Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom (CPBF)
for diverse, democratic and accountable media
Prolific NorthThe Secretary of State, Matt Hancock, has approved Reach’s (formerly Trinity Mirror) takeover of Express Newspapers. Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said: Continuing to work with staff to improve the reach and commercial success of the titles should now be Simon Fox’s priority. Full and meaningful consultation with the NUJ is vital to address the concerns of … [Read more...]
Orgreave Truth and Justice CampaignSome basic facts bear repeating. The gap between rich and poor in the UK was at its narrowest in the 1970s, a decade when trade unionism was at its strongest. In 2018 there is an obscene gap between those flaunting great wealth and working people battered by austerity and privatisation. We have the prospect of millions of people working in low-wage or zero-hour contract … [Read more...]
The Campaign's AGM on Saturday July 14 could well be its last. The National Council has decided to recommend that the CPBF be dissolved, and its officers have prepared a plan for winding down. The decision was, of course, not taken lightly. Many on the NC have been involved with CPBF since the beginning, fighting for media workers’ rights and campaigning for a better … [Read more...]
As we said to the Morning Star: In the run up to this important vote dozens of remarkably similar editorials in the local and national press made very spurious claims about how Leveson 2 and the implementation of Section 40 would somehow gag and bankrupt them. These accounts all fail to mention one very important fact: both the cross-party Department for Cultue Media and Sport … [Read more...]
Liis Saar How we might go about creating and funding a Minimum Viable Platform for Better Media? The Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom would like to invite all individual members of the CPBF and delegates from our affiliated organisations to attend our Annual General Meeting to be held on Saturday 14 July 2018 at the Diskus Centre, Unite HQ, 128 Theobalds Road, … [Read more...]
With Banners Held HighWith Banners Held High is a free full-day community festival celebrating the culture and diversity of the Trade Union movement, and traditions of collective spirit. The event includes: Live Music and Poetry from Matt Hill the Quiet Loner Joe Solo Matt Abbott Jethro Platts Del Scott Miller and MANY more Drama Film Discussion sessions … [Read more...]
Last week Culture Secretary Matt Hancock decided to scrap part 2 of the Leveson Inquiry (whose terms of reference included looking into crime and wrongdoings within the Murdoch empire). This does not bode well for his forthcoming decision about whether or not to give Murdoch even MORE power by allowing his bid for Sky to proceed. And with less than two weeks left of our … [Read more...]
Jon SNo-one would deny that both the local and national press are facing problems. In the past decade more than 300 local newspapers have been closed, and two thirds of local authority areas and more than half of parliamentary constituencies no longer have a local daily newspaper covering their affairs. The number of local journalists has decline dramatically, most of those lucky … [Read more...]
Photo: Crown Copyright Credit: Lee GoddardThe Government has recently announced a review into the sustainability of the press (the Cairncross review). According to its summary of the review’s scope, ‘the UK has always benefited from a strong, well established and diverse press sector’, and the resultant robust high quality journalism is important for public debate, scrutiny, and ultimately for democratic political … [Read more...]
Great news everyone! The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), the UK regulator responsible for the current Phase 2 investigation in Murdoch's Sky takeover, has provisionally found the the Fox/ Sky deal is NOT in the public interest. This is great boost for our fight to #StopMurdoch's Sky takeover, but we need to keep up the pressure to ensure that new Culture … [Read more...]