Making the media an election issue

Tackling the crisis in local media is not a question of resources it's a question of political will - and that political will was largely lacking when candidates from the four main parties in Wales appeared on a panel at the NUJ's conference on media issues in Cardiff on Saturday.

In the conference's opening session I set out in my speech the union's call for an economic stimulus plan alongside speakers from Bectu, Professor Bob Franklin from Cardiff University, Tom O'Malley from the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom and others. Then it was the turn of the politicians (or wannabe politicians) to respond. They tried but on the whole they failed. Occasionally they touched a chord but the best performance was from the Labour candidate - and that was only because he started every answer by distancing himself from what the UK government had actually done. But I at least congratulate them all for tuning up, taking the questions and responding. Which is more than lots of politicians have done with our Make Your Vote Count campaign - many simply write back saying they don't respond to people asking them to sign up to pledges. Nice.

Well done to our members in Wales for taking the initiative.

Thursday and Friday were dominated by NEC sub-committees - policy and development. We had important discussions on our election strategy, the campaign against cuts at the BBC, recruitment in the new media sector, the upcoming International Federation of Journalists conference and much more. Now to try and do all the work that came out of those committees.

He's behind you...

Spoke at the excellent Hostile Reconnaissance pre-election rally last night organised by the London Photographers' Branch and I'm A Photographer Not A Terrorist campaign. There's a good report of the meeting on Jon Slattery's blog.

Calls for prospective parliamentary candidates to back rights for journalists also form an essential part of the union's Make Your Vote Count campaign which we launched yesterday. Get involved and question those candidates. Make them work for your vote.

Yesterday morning I was one of four judges for the periodicals category of the Amnesty International Media Awards. Once again the entries were excellent but we've picked some excellent winners. Who are they? You'll just have to wait and see on 1 June like everyone else.

Saturday I was MC for the rally to defend public services and the welfare state organised by the National Pensioners Convention in Trafalgar Square. Thanks to Jonathan Warren for this pic.

I've also sent the official ballot letter to Johnston Press, have had meetings with the International News Safety Institute, the Federation of Entertainment Unions and a phone conference with unions from the International Federation of Journalists as well as a host of internal meetings to plan future campaigns and activities. Look out for an announcement on one of them in the next 48 hours...

What a disgrace

A rep just sent me this link. At a time when there is a pay freeze, jobs have been cut, offices closed, titles axed and the final salary pension scheme is being closed Sly gets another massive hike in her rewards. His words were...what a disgrace. Couldn't sum it up better myself. Journalists and local communities are being forced to pay for the crisis their failed policies created.Read it and weep, then get angry, then get organised, then act...! See you at the shareholders meeting and AGM - let's see how they justify this!

Hostile Reconnaissance

With the general election now called, it's time to put civil liberties centre stage in the election debates. There's a chance to begin to do just that next week. Come along and hear the arguments and get involved at the Hostile Reconnaissance rally next week.

For too long, too many in the trade union movement have sat back and believed that infringements of civil liberties do not affect law-abiding workers. Wrong. Our right to protest, our right to dissent and even our right to work are increasingly under threat. Leading civil liberties campaigners will set out a clear case for union action to defend our rights.