Media Release: Tyne Tees and Borders picked for regional news consortia pilots

The Tyne Tees and Borders television region has been selected as the English pilot region for the Independently Funded News Consortia (IFNC) proposed by the government’s Digital Britain report.

Additional trials in Scotland and Wales will also take place and the tender process for all three pilots was opened yesterday.

Full release at this link…

Several local media groups have already outlined plans for IFNC bids. ITN has proposed a ‘grand alliance’ between local media groups.

Responding to the announcement of the English pilot region yesterday, John Hardie, ITN CEO, said in a statement:

“We’re excited to be joining forces with the talented staff who provide the current service in the Tyne Tees and Border region and in Wales to create the backbone of our bids for the pilots announced today. We are building a coalition with newspapers, radio and community groups to bring together the best in commercial journalism in each of the regions to offer a compelling multi-platform news service for viewers, listeners and readers.

“IFNCs provide an opportunity to re-invigorate local and regional newsgathering across broadcast, print and online and to ensure that there is an innovative and comprehensive alternative to the BBC. We look forward to playing a key role in this bright new future for local news.”

Trinity Mirror, Press Association and TV production company Ten Alps have announced a joint bid for the IFNC pilot.

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New Statesman: Seymour Hersh on scoops and sources

World-renowned investigative journalist Seymour Hersh has been interviewed by the News Statesman. A few highlights:

Do you ever worry that your phone is bugged?

Some people I only talk to in their home or their office, but I arrange the calls here. To bug me legally they’d have to get a warrant; once you have something illegally you can’t use it very much. If the 9/11 attacks taught us one thing, it’s that the agencies collect lots of wonderful stuff they don’t share with anybody.

You rely a lot on unnamed sources. Is that a dangerous technique, or an invaluable one?

Look at the serious press in the UK, France, America: every single day there are unnamed sources. But I believe people in my profession should be held to an extremely high standard. I welcome the fact that people can sue me.

Full story at this link…

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Job cuts at the London Evening Standard?

This from Evening Standard city reporter Lucy Tobin on Twitter…

Update: the company’s spokesperson confirmed the changes and threatened jobs.

The Guardian has reported that up to 20 editorial and production jobs are at risk; when Journalism.co.uk asked the Standard to confirm the report, a spokesperson said a firm number could not be announced ‘at this stage’ and a consultation period is underway.

All 600,000 copies copies of the Standard – which became a free newspaper in October 2009 – will be printed later in the day ( the West End Final edition) from January.

“Printing will begin in the afternoon, with the latest developing stories being updated on the presses as they run until early evening,” a release said.

“The response to our recent decision to make the Evening Standard a free quality newspaper has been overwhelming,” said editor Geordie Greig. “This decision will mean our news is even more up to date, and more copies will be available for home-going commuters.”

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NYTimes.com: Publishers to launch online magazine newsstand

From 24 November, but worth flagging up this project in the US: a consortium of magazine publishers which includes Time Inc. and Condé Nast are to build an online magazine newsstand in ‘multiple digital formats’, reports the New York Times.

“The formation of a new company to run the online newsstand – sometimes characterized as an ‘iTunes for magazines’ – may be announced in early December. Time, Condé Nast, Hearst, and Meredith all intend to be equity partners in the new company, although the deals have not yet been signed.”

Full post at this link…

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CPJ: Maguindanao death toll worst for press in recent history

The massacre in the Philippine province of Maguindanao on Monday (23 November ‘appears to be the single deadliest event for the press’ since it started recording data in 1992, the Committee to Protect Journalists reported yesterday.

“The New York Times and The Associated Press reported today that at least 18 of the victims have been preliminarily identified as journalists. The overall death toll rose to 57 today, news reports said. Searchers were still discovering bodies and establishing identities. CPJ is working with local and international media support groups to extend assistance to the families of those slain on Monday.”

“Even as we tally the dead in this horrific massacre, our initial research indicates that this is the deadliest single attack on the press ever documented by CPJ,” said executive director Joel Simon.

Full post at this link…

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#Followjourn: @iburrell/media editor

#FollowJourn: Ian Burrell

Who? Media editor, the Independent.

What? Covers media industry news for the Independent newspaper and site.

Where? On Twitter he’s @iburrell. Follow his work at Independent.co.uk and on the Independent Minds blog.

Contact? Via the Independent or on Twitter.

Just as we like to supply you with fresh and innovative tips every day, we’re recommending journalists to follow online too. They might be from any sector of the industry: please send suggestions (you can nominate yourself) to judith or laura at journalism.co.uk; or to @journalismnews.

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NUSOJ: Amanda Lindhout and Nigel Brennan released in Somalia

The National Union of Somali Journalists (NUSOJ) has announced that the Canadian female journalist Amanda Lindhout and Australian photojournalist Nigel Brennan were released yesterday (25 November) after 15 months in captivity.

“The two journalists were taken to heavily guarded Hotel Sahafi in central Mogadishu, where they are staying tonight. They are due to be flown to Nairobi tomorrow morning.

(…)

“Four members of the Transitional Federal Parliament led by Ahmed Diriye were handed over the two journalists at Sarkuus checkpoint near Ex-control of Afgoye District, last checkpoint of TFG forces.”

Full story at this link…

Background on journalists’ 15-month ordeal at this link…

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Media Release: Newspaper Society launches new audience measuring system

The Newspaper Society has launched Locally Connected, what it calls ‘the UK’s first integrated print and online audience currency’.

It’s a new way of measuring newpapers’ print and online reach: “The development of a robust and reliable system of multimedia audience measurement has been one of the biggest challenges facing all media today,” said NS president, David Fordham.

“Locally Connected now gives advertisers a unique cross-media planning system, allowing them to effectively target local communities across the UK in print as well as online.”

To mark its launch, the NS announced that research conducted by Telmar showed websites extend local newspaper audience reach by 14 per cent, ‘particularly among upmarket and core middle age groups’.

In addition, the NS is carrying out a ‘qualitative digital insight project’ which will look at how people engage with their local newspaper website.

Full release at this link…

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Evan Davis ponders micropayments for the BBC at Coventry event

On the day that he was honoured by Coventry University for his services to financial journalism, Evan Davis, presenter of the BBC Radio 4 Today programme and Dragons Den, spoke about his career in journalism and about the state of the industry at a special graduation week Coventry Conversation.

Discussing the issue of paid content, one which has been in the news recently after comments made by Rupert Murdoch concerning the online indexing of News International’s content, Davis proposed that the BBC could start charging for content with a micropayment structure.

“The BBC could charge for its web pages, a penny a page, and it should take all revenues thereby derived and just give them back in a reduction in the license fee the following year.” He stressed this was just an idea and that he wasn’t necessarily advocating its use.

Davis was criticised for his overly-soft interviewing style after joining the Today programme last year. He spoke about receiving ‘emails of lots of colours’ from the show’s audience and admitted to ‘reading emails everyday, and getting more and more depressed by how many people hated me’.

In response, Davis stressed the need for entertainment, claiming that the audience don’t want to hear an entirely ‘grown up interview’.

“I genuinely, genuinely don’t think I’ve done a good interview if I have snared them or caught them out,” said Davis.

“I think there are occasions when making them look stupid is a public service, but I think they are fairly rare occasions. I think most importantly is to make sure if they have something to say that they are given the chance to say it.”

Discussing his own journalistic style, Davis stressed that there is no one particular style that makes a good journalist. He also reiterated one piece of advice he said had stuck with him throughout his career: “If anyone tells you that comment is free and facts are sacred, they’ve got it the wrong way around.”

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Holdthefrontpage: Johnston Press to charge for online regional news

HoldTheFrontPage reports it has seen an internal memo indicating that Johnston Press is to introduce a paid-for news model, beginning on some sites from Monday:

“Managers have told staff that JP intends to roll-out the paid-for model across the company in line with what they are calling ‘industry moves in this area to find a sustainable business model going forward.’”

Johnston Press ‘has declined to comment publicly on the plan’ HTFP reports.

Full post at this link…

Know more? Drop judith or laura [at] journalism.co.uk a line.

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