We must protect journalists' jobs – as G20 showed, we need them to challenge the official version of events Roger Graef is right to celebrate the empowerment of communities through citizen techno-scrutiny of police at the G20 protests, where citizen media delivered much-needed transparency. This has added significance in the light of reports that professional journalists wereprevented from doing their jobs on 1 April. Despite the suspicion some professional journalists feel for amateur colleagues, established and citizen media clearly worked together at G20. The old tale of Sheffield journalists who made a point selling under-priced turnips, cabbages and potatoes outside the shop of a greengrocer infamous for supplying free sports reports to their employer is consigned to pre-digital history. There are greater threats. A further issue highlighted by Tomlinson's death is that much of the initial coverage was appalling, evidenced by the readiness of many sections of the establishment media to present "official" versions. With all its benefits, citizen-media is not a panacea. It cannot replace the vigilance and tenacity of good investigative reporting, as shown by theGuardian's use of photographs and footage of Tomlinson. This was investigated and verified by journalists whose revelations changed the angle of coverage by other newspapers and broadcasters. These reporters persisted despite criticism from the Independent Police Complaints Commission that they were "upsetting" Tomlinson's family and the IPCC statement that there was "nothing in the story". The familylater expressed gratitude for the coverage. Under the NUJ code of practice, a journalist should "at all times strive to eliminate distortion, news suppression and censorship". Here, the truth is emerging despite many journalists' initial acceptance of official statements. But journalistic standards are falling because there is widespread retrenchment. Jobs are being axed despite healthy profits. Those journalists left in the regional media are often tied to keyboards and telephones, regurgitating news releases, just as many sections of the media regurgitated the fiction that Tomlinson was a G20 demonstrator, and repeated as fact a police statement that medics were prevented from giving treatment because they were targeted by "missiles". There is continuing contraction in national newspapers, and many evening papers previously producing several editions, packed with spirited and changing news, are now largely written the previous day. This is happening following the extraction from regional newspapers of billions of pounds in profits to shareholders and directors. My own employer, Johnston Press, is a case in point. Last year's profit was £120m, down from 30% but still more than 20% of turnover (supermarket chain Tesco thinks it does well to achieve 6%). As management dispensed handsome profits, it also borrowed for an over-ambitious expansion programme. With advertising revenue plummeting, its debts are 10 times its share value. Journalists are being told to pay with their jobs. Nothing obstructs the professional media's capacity to keep the public informed more than cuts in jobs and standards. Journalism is being seriously undermined, yet employers are seeking a relaxation of monopoly rules to enable further mergers and reduce competition. The NUJ campaign Stand up for Journalism is highlighting the devastation of the profession caused by the continuing demand for bloated profits. The campaign needs the support of all who value the principle of freedom of the press and who seek to maintain quality journalism.The G20 reason to save journalism
Friday, 17 April 2009
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