Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom (CPBF)
for diverse, democratic and accountable media
by Granville Williams This final issue of Free Press (.pdf) looks at what the CPBF set out to do, what it achieved and also indicates what the urgent issues for media reform are now. Inevitably space constraints mean that there are gaps. We mention only a few of the books and pamphlets produced over the years by the CPBF. Free Press did special supplements when the US … [Read more...]
CPBF Media Manifesto 1986by Ann Field, Chair CPBF National Council The sad decision to wind up the CPBF follows a period of deep reflection. Despite declining resources the organisation’s breadth of activity has been maintained somehow: media reform, public service broadcasting, national and regional newspaper monopolisation, News Corp/Sky, Free Press, the website, Media Manifestos, participation in … [Read more...]
THINK BACK: if you were around at the turn of the century, how much do you reckon you were spending on media each week? On a couple of papers a day, magazines, or (heaven forbid) pay-TV? What d’you reckon? £20 a week in today’s values? Perhaps more? So what do you spend that £20 on now? Do you spend £80 or £100 a month on online media; really? and if not, how do you … [Read more...]
Liis Saar CPBF's submission to the Cairncross review call for evidence: … [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...]
A message of solidarity from CPBF's Chair Ann Field to Bookmarks Bookshop in the wake of attacks on the shop by the far-right. Fascist organisations and their supporters have a long history of threatening and closing down bookshops and newspapers. Misguided notions of free speech have emboldened them to appear in greater numbers in public forums spewing out their poison and … [Read more...]
The end of CPBF At the 2018 AGM of CPBF the following motion to close down the Campaign, proposed by our National Council (NC) passed: “In view of the continuing decline of the financial situation of our organisation this Annual General Meeting has decided to close down the CPBF and cease all campaigning, administrative and financial processes by no later than 30th November … [Read more...]