incredible fly-on-the-wall documentaries, and I really wanted some of that.”

As a result, Coles often appears without make up, looking exhausted. She said: “There’s quite a lot of reality in there.”

Running in Heels starts at 10pm tonight on The Style Network (Sky channel 253).

Ofcom proposes radio reform

Posted by James Michael on 7 April 2009 at 13:25
Tags: Advertising, Broadcast, Journalism, Media Business, Radio

Ofcom has offered a blueprint to reform commercial radio, which it hopes will make local networks a more attractive investment, the Financial Times reports today.

The broadcast industry is currently struggling with the financial void left by the decline in advertising, the FT says.

Under the proposal, Ofcom would permit broadcasters to consolidate further into regional centres, which could allow them to save money.

FT: Pension liabilities could scupper media deals

Posted by James Michael on 7 April 2009 at 13:22
Tags: Broadcast, Media Business, National Newspapers, Newspapers, Regional Newspapers, Television

The depth of pension liabilities at some of the UK’s largest media companies could derail merger and acquisition activities, the Financial Times warned today.

Michael Rudberg, a partner at Ernst & Young said: “Pension plan deficits have ballooned in recent months, particularly for companies with large legacy plans in the media sector.

“Not only does this increase demands on future cash flows, but it is also one of the most critical factors in executing a sale transaction in what is an already challenging deal environment.”

Daily Mail & General Trust, Trinity Mirror and ITV were among those singled out as of particular concern by some financial analysts.

The report says that older media companies tend to be harder hit by pension issues as they are more labour intensive, tend to have quite large pension funds and generally have unionised work forces, which can make it trickier to cut back on staff benefits.

The gloomy forecast will undoubtedly fuel the growing belief in the media industry that the so called “big four” regional newspaper groups (Trinity Mirror, Johnston Press, Newsquest and Northcliffe Media) should become a big two - the FT says.

Parkinson scorn for Jade Goody funeral coverage

Posted by Mark Sheerin on 7 April 2009 at 12:24
Tags: Consumer Magazines, Journalism, Magazines

Within days of her funeral, Michael Parkinson has attacked Jade Goody on the pages of Radio Times.

He criticised the dead star for representing the “paltry and wretched” side of British life. Her death, he told the magazine, was “not the passing of a martyr or a saint or, God help us, Princess Di.”

Sir Michael had even less kind words to say about the industry which made Goody famous. Sky News reports him saying: ”I have been a journalist for 60 years and I am appalled by what’s happened to my profession. She was exploited mercilessly by the media.”

But The Sun reports that Parky once wanted to interview Jade himself saying: “She has a fascinating back story.”

Regional Press Awards shortlist midday Tuesday

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 6 April 2009 at 15:49
Tags: Regional Newspapers

For everyone who has entered the Regional Press Awards - I’m afraid there has been a delay compiling the shortlists of finalists.

It was due to go up on www.pressgazette.co.uk today - but will now appear tomorrow, Tuesday, at around midday.

Apologies to all who have entered for the delay.