Johnston Press sacks rebel South Yorks editor

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 11 August 2011 at 10:50
Tags: Regional Newspapers, press freedom

One month into an indefinite strike at South Yorkshire Newspapers - Johnston Press has made outspoken editor Jim Oldfield redundant.

Oldfield defied bosses by reporting the industrial dispute on his own front page two weeks’ running.

Jon Slattery reports on his blog that Oldfield was given his marching orders in a brown envelope couriered to his home.

Slattery also has quotes from Oldfield, who has been sacked despite achieving circulation and awards success. (more…)

Metro notes Guardian journalist David Leigh’s 2006 phone-hacking admission

Posted by Andrew Pugh on 5 August 2011 at 10:25
Tags: Journalism, Law, National Newspapers, press freedom

Metro’s political editor John Higginson has highlighted an article in The Guardian from 2006 in which the paper’s investigations executive editor David Leigh admitted to intercepting voicemails.

Leigh’s defence was that he used phone-hacking to expose “bribery and corruption” and not “witless tittle-tattle about the royal family”. (more…)

AP veteran appointed Thomson Foundation chief executive

Posted by Andrew Pugh on 26 July 2011 at 12:38
Tags: Broadcast, International, Journalism, Journalism education, Television, press freedom

The Thomson Media Foundation has appointed Associated Press veteran Nigel Baker as its new chief executive.

Thomson said that Baker, AP’s vice-president of business operations for EMEA and Asia, will bring a “mix of world-class commercial and journalism skills in the news business” to the Cardiff-based charity, which provides training and development advice to media companies in the developing world. (more…)

Mumbai investigative journalist shot dead by motorbike gunmen

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 13 June 2011 at 08:35
Tags: Journalism, People, press freedom

The crime and investigations editor of Indian newspaper Mumbai was shot dead on Saturday by four men riding motorcycles in what was apparently a contract killing.

The 56-year-old journalist had been writing stories about Mumbai’s ‘oil mafia’ exploring the links between criminals and politicians. (more…)

Trinity Mirror digital boss sounds press freedom warning over Cameron NHS reforms

Posted by Dominic Ponsford on 8 June 2011 at 11:54
Tags: Journalism, press freedom

Amid growing concern about secrecy involving medical malpractice hearings - head of multimedia at Trinity Mirror regionals David Higgerson has written about the secrecy which surrounds decision-making at NHS Foundation Trusts. (more…)

NUJ complains as police force issues its own press passes

Posted by Press Gazette on 6 April 2011 at 11:01
Tags: National Union of Journalists, press freedom

National Union of Journalists freelance organiser John Toner has written to Lancashire Constabulary to complain about the force issuing its own press passes.

The force issued passes to journalists wishing to cover the English Defence League protest in Blackburn on Saturday and initially refused access to those not carrying one, the union claimed. (more…)

Met ‘asked BBC reporters to hand over demonstration footage’

Posted by Press Gazette on 5 April 2011 at 08:25
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, National Union of Journalists, Television, press freedom

BBC journalists have been asked by the Metropolitan Police if they would hand over footage of last month’s march on Government cuts to help an investigation into violence that erupted, according to a report. (more…)

Video: Journalists attacked in Libya hotel brawl

Posted by Press Gazette on 28 March 2011 at 07:30
Tags: Broadcast, People, Television, press freedom

Dramatic footage emerged this weekend of western journalists caught up in a hotel brawl in Tripoli after a Libyan woman burst in announcing she had been raped by government troops.

The scene descended into chaos when the journalists tried to intervene to protect the woman and were pushed out of the way by the government minders.

A British television reporter was punched and a CNN camera was smashed on the ground by the minders. A gun was pulled out in front of a Sky News crew but was not pointed at anyone.

Meanwhile the cameras continued to roll and journalists tried to smuggle the footage out but said attempts were made to prevent this.

Sky News foreign affairs correspondent Lisa Holland was among the reporters caught up in the melee, but Sky said none of its staff were injured.

Audio: Treasury refuses to provide budget cost info to journalist

Posted by Press Gazette on 25 March 2011 at 11:44
Tags: Freedom of Information, New Media, Online, People, press freedom

The Treasury press office refused to a provide a journalist figures that show how much worse off families will be as a result of the budget, according to a report today. (more…)

IFJ: Violence from Yemeni authorities led to freelance’s death

Posted by Press Gazette on 24 March 2011 at 10:25
Tags: Broadcast, International, Newspapers, People, Television, press freedom

The International Federation of Journalists has said heavy-handed tactics used by the authorities in Yemen led to the death of freelance journalist Jamal Shar’abi on Friday.

Shar’abi was killed in Taghier Square, Sana’a, when gunmen fired on protesters in the capital.

“This killing is the inevitable and tragic end to a terrible seven days for media in Yemen,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary.

“The Government bears a heavy responsibility because of its heavy-handed tactics in dealing with protesters that has increased the risks for journalists.” (more…)

Bucks Free Press reporter challenges request for him to leave public meeting

Posted by Press Gazette on 15 March 2011 at 10:53
Tags: Free Newspapers, Newspapers, Regional Newspapers, press freedom

A Bucks Free Press reporter successfully challenged a decision to exclude him from a meeting that discussed a row between two mayors. (more…)

Surrey Advertiser trainee overturns anonymity order in child cruelty case

Posted by Press Gazette on 10 March 2011 at 11:20
Tags: Law, Newspapers, People, Regional Newspapers, press freedom

Stephanie Jones-Berry, a trainee reporter with the Surrey Advertiser overturned a Section 39 order that had prevented her naming parents convicted of child cruelty. (more…)

Newspaper Society objects to proposed reporting restriction on teachers

Posted by Press Gazette on 10 March 2011 at 10:50
Tags: Newspapers, press freedom

The Newspaper Society, the body that represents the interests of local and regional titles across the UK, has raise objections to a restriction on reporting the identity of teachers proposed in the new Education Bill. (more…)

Grimsby Telegraph wins High Court battle to name sex offender

Posted by Press Gazette on 2 March 2011 at 09:38
Tags: Law, Newspapers, Regional Newspapers, press freedom

The Grimsby Telegraph has won a High Court battle to name a convicted sex offender, the paper reported.

Gary Allen issued proceedings to obtain an injunction preventing the Grimsby Telegraph publishing details of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order which had previous been made against him. (more…)

Hull Daily Mail reporter honoured for uncovering evidence that jailed rapist

Posted by Press Gazette on 22 February 2011 at 10:22
Tags: Law, Newspapers, People, awards, press freedom

A Hull Daily Mail reporter whose work helped convict a rapist has been honoured for uncovering vital evidence of the crime which took place 26 years ago. (more…)

CBS News reporter Lara Logan assaulted during Egyptian protests

Posted by Press Gazette on 16 February 2011 at 15:02
Tags: Broadcast, People, Television, press freedom

CBS News chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan was subjected to a sustained violent attack by a mob in Egypt’s Tahrir Square last week, according to the US broadcaster. (more…)

CPJ reports 141 attacks on journalists in Egypt since end of Jan

Posted by Press Gazette on 10 February 2011 at 11:27
Tags: Broadcast, People, Radio, press freedom

The Committee to Protect Journalists claims to have recorded at least 141 direct attacks on journalists and news facilities in Egypt since the end of January.

The New York-based charity, which has documented reported attacks on its websites, said it is investigating numerous other reports of violence and hostility against reporters as protests continue against the rule of President Hosni Mubarak. (more…)

Egypt closes Al-Jazeera bureau as journalists come under increasing pressure

Posted by Press Gazette on 31 January 2011 at 09:20
Tags: BBC, Broadcast, International, National Union of Journalists, New Media, Newspapers, People, Photography, Television, press freedom

Egypt withdrawn the licence to broadcast of rolling news channel Al-Jazeera and shut down its Cairo bureau.

The state-run Middle East News Agency (MENA) reported that the order took effect from yesterday.

Transmission ended around an hour after that announcement and as troubles escalated the BBC World Service condemned “deliberate assaults” on its journalists. (more…)

Peter Barron discusses ‘contempt’ concerns with CPS

Posted by Press Gazette on 25 January 2011 at 10:55
Tags: Newspapers, People, Regional Newspapers, press freedom

Editor of the Northern Echo Peter Barron has held talks with officials from the Crown Prosecution Service over his concerns about interpretation of the laws governing contempt of court. (more…)

Reporter ‘beats Luton Town matchday ban’

Posted by Daisy Phillipson on 20 January 2011 at 10:53
Tags: Journalism, Newspapers, Regional Newspapers, press freedom

A reporter working for York’s The Press newspaper beat a ban imposed on him by Luton Town Football Club by reporting on the club’s game against his local team on Tuesday night, according to a report.

David Flett had been refused a press pass for the clash between Luton and York City after he had previously penned a critical article which the Bedfordshire club deemed “inflammatory”. (more…)