Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom (CPBF)
for diverse, democratic and accountable media
Daily Mail/ News UKIn a well argued letter to the Guardian published on 12 June, Professor James Curran who writes and lectures on media history and policy, declared that: … the reign of the tabloids is over. For weeks, the ancient bazookas controlled by Murdoch and Dacre and other press oligarchs were trained on Corbyn and McDonnell, portraying them as patrons of terror and fantasists forever … [Read more...]
BELONGING: The Truth Behind The Headlines shows what happened behind closed doors in three major industrial disputes. It also reveals disturbing new information about government and business collusion. A powerful, must-see film. THURSDAY 22 JUNE Unity+Works, Wakefield WF1 1EP Doors open 6.30pm Tickets £4 on the door Venue Conference Room 1 Film … [Read more...]
TwitterOn the BBC’s Today programme yesterday, some nine hours after the horror of the Manchester bombing, Nick Robinson was speaking to Chris Phillips, a counter-terrorism expert. ‘Terrorists don’t care who they kill,’ Phillips said. ‘It’s the number of bodybags that determines success.’ ‘And the publicity,’ Robinson interjected. ‘And the publicity,’ Phillips agreed. The Today … [Read more...]
AvaazThis week the two main parties published their election manifestos. Labour’s, which is set out below, is tighter on media reform than the leak from the previous week, and represents a good basis to build on (see CPBF's Media Manifesto for what that could look like). The Conservatives, on the other hand have thrown the press owners a life line by pledging to scrap part 2 … [Read more...]
The crisis in the media must be resolved by putting checks on the big corporations that dominate the market, according to an election manifesto published by a media campaign group today. There should be limits on how much the companies can own, and if they exceed them – as Rupert Murdoch’s corporations do, they must be required to stick to certain standards in the public … [Read more...]
“Rupert Murdoch 2011 Shankbone” by David Shankbone is licensed under CC BY 2.0It’s a really big moment, Kelvin MacKenzie getting the push from the Sun. Kelvin MacKenzie is one of the last people Rupert Murdoch would want to lose. For more than 30 years – longer than anyone else around him, since Murdoch picked him up from the Daily Express to lead the charge for Thatcherism, reaction and war -- MacKenzie has absolutely personified the Sun. He is pure … [Read more...]
Infamous The Truth front page of The Sun published when now suspended Kelvin MacKenzie was still editor of the paper. Fair use.Kelvin MacKenzie has been suspended from The Sun on the eve of the anniversary of 96 deaths at Hillsborough, making CPBF's Granville Williams' "Truth lies and a 28-year search for justice" for the latest edition of ColdType more pertinent than ever. Before we share Granville's article (below), here is a snippet of the article that led to Kelvin MacKenzie's … [Read more...]
It used to be that advertising and editorial were kept separate. Today, brands are burrowing into media content, eroding their own credibility and readers' trust. Your Facebook feed says: “Recommended for you” and “Sponsored”. Your online magazine says “Paid content”, another in Buzzfeed says “Promoted Content” and lists “12 Backpacking Hacks That Are Vital For … [Read more...]
RSF TürkçeAfter a 6 year ordeal an Istanbul court on 12 April ordered the acquittal of 13 suspects, including journalists and writers, charged with membership of the Ergenekon organisation in the OdaTV case. Among those acquitted is journalist Muysser Yildiz who was adopted in a solidarity move by the NUJ in 2012. According to press reports the court unanimously acquitted the suspects … [Read more...]
THE National Union of Journalists' "Local News Matters" campaign seems to have provoked an immediate response from publishers. The chief executives of 24 regional publishing companies in the UK and Republic of Ireland signed an open letter placed as full page adverts in their papers this week by the 1XL advertising sales partnership. The headline says: "UK's regional … [Read more...]