Press Gazette (16 August 2012)

J O U R N A L I S M W E E K LY
www.pressgazette.co.uk 16 August 2012
INSIDE
3 Regional
publishers
vote with their feet
on local TV.
4 The
apprentice:
freelance offers
second hopeful
alternative route
into journalism.
6 `It was superb'
- seasoned
reporters reveal
how they were
swept along by
Olympic euphoria.
9 Kerry
Nationals
Katona, Brian
McFadden and
Magazines record top QC are among
latest News of the
World phone-hack
`robust' ABC sales claimaints.
10Report
slams media
BY DOMINIC PONSFORD
coverage of the
August riots.
Consumer magazines continue to be the
The total per-issue circulation figure
most robust medium for print journalism
was 39.5m, with 21.2m newstrade sales
19 The Sun's
with 79 titles increasing circulation in the and 5.8m sold via subscriptions. The rest
Beth Neil on
first half of this year according to ABC.
of the total comprised free copies.
how to interview
The audit body today released figures
Among the best performing titles were
an A-lister.
for some 255 consumer magazine titles.
Slimming World, which grew 20.2 per
Overal , the picture was one of decline
cent to 420,011 a month, Haymarket
- with average circulation drops running
footbal title Four Four Two, which was
Editorial: 0207 936 6433
at 3.3 per cent. But this stil puts the
up 19.9 per cent to 96,240 a month, and
Advertising: 0207 936 5273
pged@pressgazette.co.uk
magazine industry in better shape than
First News, the children's newspaper,
Press Gazette, 7 Carmelite
PICTURE: REUTERS the regional and national press.
which rose 18.5 per cent to 62,903

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This week
Broadcasting
News in brief
Regionals absent More than 1,000 BBC
staff were made redundant
from local TV bids last year. The total
redundancies rocketed to
1,230 in 2011, compared
with 444 in 2010 and 438 in
BY DOMINIC PONSFORD
2009.
MORE www.bit.ly/OcgHiO
Regional newspapers have
overwhelmingly voted with their
Future has announced the
feet and declined the opportunity to
launch of a new lifestyle
acquire free licences to broadcast
magazine called The
TV on Freeview, Sky and Virgin
Simple Things. In June,
Media networks in their areas.
Press Gazette revealed that
The only exceptions are Archant,
Future was planning to
which is bidding under the brand-
launch a new lifestyle title
name Mustard to run a local station Belfast, Birmingham, Brighton and
in a bid to capitalise on the
in Norwich, and the Evening
Hove, Bristol, Cardiff, Edinburgh,
"phenomenal" success of its
Standard, which is hoping to win
Glasgow, Grimsby, Leeds,
monthly craft title Mollie
the hotly-contested London licence.
Liverpool, London, Manchester,
Makes.
Trinity Mirror has said it is
Newcastle, Norwich, Nottingham,
MORE www.bit.ly/N3yPLI
"supporting" licence applications
Oxford, Plymouth, Preston,
made by the Channel 6 Consortium Southampton and Swansea.
The Guardian's parent
company Guardian Media
to run a station in London and
Most bidders are independents
Group has reported pre-tax
Made TV to run stations in 10
but there are also several
losses of 75.6m in the last
other cities. But discussions there
networks: Made Television has
financial year. GMG said
are understood to be at an early
made bids to run stations in
the loss, which contrasts
stage. TM has also said it plans to
London and 10 other areas; Your
with pre-tax profits of
hold discussions with successful
TV has bid for London and six
9m in 2011, was down
licensees in all the areas it operates other areas; and Canada-based
to an exceptional charge
in.
Channel 1 has bid for licences
relating to the sell-off of its
Some 57 applications have been
under the Metro8 brand in London
subsidiary GMG Radio.
made for licences to run stations in and eight other areas.
MORE www.bit.ly/Npxq7Z
CONTINUED FROM P.1
copies a week.
a month.
(up 92 per cent period on
mil ions of magazines
At the other end of the
Reader's Digest, now
period).
distributed every day
scale, the biggest fal ers
published by Vivat Direct,
Professional Publishers
in the UK are hugely
included IPC music weekly fel 35.5 per cent to 285,006 Association chief executive powerful in connecting
NME, which fel 17.6 per
a month.
Barry McIlheney said:
consumers with their
cent to 23,924 a week,
Digital magazines (page- "This is yet another solid
passions and interests,
women's weekly Pick Me
turning e-editions rather
set of ABC figures that
leading discussions and
Up, which fel 18.6 per cent than apps) remain a niche underline print's enduring creating real influence."
year on year to 212,915, and proposition but they are
position within today's
For ful breakdown of sales for
Top Gear, which fel 18.6 per growing fast to a total of
multi-platform consumer
al 255 titles see:
cent year on year to 155,017 185,210 across 60 titles
magazine brands. The
www. bit.ly/QFcLbh
www.pressgazette.co.uk







Press Gazette 16 August 2012 l 3

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This week
Education
Freelance Murray to take
on second school-leaver
BY RICHARD WILSON
For the second year running
"I encourage people to get out
freelance journalist Janet Murray is
there, get blogging, get writing and
offering a school-leaver the chance
try to get something published."
to train for a career in journalism
Jones said the scheme provided
by joining her as an apprentice.
the ideal platform for her to develop
The 12-month scheme pays 6.08
her journalism skills.
an hour and introduces potential
"I learnt more in those few
journalists to new skills such as
months than in my entire life," she
news writing, using social media
said. "Last week I saw my first front
and organising events.
page write up and that is when it
Last year's apprentice, 22-year-
hit me - I've made it, I'm a proper
old Rhian Jones, was selected from
journalist."
more than 60 applicants across the
Asked what attributes the next
UK and is now a staff writer for
in, work hard and try new things."
apprentice would need, she said:
Music Week.
Murray is also after someone
"Attitude, it's all about attitude.
Murray launched the
who has a "a love of language" and
"You need to be willing to do
apprenticeship scheme in 2011 to
is "passionate and enthusiastic
anything and everything, say yes to
offer young people an alternative
about the role".
everything and be prepared to get
route into journalism.
"Rhian was prepared to try
stuck in and make the most of the
She told Press Gazette: "This
her hand at anything and that
experience presented."
type of learning isn't for everyone.
adaptable approach in journalism
The vacancy is advertised on
Applicants need to be passionate
is vital when your priorities can
the National Apprentice Service's
and enthusiastic about being a
change at the click of a finger," she website and the deadline is 28
journalist and prepared to get stuck
said.
August 2012.
Training
Chief examiner bemoans inaccuracy
The NCTJ's chief examiner has
Chief examiner Steve Nelson
does not account for the sort of
described the latest round of
said it was "apparent that a lack of
inaccuracies that some markers
results in the seniors' exam as
accuracy was a key factor in the
came across.
"disappointing" and bemoaned
outcome".
"`Carelessness costs marks' and
candidates' lack of accuracy.
In the examiner report, he said:
`poor shorthand was evident in
Of the 100 candidates, 42 were
"It may well be that some trainees
all but a handful of papers' were
successful, with just 38 per cent of are not receiving enough guidance
just two of the comments from
first-time candidates passing. Last in the office because of reduced
examiners that went some way to
year's pass rate was 48 per cent.
headcounts in editorial, but this
explaining the low pass rate."
4 l 16 August 2012 Press Gazette

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The Carnegie Plan
for Better Journalism
The Carnegie UK Trust has a long-standing interest in news media and its critical role in a democratic society. We have
now published a new report - Better Journalism in the Digital Age - written by Carnegie Fel ow Blair Jenkins OBE.
This report sets out the Carnegie Plan for Better Journalism. The Plan aims to address the two overarching objectives for
achieving better journalism. We need to `raise the fl oor' and ensure that acceptable, minimum standards of behaviour
are applied by all those who wish to be seen as credible news providers. At the same time, we must also aim to `raise the
ceiling'. High quality news journalism is a vital part of the necessary checks and balances of a healthy democratic society.
Minimum standards are not enough - we must strive to support innovation and excel ence across the industry.
In order to achieve these twin goals the Carnegie Plan makes 7 key recommendations:
1 The adoption of a new,
3 Civil society organisations to help 6 The encouragement by industry
industry-wide code of conduct
fund new initiatives in journalism,
regulators, universities, civil
by all journalists and news
with an emphasis on technical
society organisations and the
organisations which gives much
and editorial innovation, to
news media themselves of more
clearer guidance on the higher
ensure greater quality and
public debate around issues
ethical and editorial standards
diversity of news sources and
to do with media ethics and
expected - standards which
more journalism that holds the
behaviour and more serious
ought to be universal and
powerful to account.
discussion of editorial decisions
transferrable between all bona
and chal enges.
fi de press, broadcast and online
4 A renewed emphasis in journalism
news services.
education and training on
7 A new and more evidently
2
professional ethics as well as
independent press regulator
The maintenance or strengthening
production skills, including a clear
with more substantial (but not
of public service broadcasting, to
commitment to understanding
statutory) powers to investigate
ensure not all new ventures are
and upholding the public interest.
unethical behaviour and the
commercial y driven, and that
ability to impose signifi cant
the public has access to services
5 Extending and completing the
sanctions including fi nancial
with guaranteed impartiality
availability and take-up of high
penalties.
and fairness.
speed broadband to enable
universal access to a wide range
of digital news services and
participatory media.
We believe that by working together to deliver these
recommendations, the media industry, public bodies, civil
society organisations and citizens can help to achieve the
better news media that we need.
Download the Carnegie
Plan for Better Journalism
www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk
@CarnegieUKTrust
5985 Press Gazette Ad A4 bleed.indd 1
25/05/2012 15:29

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This week
Sport
Press suspend scepticism
to praise `superb' Games
BY RICHARD WILSON
Journalists covering the everyone had a really good time. "As a media games it worked.
London 2012 Games appear
"We're very quick in the media
I think it has got to the point
to have suspended their
- and rightly so - to criticise
where news is so quick that the
usual scepticism and had
something if it goes wrong and I can competition to get there first is, in
nothing but praise for the event's
honestly say the transport system
a sense, pointless. The element of
organisation.
put in place by the organising
speed is lost when everything is so
For Press Association - as
committee was superb. It got us
fast.
host agency - it was the biggest
around where we wanted to go
"What came out of these
newsgathering operation in its
very quick. An example of how to
Olympics is the back story, it
history. Some 90 staff put out 3,953
run transport at a Games for future
seemed every medallist had a
Olympic stories, 8,863 pictures and
people."
fascinating tale to tell. It was
277 videos.
It was the 10th summer Olympics strangely affecting. There were a
Sports editor Ashley Broad said:
Patrick Collins, chief sports writer
lot of interesting people.
"None of us will ever do this again
at the Mail on Sunday, had covered.
"Working for a Sunday is less
and it was a wonderful opportunity
He said: "The press centre was
intense than a daily newspaper
that everyone enjoyed.
excellent, it was huge. As with the
would be. But in another sense,
"It was challenging, hard work,
rest of the Olympics, the staff were
because you only get the weekend
but it was fun and enjoyable and
excellent."
chance, the intensity is quite fierce.
PICTURE: REUTERS
6 l 16 August 2012 Press Gazette

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This week
News in brief

Outgoing BBC director
"IT ALL WORKED. THE ORGANISERS
general Mark Thompson
is to become president
SHOULD BE VERY PROUD OF
and chief executive of the
THE EFFICIENCY OF THEIR
New York Times Company,
ACHIEVEMENTS"
the US firm announced
yesterday. Thompson, 55,
will relocate to New York
"We were very lucky that on
event like it. I certainly don't expect
and will begin his new role
the second Saturday we had that
another in my lifetime.
in November.
amazing night when Brits Jessica
"It was off the scale in terms of
MORE www.bit.ly/OckpJ0
Ennis, Mo and Rutherford won gold. complexity - I've only been here
We had to push deadlines back it -
since 2010 but we had already
Two people have been
was very late, Mo went out between started planning at the Telegraph.
arrested following
9.30 and 10pm.
"[It took a] huge amount of
a Sunday Mirror
"So that was difficult that you had
planning - where people are,
investigation into
to print a great number of papers
different kinds of coverage,
suspected paedophiles on
but you didn't want to go without a
hotels, ensuring live blogs, an
Twitter. The paper labelled
great medal like that.
extraordinary amount of work.
the social networking site a
"The following Saturday Mo won
"We wanted people to engage and
"paedophiles' playground"
his second gold medal and Bolt
understand the Games. People get
on Sunday after it revealed
and the Jamaican relay team broke
interested, but they don't necessarily
how the site was being
the world record and that was just
know about the sports that are
used to distribute images
stunning.
played or the people playing it.
and videos of children.
"All these years the only time
"Couple that with the huge
MORE www.bit.ly/Pp77v5
I've seen a press box standing up
amount of sports being played
A former deputy editor
screaming was first in Athens, when simultaneously and it is a very
of Newcastle daily The
Kelly Holmes won two gold medals
hard landscape for readers to know
Journal has died after
quite unexpectedly, and this time
where they are. Our focus was on
a long illness. Kevin
both Saturday nights. When it starts telling people what the sport is and
Overbury, 63, worked
having that effect you think, wow
who the athletes were.
on local and national
something is happening here."
"We carried out a significant web
newspapers before
He added: "The facilities were
operation and an extra 5pm iPad
becoming a leading
excellent. The curse we always have edition. We did 600 tabloid pages
journalism lecturer at
is of communication; I spend half
purely in sport around the Olympics
Sunderland University.
my time worrying will the computer and that's before edition changes or
MORE www.bit.ly/OvYxhv
work. More than any other thing it
supplements in the lead up to the
drives me to distraction.
Games.
The Daily Record
"But every seat was cabled. It all
"It was a fantastic experience,
claimed it had been
worked. The organisers should be
I've never worked in a department
banned from attending a
very proud of the efficiency of their
where so many people have
press conference ahead
achievements."
performed at the height of their
of yesterday's football
Daily Telegraph head of sport Ben ability for a sustained period.
friendly match between
Clisset said London 2012 was the
"It was a brilliant Games, but
Scotland and Australia after
biggest operation the paper had ever journalistically it was the most
upsetting Scotland manager
undertaken.
extraordinary experience I've ever
Craig Levein.
"There will never be another
had as well."
MORE www.bit.ly/MDLlFb
www.pressgazette.co.uk
Press Gazette 16 August 2012 l 7

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This week
Regionals
Regional publisher set to
scrap the sub-editor role
BY ANDREW PUGH
The company believes this will
"enable us to invest more of our
editorial resources and energy into
generating content rather than
processing it", adding: "It will also
enable us to support our planned
push for a Digital First publishing
policy."
Despite the prospect of cuts,
Iliffe told editorial staff that it will
be creating new jobs as part of its
digital push, including additional
jobs for "writing journalists".
The implementation plans
begin in September at its
subsidiary LSN Media - which
publishes free weekly titles across
Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes
Regional newspaper publisher Iliffe roles pivotal to the management
and Northamptonshire - and are
News & Media could scrap the role of editorial content generation and
scheduled for completion at its
of sub-editor as part of a wide-
the processing of it through to both Cambridge base in March 2013.
ranging editorial restructure and
print and digital platforms".
Management said it will now
its push to become a "digital first"
The statement continued:
begin holding a series of meetings
operation.
"Although there could be some
with affected staff.
An internal memo to editorial
reduction in head count if our
The memo continued: "We
staff, seen by Press Gazette,
proposal to eliminate the sub-
recognise that because of the time
said: "Although individuals will
editing role is confirmed, it is
scale involved in introducing the
still be working in groups we are
important to recognise that the
new system there will, inevitably,
proposing to introduce a more
overall aim of our strategy is to
be a sense of uncertainty for some
streamlined print production
increase our audience through the people - especially for those in
approach that would, for example,
delivery of high-quality content."
areas scheduled for the end of the
replace the current sub editing
As part of the editorial
implementation programme."
function."
restructure, the company is also
Iliffe News & Media publishes
The company is also reviewing
appointing four new regional head
three evening newspapers, eight
its current editorial management
of content positions and is to begin paid-for weekly newspapers, 18
structure below the level of editor.
an eight-month programme to
free newspapers, two Sunday free
The Cambridge Evening News
introduce "new editorial workflows newspapers, one quarterly and four
publisher said this would mean
and structures", which includes a
monthly glossy magazines, and 37
"re-defining a number of key job
new Atex editorial system.
related websites.
8 l 16 August 2012 Press Gazette

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This week
Nationals
Legal briefs
Kerry Katona is
latest to sue NI
A member of pop group
N-Dubz - Fazer (real name
Richard Rawson) - has
had a complaint against
BY SARAH LIMBRICK
Heat upheld by the Press
Complaints Commission
after the magazine claimed
he cheated on X-Factor
judge Tulisa. The story
was published in February.
MORE www.bit.ly/Og5Gjl
Police seeking access
to BBC footage of the
aftermath of the shooting
of Mark Duggan - whose
death triggered four days
of rioting in cities across
the country last summer
- failed to make a clear
and compelling case for a
production order, a judge
said. MORE www.bit.ly/NAEE5n
The risk of criminal
Singer Kerry Katona and her
Businesswoman Ruth Badger,
contempt for scandalising a
ex-husband, Westlife singer Brian
who was the runner-up in the BBC
court may be over because
McFadden, are among the latest
reality show The Apprentice in
of a Law Commission
group of people to sue News
2006, is suing both News Group
consultation which opened
International over the phone-
Newspapers and Mulcaire as well.
last Friday. The offence can
hacking scandal.
Badger, 34, now runs her
be committed by ridiculing
They have issued legal action
own consultancy business in
the judiciary to the extent
at the High Court in London
Manchester and presented her own
that public confidence
in the judiciary or the
against subsidiary News Group
television show, Badger or Bust.
administration of justice is
Newspapers and the News of the
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch
likely to be undermined.
World's former private investigator
shut down the News of the World
MORE www.bit.ly/OP6Ukg
Glenn Mulcaire.
in July 2011 after massive public
In separate actions, criminal law
backlash when it emerged the
Scotland's Campaign for
specialist Kirsty Brimelow QC is
paper hacked into the phone of
Freedom of Information
also suing News Group Newspaper murdered schoolgirl Millie Dowler.
has called on its
and Mulcaire.
Dozens of celebrities and other
Government to widen the
In 2007 Brimelow was reported
individuals have started legal
scope of proposed reforms
to have had an affair with the
proceedings against News Group
to the country's Freedom
Director of Public Prosecutions Sir
over phone hacking claims and
of Information legislation.
Ken Macdonald QC, who was then
News International has already
MORE www.bit.ly/Tj3HMZ
PICTURE: REUTERS
married.
settled several batches of claims.
www.pressgazette.co.uk
Press Gazette 16 August 2012 l 9

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In depth
Ethics
Report condemns `lazy'
media for riot coverage
BY ANDREW PUGH
journalists were seen as influencing
factors in media reporting of
the riots, raising issues around
impartiality and objectivity."
The media also faced criticism
for "spreading misinformation"
during the riots instead of reporting
the facts and explaining events in
context.
There was particular anger over
the way the media seemingly
reproduced alleged misinformation
supplied by the police after the
shooting of Mark Duggan in
Tottenham, which was credited
with sparking last year's unrest.
P
Examples of this "unhealthy"
ress and broadcasters
based largely on findings made
relationship include the police
have been accused of
at a conference organised by the
leaking information to the press
contributing to last
Citizen Journalism Educational
such as claims that Duggan was a
year's August riots
Trust and The-Latest.com that took drug dealer, with unnamed police
across England by pursuing a
place three months after last year's sources quoted in the press saying
sensationalist agenda during their
disturbances.
he was a "well known gangster" and
blanket coverage of the troubles.
"Many media outlets expressed
a "major player and well known to
A new report concluded the
deep condemnation of those
the police in Tottenham".
UK media failed to address the
involved in the riots," said Bassel.
"The ways in which journalists
underlying issues behind the riots,
"Conference participants
use - and sometimes reproduce
unquestioningly regurgitated police asked whether the media (print
rather than analyse and critique
misinformation and turned the riots and broadcast) should have
- official sources needs to be
into a race issue by blaming ethnic
condemned those who took part in questioned," concluded Bassel.
minorities.

the disturbances in August."
It was a view supported by NUJ
While the study focused
Bassel believes part of
president Donnacha DeLong.
largely on national coverage, it
the problem was down to
"One of the worst parts of the
also concluded there were "few
the prevalence of "all-white
post-riots coverage was where
examples of good practice in local
newsrooms".
the content of newspapers came
newspaper coverage" of the riots.
"What are the professional
directly from the police," DeLong
The `Media and the Riots' report
and personal profiles of these
was quoted as saying in the study.
was written by Dr Leah Bassel,
journalists and editors and what
"It was about wanted lists, it was
a lecturer in sociology at the
does that tell us?" she asked.
pictures of people, newspapers
University of Leicester, and was
"The social class and race of
were doing the police's job for
PICTURE: REUTERS
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