Blog Tracks Local Media’s Use of FoI Each Week
A blog written by David Higgerson, head of multimedia for Trinity Mirror Regionals, highlights Freedom of Information requests made by local media titles each week.
David publishes a weekly post called FoI Friday highlighting FoI stories which appeared in local media titles during the week.
This week, he flags up items including the Liverpool Echo’s story on thefts from hospitals, the Nottingham Evening Post’s exposure of its local council’s staff phone bill, and The Sunday Sun’s report on the financial impact of potholes.
The blog also looks at developments in digital journalism.
For further information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 763 274 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.
MSQ Graduates Attend World Newspaper Advertising Conference
Graduates from the ninth Media Skills Qualification for regional media sales and marketing executives attended WAN–IFRA’s World Newspapers Advertising Conference in Copenhagen last week.
Graduates from AMRA, CN Group, NS and Yorkshire Post Newspapers, enjoyed a two day trip to Copenhagen where the MSQ graduation ceremony was held.
Eamonn Byrne, director of The Byrne Partnership which delivers the MSQ, said: “With smaller sales teams and increasingly sophisticated customers and competitors, it’s more important than ever that each and every member of the team can pull their weight and make an impact on the business, so the right training and development is a must.”
“To ensure that the MSQ continues to reflect the real practical needs of the business, we have been talking extensively to senior executives throughout regional media and will be launching a radical and innovative development to the MSQ Programme for 2010 in a few weeks.”
For further information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 763 274 24 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.
CBI President Praises Creative Industries
The president of the CBI praised the creative industries as a “a serious, grown-up, dynamic and innovative part of the British economy” when she delivered The Stationers’ and Newspaper Makers’ Company annual lecture on Monday.
Helen Alexander CBE said: “I believe the creative industries are a serious, grown-up, dynamic and innovative part of the British economy.
“I believe that they’re a success story which all of us should be proud of, and the part they play in the economy is under-recognised. The CBI will call for recognition and will be doing all it can in the months and years ahead to tell this success story.
“We will be a clear voice that can speak up for the whole sector whose diversity and breadth of activity is both a strength and sometimes a limitation. This is a critical part of UK plc that should and must be championed – must form part of the government’s plans for a more balanced economy.”
For further information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 763 274 24 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Tindle Launches Four Weekly Newspapers
Tindle Newspapers is launching four weekly local newspapers in London.
Three titles – the Edmonton Herald, East Barnet Advertiser and Winchmore Hill Herald – were launched at a ceremony in Enfield on Friday attended by the MP for Edmonton, local councillors and other guests.
The fourth is expected to be launched in the coming weeks. The titles are aimed at attracting small retailers to advertise in them.
Tindle Newspapers chairman Sir Ray Tindle said: “We totally believe in the future of the printed local newspaper – we believe in it 100 per cent.
“Readers want to see their very local news and reports of their activities in print and they want it in their local paper where all their neighbours will see it too.”
For further information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 763 274 24 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.
MoJ Cuts Libel Costs
The maximum success fees in defamation cases will be reduced from 100% uplift to 10% from April, under an amendment laid by Statutory Order on 3 March.
Announcing the change, Justice Secretary Jack Straw said that it was particularly important for “protecting the future of our regional media, which have small budgets but play a large role in our democracy”.
Whilst this was a swift solution to an immediate problem, highlighted by the Whittingdale Committee, Jackson review and Science and Technology Committee, he would be considering the further measures which they had recommended.
For further information please contact Santha Rasaiah on 020 7632 7461 or e-mail santha_rasaiah@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Archant Names Ogilvy’s Mike Walsh as Director
Archant has appointed Mike Walsh to its main board as a non-executive director.
Mr Walsh has 34 years of experience in advertising and brand marketing and is currently a director of advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather South Africa and of Ogilvy & Mather Africa Inc and a non-executive of global brand identity and design company, The Brand Union.
Formerly a main board director of Ogilvy & Mather Worldwide for 16 years, he was also, for 12 years, chief executive of their Europe, Middle East and African operations.
He is also vice president of business development for Velti Plc, the world’s largest mobile marketing company, helping them build their capability in the brand marketing and agency sector.
For further information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 763 274 24 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.
the wanted ads Experience Returns to Manchester
Local media centre MEN Media will see the wanted ads Experience return for the first time since the initiative’s inaugural session three years ago.
The initiative was launched by the NS to enable media agency planners and strategists with less than three years’ experience to visit local media publishing centres across the UK.
Aimed at a more senior level, the Manchester session at MEN Media is the 14th session run by NS Marketing.
Guests will include trade journalists from magazines Campaign and Marketing, strategy heads from leading agencies, and a COI client. They will be accompanied by NS marketing director Robert Ray and head of research and insight Keith Donaldson.
Agencies and advertisers meet editorial teams to learn about developments in local media and how the medium is extending its unrivalled reach into communities across the UK in print and digital.
Other UK towns and cities to have been visited include Belfast, Bristol, Cambridge, Canterbury, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham, Plymouth, Southampton and York.
Robert Ray said: “The wanted ads experience has been a great initiative and one which gets London-based folk into Britain’s regions to see first hand the real strength of local media.”
For further information contact Robert Ray on 020 7693 0413 or email robert_ray@newspapersoc.org.uk.
Press Standards, Privacy and Libel
The Culture Media and Sport Committee published its report on Press Standards, Privacy and Libel last week. Aside from its examination of the specific issues arising from the Mosley, McCanns and Operation Motorman cases, it considered a number of important press freedom concerns.
Its recommendations recognised the need to counter the chilling effect of the UK’s libel laws, not least upon the regional press, and to consider reform of cfas, the burden of proof, limitation period for internet claims, defences and discouragement of libel tourism. It welcomed the Lord Chancellor’s establishment of a working group on libel to consider wider reforms, which includes newspaper editors and in-house lawyers. It also recommended that the Lord Chancellor and Lord Chief Justice act on concerns regarding injunctions for privacy and breach of confidence.
The Committee remained supportive of self-regulation for the press, although recommending changes to the Press Complaints Commission Code such as pre-notification of stories and introduction of PCC sanctions such as fines and suspension of publication, which the industry has always opposed. The PCC is currently conducting a governance review and will consider the Committee’s views.
For further information please contact Santha Rasaiah on 020 7632 7461 or e-mail santha_rasaiah@newspapersoc.org.uk.
March Activity Report
- NS Council meeting on 25 February with presentations from the Advertising Association, Scottish Newspaper Society and PressBOF.
- Digital Economy Minister, Stephen Timms follows up on meetings on 24 February on local authority publications.
- Whittingdale Report on Press Standards Privacy and Libel published and considered by PressBOF and the industry.
- NS meetings with the PCC, ABC, British Library, and Newspaper Licensing Agency and NCTJ.
- NS at industry meeting with Ed Vaizey, Shadow Culture Minister on 1 March.
- NS PERA Committee meets on 4 March with lunch for Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Caroline Spelman.
- NS Board meeting on 11 March.
- Local Newspaper Week (10 – 16 May) plans launched with ‘Your Voice’ theme.
- NS Marketing Recruitment Research rolled out to publishing centres throughout the UK.
- NS Marketing presentations to agencies as part of local media insight programme on 26 February.
For further information please see the NS website www.newspapersoc.org.uk.
Lord Adonis Addresses Newspaper Conference
Lord Adonis addressed members of the Newspaper Conference at a briefing session at the Department for Transport on Tuesday.
Speaking exclusively to Conference members, the transport secretary spoke about the future of high speed rail in the UK before taking questions on transport issues from journalists.
Chaired by Sam Lister, the Newspaper Conference is made up of regional press journalists based in Westminster who report for regional press titles across the UK. Lunches and briefing sessions with senior ministers are held through the year.
Tuesday’s event is the first to be chaired by Sam who was appointed to the post in January.
For more information please contact Paul Sinker on 020 763 274 24 or sinkerp@newspapersoc.org.uk.