Concerned over safety, UCLan urges journalism students not to cover EDL march

Journalism students at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) have been urged not to cover the English Defence League protests being held in Preston on Saturday because of safety concerns.

In an email to students at the journalism school, journalism division leader Julie Freer explained that authorities in the city are advising all members of the public to stay away from Preston city centre "because of the potential trouble and the risk of personal injury". A march organised by campaign group Unite Against Fascists is also taking place and a football match between Preston North End and Millwall is scheduled.

"We recognise that this will be a major news story across the region, if not nationally. However, we have come to the conclusion that we cannot allow students to cover these events for any assignment or reporting exercise and we will not allow our equipment to be hired out. This isn't a decision we have taken lightly. We have taken advice from the university and from industry professionals who will be covering the event," says Freer in the email.

"I know that many of you will be disappointed to read this and may have planned to go along to cover such a big story in Preston. However ... experienced journalists have serious concerns about covering the march and professional news organisations are taking special measures to ensure the safety of their staff. We are not in the position to be able to do this and we don't feel this is a suitable event where trainee journalists can practice their skills."

Staff at UCLan have been instructed not sign equipment hire forms allowing journalism students to lease equipment for the weekend unless staff are satisifed that it will not be used in the surrounding area of the march.

But speaking to Journalism.co.uk, third year journalism student and co-editor of Blog Preston Andy Halls said the decision has frustrated some students.

"I'm still most definitely covering it [the march] for Blog Preston, and there's a number of students helping us out. Apparently my decision to cover it has not gone down well with the journalism department, for safety reasons of course. But we are a journalism department, and this is journalism. If they want us to be reporting hard news, they'll have to let us make our own decisions," he said.

"We understand our students' frustrations and, of course, we would normally encourage them to cover an important news story in Preston. However, after taking advice from our industry contacts, it became clear that news organisations were putting special security arrangements in place to ensure the safety of their staff covering this event. We are not in a position to do this," a UCLan spokesperson told Journalism.co.uk.

"Our journalism students are on a learning curve at university and, given their safety is paramount, sometimes we have to distinguish between what is an appropriate event for a student journalist to attend as opposed to an experienced professional journalist. It is for these reasons we have said they should not attempt to report on this march."

journalism.co.uk

Journalists conflict over whether to keep fascists out of the media

Reporters and broadcast journalists engaged in a fierce debate at the weekend on whether to allow the views of fascist BNP members to appear in print.

A motion at media union NUJ conference, calling for "no platform" for fascists attempting to pose as respectable politicians, sparked claims of "censorship" from some journalists, but other delegates urged the union to back "any journalist who refuses to work with the BNP." The NUJ's press and public relations workers' branch collectively demanded that conference especially supports "black union members who refuse to allow BNP members to use their publication or TV or radio channel as a platform."

The sharp exchanges took place as a photograph of delegates arriving at the conference was revealed to have been posted on the Redwatch internet site, which fascists have used to target union and anti-nazi activists. As some delegates urged an immediate ban on all photography at the conference, student journalist Elizabeth Houghton insisted that the union should not be cowed by the fascists.

"If you say that photography must be banned because nazis may use any photo to intimidate journalists, photographers might as well grab their cameras now and throw them on the funeral pyre of freedom of expression," she declared.

Although a motion calling on the union to work to protect reporters and their families from BNP threats because of their coverage was passed, conference voted against the "no platform" call and, instead, "advised journalists to report the BNP responsibly." But Norfolk delegate David Peel insisted that the decision should not stop journalists standing up to the fascist party.

"I fought the National Front in the 1970s and it breaks my heart that I'm still in this fight, but I will refuse to work with the BNP," he asserted.

Conference also responded to the "deliberate media distortions" of the construction strikes earlier this year, when a fight over national union agreements was portrayed in the press as demands for "British jobs for British workers." Delegates urged the union to campaign "to remind journalists covering industrial disputes of the importance of reporting fairly all sides."

Morning Star

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.

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