Roy Greenslade’s blog October 25, 2007
Posted by rosieniven in convergence, integration, multimedia.1 comment so far
I don’t normally do posts about people leaving the NUJ but I thought it was worth starting a debate on this post from the blog of Roy Greenslade. In this post he reveals that he has decided to leave the union because of its policies on new media and job preservation.
The article is worth a look – as are the comments including one from his colleague Helene Mulholland, an online journalist who has been involved in the union’s Multimedia Commission.
Personally, I have never found the union’s policies to be anti new media (though I have not yet seen the Commission’s report), but I can understand that there may be a tension between’s policies on job preservation and its tentative moves of embracing new media.
At the NUJ conference early this year, participants highlighted how integrated workplaces put more demands on staff and how they should should be adequately resourced. That’s something I have found to be the case from my own working life.
Even with the publication of this report, I think there is much more to debate on new media and how we as a union respond to it. New media will continue to evolve and workplaces will evolve with it.
I must say, I didn’t expect anyone leaving the union over its new media policy!
Moves to unify journalism training August 1, 2007
Posted by rosieniven in NCTJ, PTC, convergence, integration, journalism training.add a comment
A report in this week’s Press Gazette has raised hopes that journalism training will be dragged out of the dark ages and into the age of content integration.
Sectoral training councils, the NCTJ (newspapers), the PCT (magazines) and the BJTC (broadcasting) currently accredit journalism courses seperately. The main elements of each accredited qualification is broadly similar, but there are some subtle differences depending on which councils accredit the course.
But all this could soon be about to change according to the report in Press Gazette. It reports that the NCTJ has approached the PTC about developing a single accreditation body. This has been supported by the PTC academics and industry forum and many PTC tutors. The BJTC has also been in discussions with the NCTJ.
New media and the NUJ June 8, 2007
Posted by rosieniven in NUJ, convergence, integration, new media, organising.add a comment
Donnacha DeLong, a member of the NUJ’s Multimedia Commission, has written an article for Press Gazette on how changes in the nature of the media is changing the NUJ’s structure and how the union is adapting to the changes. Read the full article here.
Last month, the union held an event discussing integration issues and the challenges they pose. Unfortunately, I couldn’t make it and neither could other branch members so a write up wasn’t possible. But now I’ve found a write up on Vice President James Doherty’s blog.
Integration at Emap May 28, 2007
Posted by rosieniven in convergence, integration.add a comment
Today’s Observer media diary on Emap’s latest integration wheeze:
”The company has drawn up plans for ‘talent pools’ that will see staff from different titles writing for more than one publication. Sounds like the sort of madcap idea management consultants come up with.”
What do you think?
Convergence news and ‘that motion’ May 11, 2007
Posted by rosieniven in ADM, Israel boycott, NUJ, convergence, integration.1 comment so far
Here’s a couple of updates from the NUJ website, which you might have missed.
There’s a short piece on last Saturday’s convergence event and the launch of the NUJ Commission on Multimedia. If you attetended this event, please leave a comment with your views and observations on the discussion.
The ADM-elected members of the Commission are Paula Dear, Helene Mulholland, Jemima Kiss, Gary Herman, with NEC-elected Donnacha DeLong and John Barsby.
Also, NUJ general secretary, Jeremy Dear has written a piece for Tribune on ‘that motion’. He reveals he’s had some death threats and points out that those who complain about the Israel motion being passed only have theirselves to blame.
He points out that the union’s largest branch (presumably the freelance branch) wrote to members pointing out the motion and inviting them to discuss at a meeting. No-one did, yet many of the complaints came from this branch. You can read more here.
Speaker details for Educate…Agitate…Integrate May 3, 2007
Posted by rosieniven in convergence, integration, journalism, multimedia.add a comment
More details have been released about speakers for Saturday’s (5 May 2007) one-day conference on integration.
The Guardian’s Michael White and The Telegraph’s Chi Chan will lead a discussion on the impact of the convergence and integration of media technologies on the role of journalists.
Standards, ethics, staffing levels are among the issues that will be discussed at this round table discussion.
The event is held at Headland House, The NUJ’s London HQ. If you would like to attend please contact campaigns@nuj.org.uk as soon as possible.
Educate, Agitate, Integrate April 19, 2007
Posted by rosieniven in convergence, integration, journalism, multimedia.1 comment so far
Just a note to say that there are still places at this event on Saturday 5th May 2007. It is being held to discuss integration/convergence issues and the union’s position on them. It will also see the launch of the union’s Commission on Multimedia, which is investigating the relevant issues.
Contributions from The Guardian, Guardian Unlimited, BBC News, Johnston Press, Trinity Mirror, Telegraph Media and many more…
The above list may sound overwhelmingly newspaper dominated, but magazine journalists contributions will also be welcome.
You can view a leaflet about the conference here.
If you wish to attend email: campaigns@nuj.org.uk
ADM meeting on covergence/integration issues April 18, 2007
Posted by rosieniven in ADM, convergence, integration, journalism, multimedia.add a comment
One of the hot issues in the NUJ right now is the issue of convergence. Basically, convergence is the current trend of the press becoming more multimedia. Let’s take the Guardian for example. It has being published in both paper and electronic form for years. Now you can go online and download podcasts or videocasts from it. Even trade magazines have got in on the act, with the publishing company VNU leading the way on its titles.
Convergence, or integration, as some like to call it, poses major challenges to journalists. Many of the publications who use it require a single journalist to cover an event or story in print, online and via a podcast. This can be very time consuming for the journalist, who can spend hours, just editing and uploading a podcast. Very often these extra hours is not reflected in their pay.
