» SubscribeMain section
-
Top story
Photographers snap into action over new law
Source NUJ news release
DATELINE: 6/2/09
Comedian Mark Thomas is to join with NUJ members in an event to highlight the threat of a new UK law that could be used against press photographers taking pictures of the police.The Counter Terrorism Act allows for the arrest and imprisonment of anyone whose pictures are, “likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”.The union is joining with campaigners to organise a mass picture taking session outside London’s police HQ on Monday 16 February – the day the act becomes law. Mark – who uses his comedy act to expose state and corporate wrongdoing – will be joined outside New Scotland Yard by renowned documentary-maker Chris Atkins, NUJ vice-president Pete Murray and a bevy of photographers. Photojournalist and NUJ member Marc Vallée said: “The plan is simple, turn up with your camera and exercise your democratic right to take a photograph in a public place.”There have already been cases of photographers stopped from working by police quoting anti-terror laws.
John Toner, the NUJ’s organiser who looks after freelance photographers, said: “Police officers are in news pictures at all sorts of events – football matches, carnivals, state processions – so the union wants to make it clear that taking their pictures is not the act of a criminal. “Our members are photographers – not terrorists."
Roy Mincoff, NUJ Legal Officer, said: “Photographers do not want to endanger the health and safety of the police or the public – but it is important in a democracy that they can do their jobs properly without facing unnecessary legal restrictions.”
The photographic session will start at 11.00am outside New Scotland Yard on Broadway, London.
Last modified: Thursday, March 5, 2009
Your comments:
» Click here to add your comment.
Comments will be subject to approval and should not be defamatory, obscene, racist, in breach of copyright, or contrary to law. The CPBF is not reponsible for any views expressed here.
Previous government policy stories
Audiovisual Media Services Directive in the UK
Televised briefings are the way forward
Media gagged in the case of Daniel James
Does convergence matter?
Civil servant faces official secrets trial
New Threat to Media Freedom
Blair's farewell: No politician can live by spin alone
Government response to Public Voice Petition on Digital Dividend
New Media services should not be regulated like TV, says Lords Committee
IFJ Alarmed by Western Attacks on Whistleblowers and Investigative Journalism
Current Affairs and Ofcom
From The Files
Minister backs BBC Arabic TV
Terror Bill 'a threat to press freedom' says CPBF
Inquiry into new media and the creative industries
OFT and Magazine Distribution
Sewn Up: Media Policy Excludes Public
Important Campaign pamphlets available...
Make the Media an Election Issue
Freedom of Information from the FoI Campaign
Their Lordships have their say on digital switchover...
Right of Reply and Press Standards Bill
Threats to the BBC
BBC Conference
IFJ condemns BBC threat to public service
Journalism and Trust
Save Public Broadcasting
The future of non-commercial local radio & tv
BBC Charter review hearings
DCMS review of BBC digital radio published
-
Notices
Events & Announcements
World Press Freedom Day
More reporters are currently imprisoned in Turkey than in any other country in the world. Only a matter of weeks ago lawyers failed to persuade a Turkish court to release a 76-year-old journalist from a Turkish internet news station.
World Press Freedom Day on Friday May 3, 2013 is being marked in Britain by a rally to highlight the dangers facing journalists in Turkey and in this podcast, Nicholas Jones speaks to Barry White, Organiser at the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom, and Sam Bamford, the TUC's policy officer for Eastern Europe and Africa about the importance of a campaign to highlight international press freedom.
The World Press Freedom Day rally is being staged by the National Union of Journalists at the NUJ head office, Gray’s Inn Road, London WC1 on Thursday May 2, 6pm-8pm.
DATELINE: 27/4/13
UK launch of EU media campaign
DATELINE: 13/3/13
The UK launch of a 'European Citizens' Initiative' calling for EU rules against concentration of media power will take place on Thursday March 21 from 11:00am – 12:30pm in Committee Room 4A at the House of Lords, London. Guest speakers will include actor and activist Hugh Grant (pictured), media consultant Claire Enders, Professor Steven Barnett, Barry McCall (President of the NUJ) and Marc Gruber (Director of the European Federation of Journalists).
A European Citizens' Initiative is an official petition, like a Downing Street petition. If it succeeds in gathering a million signatures across the EU, the Commission is obliged to respond.
This petition calls for the EU to act to protect media pluralism and press freedom.
CPBF Annual General Meeting
DATELINE: 1/3/13
Make a note in your diary
Saturday 13 July 2013 from 10.00am
NUJ HQ, 308/312 Gray's Inn Road, London WC1.
Leveson, media ownership, CPBF future work.
DOWNLOAD FREEPRESS NOW
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Download Freepress in PDF, ePub or mobi format. Issue 194 now available.
MEDIA FOR ALL CONFERENCE
DATELINE: 26/3/10
Papers from the Media for All Conference
MEDIA MANIFESTO
DATELINE: 26/3/10
The media’s job is to inform and entertain us but we rely on them too to tell us what our rulers and representatives are up to. In the run-up to the Iraq war the government used spin and disinformation in the media to create panic and mislead people. The truth is coming out now, but we need stronger, more independent media to be able to scrutinise governments and make informed choices.
-
Previous stories
Government Policy
Audiovisual Media Services Directive in the UK
Televised briefings are the way forward
Media gagged in the case of Daniel James
Does convergence matter?
Civil servant faces official secrets trial
New Threat to Media Freedom
Blair's farewell: No politician can live by spin alone
Government response to Public Voice Petition on Digital Dividend
New Media services should not be regulated like TV, says Lords Committee
IFJ Alarmed by Western Attacks on Whistleblowers and Investigative Journalism
Current Affairs and Ofcom
From The Files
Minister backs BBC Arabic TV
Terror Bill 'a threat to press freedom' says CPBF
Inquiry into new media and the creative industries
OFT and Magazine Distribution
Sewn Up: Media Policy Excludes Public
Important Campaign pamphlets available...
Make the Media an Election Issue
Freedom of Information from the FoI Campaign
Their Lordships have their say on digital switchover...
Right of Reply and Press Standards Bill
Threats to the BBC
BBC Conference
IFJ condemns BBC threat to public service
Journalism and Trust
Save Public Broadcasting
The future of non-commercial local radio & tv
BBC Charter review hearings
DCMS review of BBC digital radio published
