Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom (CPBF)
for diverse, democratic and accountable media
by Tim Gopsill One of the prevailing sounds of the summer was the call of the BBC news bulletin bearing the daily accusation of Labour Party anti-semitism, delivered in tones of feigned regret that the party seemed unable to bring the story to a halt. Of course the entire national press were at it as well, but wasn’t the BBC supposed to be different? Not any more. For … [Read more...]
by Julian Petley What has resolutely united such unlikely bedfellows as the Guardian and the Telegraph, the Mail and the Mirror? It’s the Cliff Richard judgement, and their objections to it are as wrong-headed and ill-informed as they are unanimous. Briefly, they are concerned that Mr Justice Mann “has decided that article 8 [of the European Convention on Human Rights], … [Read more...]
The International Federation of Journalists has warmly welcomed ideas put forward by UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn to raise funds to support investigative and public service media by forcing big technology firms to pay their fair share of tax. Plans to democratise the BBC, give tax breaks to not-for-profit public interest journalistic outfits and to build an … [Read more...]
Garry KnightThe Media Reform Coalition writes: Jeremy Corbyn’s proposals for major reforms to our ‘failing’ media system, outlined in a speech to the Edinburgh Television Festival on 23 August, are much-needed and long overdue. They lay out the basis for a more accountable and representative media that promotes new sources of independent journalism, demands that the biggest tech … [Read more...]
Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: “The NUJ welcomes bold proposals that seek to protect and bolster public service broadcasting, and aim to carve a future for the BBC that is free from the ceaseless political pot-shots lobbed its way in the last two licence-fee settlements that have undermined its resources and threatened its ability to deliver quality content … [Read more...]
Plans to tax leading media-technology firms, as outlined by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn today (Thursday 23 August), would finance much needed greater diversity in the media, Unite, the country’s largest union, said. Unite said that the Labour leader is ‘definitely on the right track’ with his proposals for a ‘digital license fee’ to help BBC funding and diversity, paid for … [Read more...]
PEOPLE who can’t stand the Radio 4 Today programme missed a rare flash of insight yesterday when Labour MP Dame Margaret Hodge was telling Martha Kearney about the anti-semitic hate messages she was receiving from social media, some of it through pro-Corbyn Facebook pages. Kearney, who is an honest journalist, remarked: “But you can’t be sure they are [from] Labour Party … [Read more...]
Antbex74 CC-BY-SA-4.0By snubbing the Welsh language, the BBC laid bare its true biases, writes MEIC BIRTWISTLE A BBC programme caused a storm of protest in Wales last Wednesday and particularly over in a field in Anglesey, where the country’s national Eisteddfod was taking place. The Welsh Language — Help or Hindrance to the Nation? was the title of a segment on the BBC’s current affairs show … [Read more...]
In the UK, a handful of giant corporations control the nation’s TV channels, news outlets, radio stations, search engines and social media platforms. This has given wealthy individuals and organisations huge political and economic power and enabled them to distort the media landscape to suit their interests and personal views. Urgent reform is needed to reclaim the media in the … [Read more...]
The new draft BBC charter is being discussed in Parliament TOMORROW Oct 18th so please tweet your MPs NOW and get them turn up to the debate and speak out to protect the independence and public service nature of the BBC. For full details of the amendments the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom deems necessary to protect the independent and public service nature of … [Read more...]
