This week’s Press Gazette magazine - the highlights

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 18 June 2008 at 12:45
Tags: Press Gazette

Highlights of this week’s Press Gazette magazine include:

Regional press agony and ecstasy:

Full reports and 16-page supplement showcasing the best of British journalism with all the winners from the Press Gazette Regional Press Awards.

But as regional newspaper owner share prices dip further there are reports of widespread redundancies across the industry.

Iain Dale explains why, despite having one of the country’s most popular political blogs, mainstream media is still the best way to make money - and why he is now launching monthly magazine Total Politics.

Investigative journalist par excellence Phillip Knightley explains some the secrets behind his trade and has some down-to-earth advice: “If you make enough calls, sooner or later someone will tell you something.”

Editor-in-chief of the BBC College of Journalism Kevin Marsh describes the journalist of tomorrow – meet the “journogeek”.

Press Gazette is posted to subscribers this afternoon.

Subscribe now and receive:

• A free copy of the Hollis PR Annual 2008 (worth £155 on its own)
• Four free issues of Press Gazette
• An additional £35 saving on the newsstand price: £115, rather than £150.

Press Gazette is in newsagents on Friday. Click here to find your nearest stockist. 

Gone to press: in this week’s magazine

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 11 June 2008 at 12:39
Tags: Press Gazette

The internet journalist turned entrepreneur who is launching an innovative news website in India.

We showcase the best news photos in the world as selected from the Photographer’s Year award winners.

What the creation of a £3bn business publishing giant with the possible merger of Informa and UBM could mean for journalists.

How journalists at Newsquest York are set for a clash with management over mandatory 8am NUJ chapel meetings.

Daily Sport chief executive Andrew Fickling explains the thinking behind the publisher’s purchase of Front magazine for £265,000.

We talk to The Sun’s Polish bureau chief Dagmara Gladysz about bringing out the paper’s Polish language edition.

The inside story of how the Sunday Mirror caught out London Mayor Boris Johnson by trailing his bicycle.

Newspaper design expert Alan Geere give his verdict on The Times’ much criticised new look.

And Axegrinder reveals some of the greatest expenses fiddles in history.

Press Gazette is posted to subscribers this afternoon.

Subscribe now and receive:

• A free copy of the Hollis PR Annual 2008 (worth £155 on its own)
• Four free issues of Press Gazette
• An additional £35 saving on the newsstand price: £115, rather than £150.

Press Gazette is in newsagents on Friday. Click here to find your nearest stockist. 

This week’s Press Gazette magazine: it’s a corker!

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 28 May 2008 at 12:47
Tags: Journalism, Journalists, Press Gazette

In this week’s Press Gazette magazine:

• We urge three High Court judges not to compel freelance journalist Shiv Malik to hand over his notes to Greater Manchester Police in an open letter on page one:”If this cornerstone of UK press freedom is shattered by a ruling in GMP’s favour, it will undermine the very democracy that the Terrorism Act is intended to defend.”
• The magazine journalist who is literally planning to have a fist fight with one of his readers.
• A report from the employment tribunal of former News of the World sports writer Matt Driscoll which raises questions about the management culture at the News International red-top.
• We investigate the truth behind the meteoric rise which has seen the Telegraph depose The Guardian as the UK’s number one national newspaper website.
• Incoming New Statesman editor Jason Cowley reveals his plans for the title. The current Granta editor says: “It was famous for its literary coverage and it will be again.”
• Peter Kirwan profiles the bashful Malaysian billionaire who has just taken a 20 per cent stake in Johnston Press.
• A new column “Launch Pad” which should be essential reading for freelances - detailing the latest magazine industry launches and relaunches.
• Multi award-winning Evening Standard photographer Jeremy Selwyn talks us through some of the greatest photographs of his career.
• Peter Sands of Press Association Training explains how to survive and thrive on the newsdesk: “Remember to eat, drink and sleep…a burnt-out news editor is no good to anyone.”
• The week a crucial by-election came to town for Crewe Chronicle editor Dave Fox. “I tried to to interview one ‘local’ man on the street only to find he was a junior Tory front bencher”.
• Axegrinder talks to notorious former New York Times journalist Jayson Blair about his memories of working with “fun loving” BBC economics editor Stephanie Flanders

Press Gazette is posted to subscribers this afternoon.

Subscribe now and receive:

• A free copy of the Hollis PR Annual 2008 (worth £155 on its own)
• Four free issues of Press Gazette
• An additional £35 saving on the newsstand price: £115, rather than £150.

Press Gazette is in newsagents on Friday. Click here to find your nearest stockist. 

In this week’s Press Gazette magazine

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 14 May 2008 at 17:50
Tags: Journalism, Journalists, Press Gazette

Great Manchester Police have launched an “unprecedented” bid to grab the notes of journalists who interviewed terror suspect Hassan Butt - even though they have him in custody.

Disclosure orders have been filed against the BBC, Sunday Times, Prospect and CBS. Meanwhile, journalist Shiv Malik next week takes his fight against disclosing his notes to the High Court next week.

We examine the implications of a case which could “make journalists an arm of the state”.

Also in the magazine this week:

• Exclusive interview with Guardian News and Media editor-in-chief Alan Rusbridger as plans to merge the editorial teams of The Guardian, Observer and Guardian.co.uk are unveiled.
• Our campaign against the Conditional Fee Agreement legal rules which are costing publishers millions continues as we name and shame the latest millionaire celebrity to take advantage of a system which was intended to help the poor.
• British Press Awards digital journalist of the year Sean Smith explains why his award-winning videos will never replace still photography.
• Launch editor of Front magazine Piers Hernu casts an expert eye over the four original lads’ mags. “Maxim is lightweight and will soon weigh nothing at all”, he says. Ouch.

And in The Knowledge:

• Financial Times media correspondent explains how he uncovered a World War Two era forgery scandal involving the national archives. “In the current, hectic rush of the world we don’t always have time to be as skeptical as we should be,” he says.
• Critic Mark Fisher explains how to write the perfect theatre review.

Gone to press: what’s in this week’s magazine

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 30 April 2008 at 13:04
Tags: Journalism

This week’s edition of Press Gazette is a must-read for anyone interested in journalism training because there’s a 16-page supplement devoted to it.

It tells would-be journalists everything they need to know about getting into every field of the industry..

For those looking to take the next step on in their careers we have a special report on the journalism boom in the Middle East. We may be entering something of a media slump in the UK - but in Dubai and Abu Dhabi there appear to be well-paid jobs galore for British journalists.

Also in this week’s mag: 

Hundreds of jobs could go across the regional press following a new India out-sourcing move.

Anita Syvret reveals why she has stepped down after 18 years as editor of the Gloucestershire Echo.

The special project at Telegraph Media Group which seeks to unite journalists and geeks.

Full analysis of the latest booming national newspaper web traffic pictures.

In depth interview with double British Press Award winner Tom Newton Dunn, The Sun’s defence editor.

Michael McFarland, BBC London editor, explains how the broadcaster revealed details of Ken Livingstone’s secret children.

Chorley Guardian editor Chris Maguire reveals his tips for waging a successful campaign.

And Axegrinder thinks that Rupert Murdoch may want to woo a certain national newspaper editor back to Wapping.

Taking out a subscription to Press Gazette means you get four issues free, a free subscription to the digital issue and a copy of the Hollis directory and £35 off the normal cover price. 

Preview of this week’s Press Gazette magazine

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 23 April 2008 at 12:04
Tags: Press Gazette

Former Daily Mirror editor David Banks reports from the “media wedding of the millennium” - Murdoch MacLennan to Elsa McAlonan - and he reveals why he didn’t break news of John Prescott’s bulimia 15 years ago.

Andrew Gilligan reveals the inside story of his extraordinary fall and rise: “I had been absolutely roasted in the press for six months…I knew that if I didn’t get off my arse and get working I would be defined by this.”

Radio Times editor Gill Hudson casts an expert eye over new women’s monthly Shape.

Oliver Harvey reveals how The Sun foiled North Korean security forces to get pictures out from the most closed country in the world.

The NUJ considers legal action over the latest abrupt departures of Telegraph editorial staff as Telegraph Media Group further merges its Sunday, daily and online operations.

We speak to the Thai journalist who faces being fined one million times his copy fee after writing about Tesco. And Andrew Drummond reports from Bangkok on the reaction in Thailand to Tesco’s flurry of libel writs.

BBC head of newsroom Peter Horrocks shows us around Television Centre as the corporation completes the first stage of its move to cross-media working.

Financial Times editor Lionel Barber talks about the relaunch of the paper’s Saturday edition: “There’s an awful lot more celebrity journalism in the Sunday market. There’s room for a fresh, sophisticated weekend product.”

Cambridge Evening News staff complain they have been left “rudderless” after the abrupt exit of popular editor Murray Morse.

Maggie Brown takes a closer look at the BBC College of Journalism as 19,200 staff complete its Safeguarding Trust course.

Press Gazette gets posted to subscribers this afternoon and is available in newsstands tomorrow (Friday).

Click here for the latest subscription deal.

Libel no longer a rich man’s game - and rightly too

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 17 April 2008 at 09:29
Tags: Press Gazette Leaders

The stage is set for another series of possibly huge media libel payouts following news that Madeleine McCann suspect Robert Murat is proposing to sue multiple media outlets over their coverage of him.
It is very likely that Murat, who is not a rich man, was able to take the media on with the help of a no-win, no fee-deal.
Although Press Gazette is campaigning against the excesses of such Conditional Fee Agreements, it is broadly right that people like Murat should, as the law says, have access to justice.
The best way to avoid huge payouts, like the one which recently went to Madeleine’s parents, is for journalists to get the basics right and not repeat libellous allegations. And we need to remember that, thanks to CFAs, anyone we are writing or broadcasting about can and probably will sue if we libel them.

What a breath of fresh air incoming Independent editor Roger Alton is. He’s taking on what must be one of the toughest jobs in national newspaper journalism – the editorship of The Independent. Asked what his thoughts are about it, forget the corporate bullshit. He told Press Gazette this week: “I’m waking up very early in the morning sweating with panic”.
But don’t be taken in by his self-deprecating schtick – if anyone can take the Indy successully into the next era of its still relatively young 22-year life, Alton can.
At 60 he could easily have taken up a few lucrative columns and enjoyed a life of relative ease before picking up his generous Guardian pension.
But instead he chose to take the reins at the Indy. The reason? Alton knows that journalism is great fun and he intends to enjoy himself.
The quality newspaper market battle looks set to get interesting.

Access to justice? ‘That’s a lie’

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 10 April 2008 at 08:59
Tags: Press Gazette, Press Gazette Leaders

It’s come to something when millionaire QCs like Cherie Blair need to take advantage of the Government’s “access to justice” reforms in order to sue the News of the World.  

Blair has joined the likes of Sharon Stone, Andy Cole, Naomi Campbell and Heather Mills among the rich and famous who have all sued newspapers under no-win, no-fee deals.  

A system which was designed to help the less well-off is being used by the lawyers of the extremely well-off to double their money. This is because lawyers acting on CFAs have the right to charge a 100 per cent mark-up on their normal fees to the losing side in the case of victory.  

This isn’t about access to justice. This is about lawyers taking  

advantage of another stick to beat the media with – and filling their pockets at the same time. This is about intimidation.  

Lawyers know that if they sue under a CFA they are more likely to gain an early settlement because their victim will be aware that potential fees are spiralling upwards all the time.  

Press Gazette has been at the receiving end of such tactics itself. Pay up the damages quickly – or face the risk of paying damages plus huge legal bills as well.  

With the economy heading into slow-down – and budgets tightening up – few news organisations will be able to make principled stands when faced with strong-arm tactics from lawyers.  

The Government needs to act quickly to find a new system which provides genuine access to justice for those who can’t afford to pay – while at the same time putting the brakes on the excesses of a system which currently benefits claimant lawyers more than anyone else.  

Gone to press: preview of this week’s Press Gazette

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 19 March 2008 at 17:18
Tags: Journalism, Journalists, Press Gazette

It’s was a hectic morning after news broke last night of Express Newspapers’ extraordinary £550,000 libel payout and quadruple apology to the McCanns.

With a 10.30am print deadline we were up against the clock to get the story in this week’s mag.

But we did get some insightful comment from former Daily Mirror editor David Banks: “Group apology equals group conspiracy.” And from top media lawyer Caroline Kean on how other journalists can avoid repeating the mistakes made at the Express titles.

As an aside, the Express titles may have got away lightly - with more than 100 alleged libels, two victims, four newspapers and an upper limit on each libel payout of £200,000 - the mathematics are mind boggling.

Other newspapers will no doubt now be anxiously watching their fax machines for more writs and to see if Carter Ruck was just limbering up with the Express. More on this in the issue of 28.3.8…

But back to this week’s mag:
 

We look at reporting Iraq five years on - and ask why so few UK news organisations still have a full-time presence in the country.

We reveal a new levy on local newspapers which could cost them hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Martin Stabe talks to the boss of one of the UK’s most popular news websites - MSN UK’s Peter Bale who says: “It’s not all about Britney.”

We take a closer look at News International’s Broxbourne printing plant - which claims to be the biggest in the world, capable of printing a million papers an hour.

Maggie Brown explains why Channel 4’s bid to obtain public funding is good news for journalists.

We detail the extraordinary stories of courage behind the six British Press Awards international journalist of the year nominations.

Zoo editor Benn Todd casts an expert eye over the relaunched Daily Sport: “By taking the Sport down the lads’ mag route it may end up falling between two stalls.”

In The Knowledge:

Phil Reay-Smith from ITV news explains how the broadcaster managed to persuade British troops fighting in Afghanistan to carry headcams.

The Guardian’s night editor James Hislop shares some trade secrets.

Cleland Thom explains how to proof read on screen.

Rosie Niven on how journalists can satisfy their taste for adventure while still earning a crust by obtaining a work placement overseas.

And Helen Kant offers some tips to freelances on surviving the recession by finding alternative sources of income on the peripheries of journalism.

Press Gazette gets posted to subscribers this afternoon. If you want to be one of the people seeing the mag first tomorrow morning - try out four issues for free.

Press Gazette is in newsstands on Friday. Find your nearest stockist.

Gone to press: preview of this week’s magazine

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 12 March 2008 at 11:20
Tags: Johnston Press, Press Gazette, Tim Bowdler, regional newspapers

There’s too much good stuff in this week’s magazine to condense into a snappy blog post. But here are some of the highlights:

Psst…Want to buy a major newspaper publisher for £450 million - you could make your money back in three years! We investigate the factors which have led Johnston Press to lose a third of its market valuation in a year - and speak to chief executive Tim Bowdler about what it means for journalists.

We investigate the PR stunt which prompted news reports around the world.

If print publishing is on the side - why were two new local newspapers launched this week? Full details of launches in Cleethorpes and Stroud.

Archant responds to its critics over plans to make 20 sub-editors in Suffolk redundant. Managing director Stuart McCreery says: “It’s not about devaluing the skills of our journalists.”

Think your leaving do was good? We discover the journalist who had a classical work written in his honour.

My Week by Sunday Times defence writer Michael Smith: “The media seems to be under frenzied attack from service personnel obsessed with a whole series of different conspiracy theories.”

Special report on reporting the downturn with Robert Peston from the BBC, the Daily Mail’s Alex Brummer and FT economics editor Chris Giles.

In-depth interview with NatMag chief executive Duncan Edwards: “A lot of magazines look the same and are delivering fairly indistinguishable content. We need to fix that.”

BBC technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones on reporters using mobile video: “I have never seen it as my job to hold the camera, rather to stare into it, checking my hair from time to time. But perhaps that is changing.”

Press Gazette gets posted to subscribers this afternoon. If you want to be one of the people seeing the mag first tomorrow morning - click here and find out how to try out four issues for free.

Press Gazette is in newsstands on Friday. Click here to find your nearest stockist.