The Wales TUC General Council is today being urged to end all advertising with the Evening Post in a row over this newspaper's publication of a BNP election advert.And individual trade unions are said to be considering advising members to cease buying the paper.
The moves follow publication of a BNP advertisement on May 1, ahead of the Welsh Assembly elections.
Wales TUC general secretary Felicity Williams says in a letter to the Evening Post: "Wales TUC is committed to the development of Wales as a thriving, multi-faith, multi-cultural society and condemns without reservation the promotion of any extremists who seek to divide our society by spreading fear and suspicion through misleading racist and/or religious propaganda."
Her executive committee is calling on the General Council to authorise a ban on further advertising. It is also seeking to remove the Evening Post from the list of publications receiving editorial articles prepared by Wales TUC. The General Council was set to meet today in Llandudno, where the Wales TUC annual conference is underway.
In her letter to the Evening Post, Ms Williams says: "Wales TUC-affiliated unions are also considering advising their members to boycott the publication until further notice and until assurances are given from South West Wales Media Ltd that advertising policies have been amended to prevent the abhorrent promotion of fascist groups in Wales."
Spencer Feeney, Editor-in-Chief of South West Wales Media, and editor of the Evening Post, said: "Trade unions enjoy the freedom to advise their members as they see fit. It is for the individuals concerned to decide if they want to be told which newspapers they can or cannot read.
"Obviously, if Wales TUC officials choose not to talk to journalists on Wales's largest-selling newspaper about issues that affect and are of interest to their members, it will deny those individuals the opportunity of having their point of view on these important topics publicised."
Dawna Stickler, advertisement director with the paper, said: "All submitted advertisements are considered for publication according to the codes of Advertising Practice as recommended by the Newspaper Society.
"The advertisement in question did not contravene these guidelines and, in fact, conformed to the principles of legal advertising. As such, there was no justifiable reason for this advertisement to be rejected."
This is South Wales
Showing posts with label South Wales Evening Post. Show all posts
Showing posts with label South Wales Evening Post. Show all posts
May 26, 2007
May 03, 2007
Journalists' fury over BNP ad in South Wales Evening Post
Journalists at the South Wales Evening Post have reacted with anger after discovering an advert for the BNP was to be published in the paper.
One insider told Press Gazette: "As journalists we find it abhorrent that the paper can carry an advert from the BNP and take their money, especially when we have put out editorial opposing this. We want to disassociate ourselves from this advert and from the views being put across by the BNP."
The advert shows a picture of a family next to the BNP's logo, encouraging voters to choose the BNP in this week's Welsh election with quotes including: "... because the politicians are wrong turning Wales into a foreign country without ever asking us."
The advert concludes: "That's why you know there will be so many people like you voting BNP on 3 May."
A sub-editor found out about the advert on Monday and it was published on Tuesday. Journalists have sent emails to South West Wales Media managing director Chris Rees and editor Spencer Feeney expressing their opposition.
The National Union of Journalists looked into taking out a similar-sized advert in the paper opposing the views put forward by the BNP and was told it would cost £1,000. The plan was scrapped on cost grounds and because the ad would not have appeared until after the election.
An NUJ member on the paper said the union enquired about writing a letter for publication instead, but they were told the paper had a policy of not publishing such letters during elections.
NUJ assistant organiser for the North and Midlands, and former organiser for Wales, Jenny Lennox said: "As far as the NUJ is concerned we don't think anyone should be putting out that kind of advert in the press. In Swansea, race relations have been quite tense and it is likely to make things worse. Journalists were so angry they wanted to walk out of the building yesterday, but the Post is a Northcliffe paper which is very anti-union and it is difficult for them to do that.
"We argue that when we have elections we should have balanced and fair reporting, but letting them take out an advert is effectively not letting any other side be seen. It's not putting a balanced argument forward at all."
The company declined to comment.
online press gazette
One insider told Press Gazette: "As journalists we find it abhorrent that the paper can carry an advert from the BNP and take their money, especially when we have put out editorial opposing this. We want to disassociate ourselves from this advert and from the views being put across by the BNP."
The advert shows a picture of a family next to the BNP's logo, encouraging voters to choose the BNP in this week's Welsh election with quotes including: "... because the politicians are wrong turning Wales into a foreign country without ever asking us."
The advert concludes: "That's why you know there will be so many people like you voting BNP on 3 May."
A sub-editor found out about the advert on Monday and it was published on Tuesday. Journalists have sent emails to South West Wales Media managing director Chris Rees and editor Spencer Feeney expressing their opposition.
The National Union of Journalists looked into taking out a similar-sized advert in the paper opposing the views put forward by the BNP and was told it would cost £1,000. The plan was scrapped on cost grounds and because the ad would not have appeared until after the election.
An NUJ member on the paper said the union enquired about writing a letter for publication instead, but they were told the paper had a policy of not publishing such letters during elections.
NUJ assistant organiser for the North and Midlands, and former organiser for Wales, Jenny Lennox said: "As far as the NUJ is concerned we don't think anyone should be putting out that kind of advert in the press. In Swansea, race relations have been quite tense and it is likely to make things worse. Journalists were so angry they wanted to walk out of the building yesterday, but the Post is a Northcliffe paper which is very anti-union and it is difficult for them to do that.
"We argue that when we have elections we should have balanced and fair reporting, but letting them take out an advert is effectively not letting any other side be seen. It's not putting a balanced argument forward at all."
The company declined to comment.
online press gazette
Labels:
anti-union,
BNP,
journalists,
Northcliffe,
NUJ,
racist,
South Wales Evening Post
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