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TheJournal
Magazine of the
Chartered Institute
of Journalists
Summer 2018
Serving professional journalism since 1912
BAFTA Fellowship for Kate Adie
A
ward-winning broadcast of Free Enterprise disaster at
journalist and author Kate Adie Zeebrugge, the massacre at
OBE, a longstanding member of Dunblane, the Selby rail crash, the
the Chartered Institute of Journalists (and Bologna railway station bombing
a Fellow of our Institute since 1990), has and the Tiananmen Square protest
been honoured with a Fellowship of the in Beijing in 1989. She carried
British Academy of Film and Television out numerous assignments in
Arts. The BAFTA Fellowship is the highest Northern Ireland throughout “The
accolade bestowed by the Academy on an Troubles”, as well as reporting on
individual in recognition of outstanding the referendum to ratify the Good
and exceptional contributions to film and Friday Agreement. Kate Adie also
television. Fellows previously honoured covered the Lockerbie bombing
for their work in television include Melvyn and reported from Libya after the
Bragg, Michael Palin, Trevor MacDonald London Embassy siege of 1984,
and David Attenborough. Joanna Lumley reporting from Libya many times
received the Fellowship at last year’s thereafter, including the bombing
British Television Awards. of Tripoli by the US in 1986.
Jane Lush, Chair of BAFTA, said: “Kate She also covered the Rwandan
Adie is a truly groundbreaking news Genocide and the British military
journalist, being one of a very small intervention in the Sierra Leone
number of women working to report the Civil War.
news from hostile environments around The long-serving presenter
the world. Throughout her career, she has of Radio 4’s “From Our Own
brought audiences to the centre of the story Correspondent”, and a presenter
by fearlessly reporting from the ground, or contributor to many other
while clearly and concisely explaining the radio and television programmes, Adie
complex issues to audiences at home. We has won numerous awards including the of the CIoJ), three Royal Television Society
are delighted to be celebrating her stellar Richard Dimbleby Award at the British awards and the Broadcasting Press Guild’s
career at this year’s ceremony; she is a Academy Television Awards in 1990 (the Award for Outstanding Contribution to
true trailblazer and very deserving of the same year she was awarded a Fellowship Broadcasting.
Fellowship.”
Kate Adie told The Journal: “It’s lovely to
be awarded the BAFTA Fellowship. I feel
very honoured.”
Adie began her broadcasting career as a
On the move
station assistant at Radio Durham and then
moved to BBC Radio Bristol. She made
the transition to TV news in London and
E xactly 30 years ago, the Institute had
to leave its old office in Covent Garden
and head out to the suburbs. The site
was on duty in 1980 when the siege of the chosen for the new office was in a rather
Iranian Embassy was brought to an end by rundown corner of southeast London
the SAS. Her live report, which interrupted once known as the Surrey Commercial
the World Snooker Championships, was Docks. These had been a series of nine
seen and heard by millions in homes docks, timber ponds and a canal spreading
across the UK. In 1989, she was appointed over 460 acres. Most of this was built by
Chief News Correspondent for the BBC the Commercial Docks Company which docks were progressively abandoned. The
and held the post for 14 years. constructed a fine block of offices that was area became largely derelict; transport
opened in 1892. The offices continued to links were poor so, when the office in the
Danger zones be used after all the London docks were old Dock Offices was acquired in 1988, it
She has reported from danger zones merged into the Port of London Authority was cheap. But it had potential and the
and conflicts around the world, including in 1908. area was transformed when the Jubilee
both Gulf Wars, four years of war in the The docks had concentrated on the timber underground line was extended from
Balkans, the final NATO intervention in trade. After 1950, this began to decline and Waterloo via the area (now renamed
Kosovo and elections in 2000, the Herald during the 1980s and subsequently, the
Continued on page 20
Andy Smith Editor’s Comment
T
Editor he Government has quite rightly of black teenager Stephen Lawrence in
ruled out “Leveson 2” but, as Eltham, southeast London, that it was the
the latest World Press Freedom Daily Mail that pursued the racist thugs
Index reveals, freedom of the press here who brutally murdered young Stephen;
in the United Kingdom is not as secure the paper’s “MURDERERS” headline
as we might expect. According to the and its front-page story naming the boy’s
index, compiled by Reporters Without killers “changed the politics of the case”
Borders (RSF), despite being, historically, (in the words of former Labour Home
a cradle of freedom and democracy in Secretary Jack Straw) leading to a rooting-
the world, Britain is now in 40th place out of the racism and corruption that
in terms of press freedom, making it had undermined the effectiveness of the
one of the worst countries in Western original Metropolitan Police investigation.
Assistant Editor: Stuart Millson Europe. We have fallen 18 places since The Daily Mail continues to campaign
Production Editor: Dominic Cooper the first index was compiled 16 years ago. on issues like this, and, despite its right-
How has this happened? RSF points to wing profile and its often rather blimpish
a “hostile environment” for journalists editorial tone, has often championed
In this issue: and journalism in the UK, with repeated issues of social justice and civil rights. It
attempts to clamp down on the press. is currently campaigning against cuts to
Leveson 2 and Section 40 4 This hostility comes both from the the Open University. This is the paper that
Establishment and the far left. The Law certain politically-motivated organisations
Investigatory Powers Act 5
Commission, for instance, is currently trying wish to stifle.
World Press Freedom Index 6-7 to make it easier to imprison journalists In addition, there are mounting threats to
for obtaining leaked information, and the our freedom, democracy and free speech
How to avoid hating journalists! 8
House of Lords has tried to use the Data from outside these shores. We are, for
Death of a Russian journalist 9 Protection Bill as a backdoor way to impose instance, under constant attack from Russia,
state regulation of the press. Meanwhile, which is waging a systematic campaign of
CIoJ Presidential Handover 10-11
the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Corbyn, disinformation and propaganda through
Democracy under assault 12 is virulently opposed to the press, and “social media”, leading to the widespread
has made no secret of his desire to restrict sharing – by gullible members of the
Rowing warrior 13
press freedom. Then, of course, there is the public – of Russian-created “fake news”
Sustainable future for S4C 14 problem of antisemitism in certain sections and conspiracy theories. Social-media
of his party, and the growing stridency is so out-of-control, and so thoroughly
Reinventing digital editions 15
of far-left groups such as Momentum infiltrated and exploited by enemies of
Failing Open Justice 16 which seems to be injecting a culture of democracy, that for those – an increasing
aggression and intolerance into British number – who obtain their “news”
Obituaries 17-18 politics. Intimidation of journalists by chiefly from the internet, it is hard to
Letter to the Editor 19-20 delegates at a party conference would have navigate through the oceans of extremist
been unheard-of in past decades, but at the propaganda, be it Russian, communist,
The views contained in The Journal are those of the last Labour conference the BBC’s Laura fascist or Islamist. And then we have self-
Editor and contributors and do not necessarily reflect the Kuenssberg felt so intimidated she had to appointed “guardians of truth” such as
views or policy of the Chartered Institute of Journalists. hire bodyguards! the misleadingly titled Working Group on
All rights reserved. © CIoJ 2018 The insidious campaign to ban the Syrian Propaganda and Media which is,
Daily Mail is another sinister feature of essentially, a body of apologists for Putin
this hostile environment. Yes, a number and Assad. There are so many lies and
TheJournal
of commercial newsvendors have been conspiracy theories floating around that it
boycotted for selling the newspaper that is a wonder anyone believes anything they
goes where other sections of the media read on the internet – but, with the internet
fear to tread. Let’s not forget, in this, the taking over from the legitimate news-
25th anniversary of the appalling murder media, all too many people do.
ISSN 1361-7656
News or views intended for publication STOP PRESS (literally!) Trojan horse for the campaign by the rich and
D
should be sent to: espite its rejection by the Government powerful to strangle Britain’s 350-year old
The Chartered Institute of Journalists and the House of Commons, the proposal tradition of press freedom and investigative
2 Dock Offices, Surrey Quays Road, to push forward with state regulation of the journalism. What we now have is an unholy
London SE16 2XU press has been given a new lease of life by alliance of press-bashing billionaires and
the unelected House of Lords who voted in far-left Corbynistas. We cannot let them get
E-mail: memberservices@cioj.co.uk favour of “Leveson 2” by 252 votes to 213, away with this! Please write to your Member
Tel: +44 (0)20 7252 1187 effectively overturning the MPs’ democratic of Parliament urging them to stand up for
decision and forcing the Commons to debate democracy and the free press (the essential
Fax: +44 (0)20 7232 2302
state regulation all over again. Disguised as underpinning of a free society) by opposing
Web: www.cioj.co.uk an attempt to clamp down on a supposedly this insidious and undemocratic scheme to
Twitter: @CIoJournalist intrusive and abusive newspaper industry, bring in state regulation of newspapers by the
in fact “Leveson 2” is nothing more than a back door.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
pages/Chartered-Institute-of-
Journalists/108017897514
Officers of the Institute: Your Council members are:
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/ Norman Bartlett, Ken Brookes, Vivienne
groups/Chartered-Institute- Janice Shillum Bhend, President
DuBourdieu, Michael Evans, Andy Smith
Journalists-63500 Michael Hardware, Honorary Treasurer
Tim Crook, Vice-President Your PPB members are:
Tim Crook, Chairman
Mark Croucher, Immediate Past President Norman Bartlett, Adela Earlington, Andrew
Printed by Cool grey display & print Ltd
Tel: +44 (0) 1444 474646 Tim Crook, Chairman, PPB Kelly, Paul Leighton, Stuart Littleford,
2
Institute officers are ex-officio members of Council Alistair Riddell, Prof. Kemal Yildirim
The Journal - Summer 2018 edition
UK shows no improvement
in press freedom
A
continued heavy-handed approach Section 40 and would seek to repeal it, there the longer-term trend of worrying moves
towards the press – often in have already been similar amendments to restrict press freedom, and hold the UK
the name of national security – proposed to the Data Protection Bill government to account.”
together with a general climate of hostility currently being deliberated in the House of
towards the media, has resulted in the Commons, making it clear that the divisive Murders
UK keeping its status as one of the worst- issue of press regulation continues to pose a The UK maintained its poor ranking in the
ranked Western European countries in threat to press freedom in the UK. midst of an alarming year for press freedom
the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) 2018 RSF UK Bureau Director Rebecca Vincent globally, particularly in Europe, a region
World Press Freedom Index. explains: “Maintaining our ranking of that has been shaken by the murders of
In RSF’s 2018 World Press Freedom Index, 40th out of 180 countries is nothing to be two journalists in the space of five months
the UK failed to improve its ranking of 40th proud of, and puts us in the embarrassing – Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta and Jan
out of 180 countries. This places the UK position of having one of the worst records Kuciak in Slovakia – as well as increased
between Trinidad & Tobago and Burkina on press freedom in Western Europe. This threats to investigative reporters and
Faso, and leaves it as one of the worst- is unacceptable for a country that plays an unprecedented verbal attacks on the media.
ranked countries in Western Europe in important international standard-setting
terms of respect for press freedom. role when it comes to human rights and See pages 6 - 7 for more on the
This follows the UK dropping two fundamental freedoms. We must examine World Press Freedom Report
places in the 2017 World Press Freedom
Tolerating the intolerant
Index, a year that saw an overall decline
in democracies around the world. It also
represents a staggering decline for the UK
of 18 places since the first World Press
Freedom Index was published in 2002.
Throughout the year, RSF highlighted a
number of worrying moves against press
A s free speech and open discussion
come under renewed assault in the
UK, and as radical Islamist movements and
The HJS report shows that the influence of
“Students Not Suspects” has been built on
the back of effective publicity campaigns
freedom in the UK. An alarming proposal by their collaborators exert growing influence involving panel discussions, workshops,
the Law Commission to replace the Official on university campuses, a new report from protests and social media.
Secrets Act with an updated Espionage the Henry Jackson Society, an independent “Students Not Suspects” is effectively a
Act could make it easy to jail journalists as think-tank, makes worrying reading. vehicle for extremist interests, says the HJS
“spies” for obtaining leaked information The report, Tolerating the Intolerant, report, and “it advances extremist tropes,
and could see them jailed for up to 14 years. shows how the National Union of Students extremist speakers and extremist narratives
The Government began to implement the (NUS) policy, “Students not Suspects”, – all the while attacking anybody, NUS
Investigatory Powers Act with insufficient which seeks to shield radical Islamists from officials or otherwise, who distances
protection mechanisms for whistleblowers, public scrutiny or criticism, is receiving themselves from its position.”
journalists, and their sources. extensive support from certain academics, The author of the report, Richard Black,
student committees, trade unions and a explains: “While the NUS’s ‘Students Not
Online abuse range of far-left organisations. Suspects’ campaign has not succeeded in
Both the Conservative and Labour Under the pretence of wanting to its overall aim of ‘scrapping’ Prevent, it has
parties restricted journalists’ access to abolish the Government’s “Prevent” encouraged numerous student unions to
campaign events ahead of the June 2017 strategy against radicalisation, “Students pass motions boycotting the policy. It has
general election. BBC political editor Laura Not Suspects” meetings have been held spread misinformation and undermined
Kuenssberg received extensive online abuse with a variety of extremist speakers trust between students, staff and local
and threats, resulting in her being assigned from dangerous Islamist groups, such as authorities.
bodyguards to cover the Labour Party CAGE, MEND, the Islamic Human Rights “Far from moderating its message,
conference in September. Offshore law firm Commission (IHRC) and Friends of Al- ‘Students Not Suspects’ has also developed
Appleby have initiated legal proceedings Aqsa, all of which are defenders of radical ever closer links to extremist organisations
against the BBC and The Guardian for Islam. such as CAGE and MEND. This divisive
breach of confidence over the “Paradise Activists from “Students Not Suspects” campaign continues to alienate moderate
Papers” source materials, making them condemn any individual expressing students and further undermines the
the only two media outlets out of 96 in 67 criticism of Islamic extremism. They credibility and legitimacy of the NUS
countries that analysed the Paradise Papers accuse critics and fellow students of being amongst government, policy makers and
to be taken to court. motivated by racism and Islamophobia. wider civil society.”
Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act
2013 remained on the books, presenting
cause for concern as the law’s punitive cost- Recruitment
shifting provision could hold publishers
liable for the costs of all claims made
The Institute is offering a referral fee to any member who can help recruit new members.
against them, regardless of merit. Although
Every Full Member you sign up will earn you £50. The new member will need to be
after the end of the year the government
sponsored by you and will have to satisfy our accreditation procedures. Contact our
announced that it would not implement
Chief Executive for more details - memberservices@cioj.co.uk .
3
The Journal - Summer 2018 edition
All change at Trinity Mirror New arbitration
N
ewspaper group Trinity Mirror newsrooms more than a decade ago and scheme
is changing its name to Reach.
Shareholders have also approved
the group’s takeover of Express newspapers
takes the total provision for hacking claims
made by the group to more than £60m.
The forecast for “structural cost savings”
T he Independent Press Standards
Organisation (IPSO) is creating
a compulsory arbitration scheme
(from Northern Shell) by an overwhelming is still estimated to be a further £15m this as an alternative to court action for
99 per cent. year and that is not looking good for staff people with “genuine claims” against
Not all the news from Trinity Mirror is as the two groups – Trinity Mirror and newspapers. It already has a voluntary
positive; its current annual report shows Express Newspapers – converge. Just scheme but there have been no cases
that its female staff were paid 18 per cent days after the report was published, Daily brought under this system since it was
less than their male counterparts in 2017, Express editor Hugh Whittow announced introduced two years.
and have received smaller bonuses (3.4 per his retirement and Daily Star editor Dawn The scheme is scheduled to go live
cent less). Neesom said she was leaving to pursue a on July 31. Those members who
However, to put this into context, Media freelance writing and broadcasting career. do not sign up to it will remain on
Scotland, comprising the Daily Record, The name change, to Reach, may inspire the voluntary arbitration scheme,
Sunday Mail and local titles, had an even forward thinking as two large media groups although not all IPSO members are
larger pay gap at 19.4 per cent and a bonus come together and kick past poor behaviour signed up to offer arbitration at all.
pay gap of 10.4 per cent. The worst overall over phone-hacking into the long grass, but IPSO chief executive Matt Tee said:
performer is The Economist Group which new horizons are rarely without clouds. “Lord Justice Leveson stressed the
showed a pay differential of 32.5 per cent. The Competitions & Markets Authority importance of having a low-cost means
Trinity Mirror Group showed a £90m fall is now looking at the “plurality issues” of people that had been wronged by
in group revenue which they say was due and there have been assurances that the a newspaper getting compensation,
to “a weak print trading environment” and newspapers across the merged group without the expense of court and legal
is despite growth in its digital publishing would retain their editorial independence. fees. Our new scheme does exactly
revenue of seven per cent to £84m overall. The takeover deal includes the Daily that and the papers are not able to
The annual report showed that the group Express, Daily Star, Sunday Express and choose which cases they take.”
had set aside an extra £10.5m for payouts Daily Star Sunday, plus celebrity magazine Culture Secretary Matt Hancock
to claimants that have accused Mirror titles OK!, New! and Star. called the IPSO scheme “an important
Group journalists of hacking their phones. Trinity Mirror’s annual report is available step forward for a press that’s both
This follows the long-running set of court online at: http://www.trinitymirror.com/ free and fair.” He urged newspapers
cases dealing with behaviour in the group’s latest/news/annual-report to sign up to it.
Liz Justice
Fake news, NUJ-style Journalists’
I t has been brought to our attention that the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) is
claiming on its website that its members’ magazine, The Journalist, is unique, stating that
“since Press Gazette moved to online publication only, The Journalist is the only specialist
Charity shuts
publication dedicated to the media available in print.” This is obviously a false claim, as home
our own Institute’s magazine, The Journal, in continuous publication since 1912, is still a
printed journal, in addition to being available in an online edition downloadable from our
website, and there are no plans to cease publishing The Journal in this way. We therefore
call on the NUJ to remove the false statement from their website.
T he Journalists' Charity (formerly
the Newspaper Press Fund) has
been forced by financial circumstances
to close its nursing home for journalists
CIoJ welcomes decision to scrap and their dependants, Pickering House
in Dorking, Surrey.
The home, which opened in 2007,
Leveson 2 and Section 40 has been making substantial losses.
The home's 14 residents have been
T he Chartered Institute of Journalists
has welcomed the Government stated
intention to scrap Leveson Inquiry Part 2
Standard and the online Independent.”
The Institute believes IPSO should involve
representatives from professional journalist
given three months’ notice to leave,
and the charity is working with Social
Services to find them all alternative
and Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act, associations such as the CIoJ and NUJ. “The accommodation.
which threatened to punish news publishers Government has quite rightly responded to Jill Palmer, who chairs the charity’s
refusing to sign up to a state-approved the democratic voice of public consultation”, board of trustees, said: “It has been
regulator. the CIoJ said in a statement. a very difficult decision to close
New CIoJ Vice President, Professor Tim The Government received 174,730 direct Pickering House but a combination
Crook, says that Ministers should now scrap responses to its consultation into whether of falling demand and increasing
the Press Recognition Panel, adding “it is the Leveson Inquiry should be re-opened, costs meant the home had become an
time for the regulator IMPRESS, largely along with petitions bearing 200,428 unsustainable drain on the charity’s
funded by the controversial Max Mosley, to signatories. Some 66% of direct respondents finances.
leave the media landscape.” thought that Part 2 of the inquiry should be Our primary duty is to ensure that
Says Prof Crook: “Journalists and news terminated, compared to 12% who thought we have the financial capability to
publishers need clarity and leadership. We it should continue. support as wide a range of eligible
need a single independent regulator for An overwhelming 79% favoured full repeal people in the short, medium and long
journalism ethics and we hope IPSO will of Section 40, with many expressing concerns term. We will of course ensure that
take on reforms to attract participation from that it would have a “chilling effect” on the current residents at Pickering House
all national newspaper publishers including freedom of the press, while just 7% said the are relocated to comparable and
The Guardian, Financial Times, London measure should be implemented. suitable accommodation.”
4
The Journal - Summer 2018 edition
Contesting the world’s most
invasive surveillance regime
By Tim Crook
A
t the heart of the 2016 Investigatory of shambolic opposition and a political representation for the journalist and news
Powers Act is the Government’s climate reeling from the implications of publisher as parties to the applications.
belief that we do not own our the EU referendum. The Government was The IPA system does not recognize that
communications data. The information criticized for not providing any credible the journalist has a right to be party to the
about who we contact, on which day and at evidence that the extreme indiscriminate review. Instead, the Act appoints a Judicial
what time, where and in what way belongs powers included in the legislation complied Commissioner to adjudicate applications,
to private internet service providers and with European Union and European and journalists have no rights to be
telecommunications companies. That Human Rights law or were fully necessary informed about the applications or access
is why the legal access is a relationship to prevent or detect crime. to their information. Everything will be
between government and data processors; conducted in secret with no public scrutiny
not the users. Petition at all and absolutely no due process of legal
There is nothing in the Act to explicitly A public petition has called for its repeal, representation.
declare that the content of a communication with more than 200,000 signatures, but this Protections for sensitive categories such
is our personal property, but perhaps that has not as yet been debated by Parliament. as “confidential journalistic material”
is implied. The trick played on journalists In January 2018, the English Court of and “sources of journalistic information”
and everyone else is that the police, Appeal ruled that near-identical powers are invalidated where the “information
intelligence agencies and any of the 48 state in the Government’s previous surveillance is created or acquired for the purpose of
investigatory bodies given access powers law – the Data Retention and Investigatory furthering a criminal purpose.” Criminal
in the 2016 legislation have the data map Powers Act – were unlawful because they activity is defined as a situation where an
to that content should it be preserved on let public bodies access the nation’s internet accused “who has no previous convictions
computer hard discs activity and phone could reasonably be expected to be
or any form of digital records with no sentenced to imprisonment for a term of 3
storage server. It is the In January 2018, the English Court suspicion of serious years or more.”
roadmap to finding the of Appeal ruled that near-identical crime and no
more detailed evidence if powers in the Government’s independent sign- Espionage
required. previous surveillance law – the Data off. This ruling had This means that any public official trying
Liberty, the civil rights Retention and Investigatory Powers applied an earlier to leak anything to a journalist will be
group, and Edward Act – were unlawful because they judgment in the furthering a criminal purpose because the
Snowden, the American same case from the maximum sentence is life imprisonment
let public bodies access the nation’s
whistleblower, say that European Court of for misconduct in public office and will be
internet activity and phone records
the Investigatory Powers Justice (ECJ). 14 years for leaking information under a
Act is the most invasive with no suspicion of serious crime The Government proposed Espionage Bill.
surveillance regime of and no independent sign-off. has conceded that At the judicial review hearing held
any democracy in the Part 4 of the new Act over three days at the end of February,
world. The fear for all needs reform, in the the Government’s barrister, James Eadie
of us is that it introduces staggering state light of these cases, but further intervention QC, contended that the vast majority of
spying powers that give the Government by the courts is not needed. IPA not only communications data retained will never be
access to up to a year of everybody’s web gives state agency access to communications accessed by the state because most people
histories, email, text and phone records. data on demand; it also allows the State to are not affected by police or other relevant
Ministers tell us this makes us safer and hack computers, phones and tablets on an investigations. This is certainly not the case
freer from all the dangers of terrorism and industrial scale, and collect the content of with professional journalists.
other awful crimes. They say the Dystopian our digital communications and records Under the old Regulation of Investigatory
“Big Brother” vista of doom conjured by about those communications created by our Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), hundreds of
privacy campaigners is an unnecessary and computers, phones and other devices. journalists had their data secretly accessed
inaccurate exaggeration. with a sign-off from a senior police officer
The IPA, they tell us, was intended to Facebook in the same force. The lack of scrutiny in
introduce transparency to state surveillance The scandal over Facebook’s leak of such oversight chimes ironically with a
following Snowden’s revelations of data belonging to 87 million social media profession castigated during the Leveson
unlawful mass monitoring of the public’s users has heightened public sensitivity Inquiry for “marking its own homework”.
communications. about the significance of personal data. When RIPA was debated in Parliament,
But Liberty’s legal experts say the It is being likened to “the new oil”, or, politicians assured the media industry
Act simply legalises the practices that perhaps more appropriately, “the oxygen that its powers would never be used
Snowden exposed, and introduces hugely of the information age.” The Act purports against journalists in leak inquiries. The
intrusive new powers which undermine to provide safeguards for the protection of Government lawyer told the High Court
our privacy, free press, free speech, protest confidential journalistic information and in February that accessing a person’s entire
rights, protections for journalists’ sources journalist source data. communications data history would require
and whistleblowers, and legal and patient But these provisions are not equal to the most serious justification and “in reality
confidentiality. those offered by the Police and Criminal the law does not permit vast, intrusive
When it was passed in Parliament at Evidence Act 1984, where independent collection by the state of communications
the end of 2016 there was an atmosphere judicial hearings have to take place with data.”
5
The Journal - Summer 2018 edition
Hatred of journalism
threatens democracies
T
he 2018 World Press Freedom Index, then Prime Minister Robert Fico called such as Vietnam (175th), Turkmenistan
compiled by Reporters Without journalists “filthy anti-Slovak prostitutes” (178th) and Azerbaijan (163rd).
Borders (RSF), reflects growing and “idiotic hyenas”. A Slovak reporter, When it’s not despots, it’s war that helps
animosity towards journalists. Hostility Ján Kuciak, was shot dead in his home turn countries into news and information
towards the media, openly encouraged in February 2018, just four months after black holes – countries such as Iraq (down
by political leaders, and the efforts of another European journalist, Daphne two at 160th), which this year joined those
authoritarian regimes to export their vision Caruana Galizia, was killed by a targeted at the very bottom of the Index where the
of journalism pose a threat to democracies. car-bombing in Malta (down 18 at 65th). situation is classified as “very bad”. There
The climate of hatred is steadily more have never been so many countries that are
visible in the Index, which evaluates the Threat to democracy coloured black on the press freedom map.
level of press freedom in 180 countries each “The unleashing of hatred towards It is in Europe, the region where press
year. Hostility towards the media from journalists is one of the worst threats to freedom is the safest, that the regional
political leaders is democracies,” indicator has worsened most this year. Four
no longer limited RSF secretary- of this year’s five biggest falls in the Index
to authoritarian “The unleashing of hatred general Christophe are those of European countries: Malta
countries such as Deloire says. (down 18 at 65th), Czech Republic (down
Turkey (down two towards journalists “Political leaders 11 at 34th), Serbia (down 10 at 76th) and
at 157th) and Egypt is one of the worst who fuel loathing Slovakia (down 10 at 27th).
(161st), where for reporters
“media-phobia” is threats to democracies,” bear heavy Self-censorship
now so pronounced
that journalists are
RSF secretary-general responsibility
because they
Ranked second (but more than 10 points
worse than Europe), the Americas contain
routinely accused Christophe Deloire undermine the a wide range of situations. Violence and
of terrorism and all concept of public impunity continue to feed fear and self-
those who don’t offer debate based on censorship in Central America. Mexico
loyalty are arbitrarily imprisoned. facts instead of propaganda. To dispute the (147th) became the world’s second deadliest
More and more democratically-elected legitimacy of journalism today is to play country for journalists in 2017, with 11
leaders no longer see the media as part of with extremely dangerous political fire.” killed. Thanks to President’s Maduro’s
democracy’s essential underpinning, but as In this year’s Index, Norway is first for increasingly authoritarian excesses,
an adversary to which they openly display the second year running, followed – as it Venezuela (143rd) dropped six places, the
their aversion. The United States, the was last year – by Sweden (2nd). Although region’s biggest fall. On the other hand,
country of the First Amendment, has fallen traditionally respectful of press freedom, Ecuador (92nd) jumped 13 places, the
again in the Index under Donald Trump, the Nordic countries hemisphere’s greatest
this time two places to 45th. A media- have also been rise, because tension
bashing enthusiast, President Trump has affected by the overall Vladimir Putin’s between the authorities
referred to reporters as “enemies of the
people”, a term once used by Joseph Stalin.
decline. Undermined
by a case threatening
Russia (148th) and privately-owned
media abated. In North
The line separating verbal violence from the confidentiality of is extending its America, Donald
physical violence is dissolving. In the a journalist’s sources, Trump’s USA slipped
Philippines (down six at 133rd), President Finland (down one
propaganda network another two places
Rodrigo Duterte not only constantly insults at 4th) has fallen by means of media while Justin Trudeau’s
reporters but has also warned them that for the second year Canada rose four and
they are “not exempted from assassination”. running, surrendering outlets such as RT and entered the top 20 at
In India (down two at 138th), hate speech its third place to the Sputnik 18th place, a level where
targeting journalists is shared and Netherlands. At the the situation is classified
amplified on social networks, often by troll other end of the Index, as “fairly good”.
armies in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s North Korea (180th) is still last. Africa came next, with a score that is
pay. In each of these countries, at least The Index also reflects the growing slightly better than in 2017 but also contained
four journalists were gunned down in cold influence of “strongmen” and rival models. a wide range of internal variation. Frequent
blood in the space of a year. After stifling independent voices at home, internet cuts, especially in Cameroon (129th)
Verbal violence from politicians against Vladimir Putin’s Russia (148th) is extending and Democratic Republic of Congo (154th),
the media is also on the rise in Europe, its propaganda network by means of media combined with frequent attacks and arrests
although it is the region that respects outlets such as RT and Sputnik, while Xi are the region’s latest forms of censorship.
press freedom most. In the Czech Republic Jinping’s China (176th) is exporting its Mauritania (72nd) suffered the region’s
(down 11 at 34th), President Milos Zeman tightly controlled news and information biggest fall (17 places) after adopting a law
turned up at a press conference with a fake model in Asia. Their relentless suppression under which blasphemy and apostasy are
Kalashnikov inscribed with the words “for of criticism and dissent provides support to punishable by death even if the accused
journalists”. In Slovakia, (down 10 at 27th), other countries near the bottom of the Index repents. But a more promising era for
6
The Journal - Summer 2018 edition
The press freedom map, which is
distributed in print and digital
versions, offers a visual overview of the
sitution in each country in the Index.
The colour categories are assigned
as follows: good (white), fairly good
(yellow), problematic (yellow), bad
(red) and very bad (black).
journalists may result from the departure of seems dangerously inclined to take the “insulting the head of state”. In light of such
three of Africa’s most predatory presidents, same path as China after closing dozens of a wretched performance, it is no surprise
in Zimbabwe (up two as 126th), Angola (up independent media outlets and plunging that the region’s overall indicator is close to
four at 121st) and Gambia, whose 21-place ten places, one of the biggest falls in the reaching that of Middle East/North Africa.
jump to 122nd was Africa’s biggest. region. According to the indicators used to
In the Asia-Pacific region, still ranked The former Soviet countries and Turkey measure the year-by-year changes, it is
fourth in the Index, South Korea jumped continue to lead the worldwide decline in the Middle East/North Africa region that
20 places to 43rd, the Index’s second press freedom. Almost two-thirds of the has registered the biggest decline in Media
biggest rise, after Moon Jae-In’s election region’s countries are ranked somewhere freedom. The continuing wars in Syria
as president turned the page on a bad near or below the 150th position in the (117th) and Yemen (down one at 167th)
decade for press freedom. North Asia’s Index and most are continuing to fall. They and the terrorism charges still being used
democracies are struggling to defend their include Kyrgyzstan (98th), which registered in Egypt (161st), Saudi Arabia (down one
models against an all-powerful China one of the Index’s biggest falls (nine places) at 169th) and Bahrain (down two at 166th)
that shamelessly exports its methods for after a year with a great deal of harassment continue to make this the most difficult and
silencing all criticism. Cambodia (142nd) of the media including astronomic fines for dangerous region for journalists to operate.
The World Press Freedom report – what is it?
P ublished every year since 2002 by
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the
World Press Freedom Index is an important
as regards media freedom. It is an absolute
measure that complements the Index’s
comparative rankings. The global indicator
in the past but, thanks to statistical analysis,
the data gathered continued to permit
comparison with previous years.
advocacy tool based on the principle of is the average of the regional indicators, Translated into 20 languages including
emulation between states. Because it is well each of which is obtained by averaging English, Arabic, Chinese, Russian,
known, its influence over governments the scores of all the countries in the region, Indonesian and Korean, the questionnaire
is growing. Many heads of state and weighted according to their population as is sent to journalists, media lawyers,
government fear its annual publication. The given by the World Bank. researchers and other media specialists
Index is a point of reference that is quoted selected by RSF in the 180 countries covered
by media throughout the world and is used Qualitative analysis by the Index. Each country is assigned a
by diplomats and international entities such he degree of freedom available to score based on the answers provided by
as the United Nations and the World Bank. journalists in 180 countries is determined these experts and on the figures for acts
The Index ranks 180 countries according by pooling the responses of experts to of violence and abuses against journalists
to the level of freedom available to a questionnaire devised by RSF. This during the previous year.
journalists. It is a snapshot of the media qualitative analysis is combined with A team of in-house specialists, each
freedom situation based on an evaluation quantitative data on abuses and acts of assigned to a different geographical
of pluralism, independence of the media, violence against journalists during the region, keeps a detailed tally of abuses
quality of legislative framework and safety period evaluated. The criteria used in and violence against journalists and media
of journalists in each country. It does not the questionnaire are pluralism, media outlets. These researchers also rely on a
rank public policies even if governments independence, media environment and network of correspondents in 130 countries.
obviously have a major impact on their self-censorship, legislative framework, The Abuses indicator for each country is
country’s ranking. transparency, and the quality of the calculated on the basis of the data about
Nor is it an indicator of the quality of infrastructure that supports the production the intensity of abuses and violence against
journalism in each country. of news and information. media actors during the period evaluated.
Along with the Index, RSF calculates a To compile the Index, RSF has developed This quantitative indicator is then used
global indicator and regional indicators an online questionnaire focusing on to weight the qualitative analysis of the
that evaluate the overall performance of the subjects specified above. This year’s situation in the country based on the replies
countries (in the world and in each region) questionnaire was slightly less detailed that to the questionnaires.
7
The Journal - Summer 2018 edition
How to avoid hating journalists
when disaster strikes
By Prof Tim Crook
S
omebody I know who became a college on. This is certainly the case with terrorism. on her ward spoke of a note offering £2,000
principal described recently how Journalists regularly see and experience for information being included in a tin of
much he hated the press after having aspects of carnage, horror and death that biscuits given to the staff.
to manage the fallout from the deaths most people would never encounter once The report described how a young
of his students in a road traffic accident. in a life-time. In the London Bridge and woman was visited by a reporter at their
Reporters were described as “vultures” Borough attack, a BBC journalist going home and given condolences on the death
who were “shouting down the phone to get home from work was a fraction of an inch of her brother whilst her parents were at
details before the families were ready” and from being killed when a van mowed down the Etihad Stadium. This took place on the
“publishing pictures of the students having people before her very eyes. Later on, a morning following the attack. The family
somehow got their names, and turning up Sunday Express journalist nearly paid with were not told that their son was likely to be
at the gates”. his life when he placed himself in front of among the fatalities until later that day.
He asked for my advice. I responded terrorists indiscriminately plunging their The report alleged at least two examples
with sympathy and said that he and the lethal blades into anyone they came across. of impersonation. One respondent talked
grieving families of his students should When the worst things happen in the on the phone to someone saying they
not be confronted with any insensitive and world, it is the duty of journalists to were a Bereavement Nurse; whilst another
harassing behaviour. I offered all the advice report and communicate, but to do so they described talking to someone who they felt
I could provide, including the 24-hour have to have the trust and respect of the sounded to be more like a journalist but
Independent Press Standards Organisation human society they are a part of. Recent who purported to be from the police.
(IPSO) harassment helpline number. events suggest this is not happening. The Some families mentioned the repeated use
I explained that, under Clause 3 of the Kerslake Report into the Manchester Etihad of their loved one’s photo causing renewed
Editors’ Code, journalists should identify Arena terrorist bombing complained: upset each time. International media used
themselves and the publication or agency “Most participants who commented on an image taken inside the foyer in which
they work for; that everyone has the right to their experience of the media in the attack the deceased could be identified. Families
tell journalists clearly that they do not wish aftermath were negative. People talked were angered by personal Facebook and
to speak to them or be photographed and about feeling ‘hounded’ and ‘bombarded’.” other social media accounts being accessed
that they are asking them to stop. I said that Some described being put under pressure and information and photos used without
under the Code of Practice, journalists must to participate in TV programmes. At the permission. Inaccurate details about their
not continue their activities once asked to Etihad there were concerns with people loved ones, such as a wrongly spelled
stop; that If anyone at home does not wish feeling accosted by media crews. Specific name, caused considerable upset.
to answer their door they can pin a short mention was made of photos being taken The Kerslake report did say that a number
note to it to say that they do not wish to through the glass windows of a family of families spoke in praise of sympathetic
speak to journalists and do not want to be being given news of bereavement. There reporting by the Manchester Evening News
disturbed. were descriptions of people having to run and other papers local to the bereaved.
IPSO also advises if anyone is being to cars with coats over their heads to escape. Those involved in the Disaster Victim
telephoned repeatedly and does not wish Similarly, someone described having to be Identification process said the media had
to speak to journalists they should change taken into hospital to see their injured child respected the dignity of the deceased and
their answerphone message to say that only via a staff entrance because of the behaviour the privacy of the families when making
personal callers should leave a message of some media representatives at the main visits to see their loved ones.
and they do not wish to speak to the entrance. The Manchester Evening News raised
media. I pointed out that the Prevention of more than £1 million for the victims.
Harassment Act 1997 makes it a civil wrong Official notification One difficulty is that the Kerslake Review
and criminal offence for any journalist Several people told of the physical has taken all the media complaints as being
to leave somebody with a perception of presence of crews outside their homes. accurate accounts of media conduct. These
distress on at least two occasions through One mentioned the forceful attempt by a allegations have not been investigated.
unwanted approaches. reporter to gain access through their front They have only been reported. IPSO Chief
door by ramming a foot in the doorway. It Executive Matt Tee quite rightly said: “The
Distressing circumstances was reported that the child of one family press has a narrow path to tread between
My friend’s Facebook page filled up with was given condolences on the doorstep reporting accurately and sympathetically
angry anti-journalist comments; some of before official notification of the death of on tragedies on the public’s behalf and
them asking how the journalists would her mother. Another family told how their respecting the feelings of those most
feel if it was their daughter or son who child was stopped by journalists whilst directly affected.”
had been killed. The reality, of course, is making their way to school. The volume and intensity of anger does
that generally journalists do know how it At the hospitals, families attending to suggest that clearly not everyone is tip-
feels to experience tragedy at home and at look for missing loved ones and visiting toeing effectively on this narrow path and
work. Very early on in their careers they the injured described having to force their this includes broadcasters as much as the
often have to learn how to deal with the way through scrums of reporters who press. A key recommendation of the report
stress of approaching bereaved families “wouldn’t take no for an answer”. One is that IPSO should engage a review of the
and communicate with people in very mother, who was herself seriously injured Editors’ Code in the light of the complaints
distressing circumstances. as was her daughter, spoke of the press of bad media conduct and consider
It is also not uncommon for journalists to ringing her on her mobile whilst she was
be victims of the very incidents they report recovering in hospital. A member of staff Continued on page 9
8
The Journal - Summer 2018 edition
Continued from 8
ALCS to sponsor CWA Gold
“developing a new code specifically to be participating rather than hiding or
Dagger for Non-Fiction
cover such events.” pontificating.
The report also advised wider education
and planning on the role of the media by
police family liaison officers, statutory
It is also apparent that members of the
public and those people likely to have
direct contact with journalists in the
T he Authors’ Licensing and Collecting
Society (ALCS) is to sponsor the Crime
Writers’ Association Gold Dagger for Non-
responders, first response agencies and midst of human tragedy and disaster Fiction in 2018.
local authorities. have little idea of the rights and needs of This year sees the 40th anniversary of the
professional journalists when covering award; previous winners having included
Round-table discussion large scale human tragedies. Reporters Antonia Fraser, Jonathan Goodman and
The Kerslake inquiry held a round-table do have to ask questions and obtain Ruth Dudley Edwards.
discussion with the media in Manchester accurate information. It is a stressful Martin Edwards, Chair of the CWA, said:
and recognized how the role of social situation for all concerned. “We are delighted by ALCS’ support for the
media considerably accelerated the pace IPSO has produced an excellent 13- Dagger. Although the CWA is associated
at which information on individual page briefing, “Press Report on a Death: in the public mind with crime fiction, non-
families became more widely available. Information for the Public”. It would fiction has always been a key part of our
It learned that the BBC had established be surprising if many people in the remit. Our members include some of the
a system so that a single BBC journalist emergency services and indeed many leading writers of non-fiction, and they
was assigned to each any one family media relations and press officers for focus on a much wider range of subjects
affected by the bombing so the BBC was public and private bodies throughout the than just ‘true crime’. That breadth of range
not making multiple contacts. country have any idea of its existence. of their work is increasingly recognised
It strikes me that much more work The first duty of any journalist when worldwide, and this new sponsorship can
needs to be done. ISPO should not be reporting human tragedy is to behave only help.”
alone in this process. Ofcom, professional decently and respectfully toward those The Gold Dagger is an award is for any
unions, and the main broadcasters such they have contact with. The learning and non-fiction work on a crime-related theme
as ITV, Sky, the BBC, and the Foreign understanding of this duty is an ongoing by an author of any nationality on condition
Press Association in Britain should be and never-ending journey. But the need that the book was first published in the UK
involved as well. Those news publishers for liaison and education about the in English during the judging period. This
refusing to be regulated by IPSO, the media’s role in these events can be a matter award encompasses, though is not limited
Guardian, Independent online, London for negotiated understanding rather than to, non-fiction works relating to true crime,
Standard, and Financial Times should scapegoating and condemnation. historical crime, crime-related biography,
crime-fiction literature, and critical studies.
Election purdah is not an excuse Mysterious
death of Russian
to shut down democracy
journalist
T he Chartered Institute of Journalists
has condemned a decision by the
Greater London Authority to shut out the
fatally stabbed in London during 2018 has
now reached at least 35.
Professor Crook says: “Election purdah A lthough local police in the
Urals Region decided there
media and general public from London is not an excuse to bring down the was “nothing suspicious” about the
Assembly and Mayor of London meetings shutters on democracy. We believe that the death of journalist Maksim Borodin,
on knife crime. apparent view of the GLA’s monitoring others remain to be convinced. The
The CIoJ says the GLA has wrongly officer of electoral law is wrong, and the investigative reporter, who recently
applied an over-strict interpretation of Local Government Association briefing wrote an expose of the Russian
electoral purdah restrictions during local on Purdah Guidance is being interpreted government’s use of mercenaries in
elections in London Boroughs. inappropriately.” Syria and elsewhere – Putin’s “shadow
Institute Vice-President, Professor Tim army” – fell to his death in a five-
Crook, says: “The House of Commons FOI request story plunge from the balcony of his
would not dream of sitting in private The CIoJ has also made a Freedom of apartment in the city of Yekaterinburg.
because there’s a by-election in Barnsley, Information Act request for all emails, Despite the official disinterest in the
or elections for the Scottish Parliament, documentation and minutes of meetings matter, press freedom organizations
Welsh or Northern Ireland assemblies.” relating to the media exclusion decision. including the CIoJ have called for an
The CIoJ has issued a complaint to the In response to the Institute’s complaint, independent investigation.
Electoral Commission that the GLA did Karim Aziz of the Electoral Commission Borodin is among 58 Russian
not allow journalists or the public to attend replied: journalists who have been killed since
the London Assembly meeting on knife “The Commission had no role in the 1992, according to the Committee to
crime in the capital on April 11. setting or adherence to the rules on Protect Journalists (CPJ). The article
The same exclusion happened in relation purdah.” “The Journalist Who Exposed Russia’s
to the Mayor’s Summit at City Hall on He added: “I can confirm that the Greater Mercenary Force Dies in Fall from
April 10, which was discussing the same London Authority did not consult with the Balcony” (http://www.themedialine.
issue and which was attended by Mayor Electoral Commission before they took org/mideast-daily-news/journalist-
of London Sadiq Khan as well as a their decision. The Commission does not who-exposed-russias-mercenary-
number of high-profile politicians and the have any information as how the decision force-dies-in-fall-from-balcony/)
Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. was arrived at by the Greater London appeared first on The Media Line
The number of people who have been Authority.” (http://www.themedialine.org).
9
The Journal - Summer 2018 edition
Presidential Handover
T
he Presidental Handover of the Crook was invested as her Vice-President.
Chartered Institute of Journalists, Andy Smith, a Editor of this Journal for
was held on March 9 at No.2, Dock the past 16 years, was awarded a Life
Offices, headquarters of our Institure Fellowship of the Institute. In her inaugural
since the 1980s. Janice Shillum Bhend speech, the new President outlined her
was invested with her badge of office as plans for the next two years, highlighting
President for 2018-2020, and Prof Tim the immediate actions and the priorities
for her Presidential term of office.
Janice Shillum Bhend is an experienced
journalist, publisher, editor and media
professional with a strong background in
feature, celebrity and women’s interest
writing for numerous best-selling,
national magazines. She has made many
TV and radio appearances over her
long career and contributed to several
books. Passionate about promoting
quality journalism, she has seven year’s
experience teaching the next generation
of journalists at degree and post-graduate
level. She also published her own national
women’s title YES! for five years — a
runner up in the PPA Small Publisher of
the Year awards.
President’s message This is not only because Dock Offices will President will be to help ensure we find a
I enjoyed talking to CIoJ members at the
Presidential handover party in March.
It was a happy occasion, and everyone
be in the middle of a building site for the
foreseeable future but also because BL’s
offer was well above market value.
new head office in an up-and-coming area
that will be easily accessible to all and
potentially another great investment for the
enjoyed the evening. My thanks to all those future. Until then we will continue much as
members who took the time out of their Seamless before, using the same contact details but
busy schedules to come along. Members do not need to worry; our working day-to-day in a more “virtual”
In my speech, I mentioned that the contact details will remain unchanged world, as so many journalists do now. It’s
Institute’s Council had, earlier that day, for the time being, and all services will be an exciting opportunity to move on to the
agreed to surrender our lease to British maintained with no break in service. We next chapter in the CIoJ’s long history — I
Land who have a development plan for have, over the past few years, engaged with will, of course, keep you all posted.
Canada Water that will take more than 20 modern working practices and emerging In the meantime, if any member has
years to complete. As an HQ, Number 2 technologies. This means that we will be any concerns whatsoever, please contact
Dock Offices has served us well over the able to deliver services to members from memberservices@cioj.co.uk.
last 30 years, and we’ll be sad to leave, but interim offices in a seamless fashion.
it’s an offer that we really could not refuse. So, one of my first priorities as your new Janice Shillum Bhend
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