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Campaigning organisation to continue fight for BBC
DATELINE: 20/11/09E-campaign group, 38 Degrees, has claimed success in mobilising thousands to protest against top-slicing the BBC licence fee. "Together we've seen off the threat of top-slicing, which shows that people power works," they write in a mass e-mail. The NUJ/BECTU campaign sadly gets no credit, but 38 Degrees promises to keep campaigning against the continuing threats to the BBC.
Read the text of the e-mail below.
This week thousands of us worked together to persuade the government not to top-slice the licence fee. The government had been expected to confirm their top-slicing plans in the Queen's speech on Wednesday. This would have threatened the BBC's funding and independence, by handing a chunk of the licence fee to rival broadcasters. After thousands of us signed the petition and wrote to our MPs, the government announced that they aren't pushing ahead with top-slicing, and that the matter will now be reviewed by the next government in 2012.
We've had a big success, which shows that it works when we stand up for the BBC together. But politicians and media millionaires continue to attack the BBC and there could still be a big cut in the licence fee in the future. The more of us there are involved in the campaign, the stronger we'll be when it's time to stand up for the BBC against future threats.
Ask your friends to get involved in the campaign by forwarding this email and asking them to click this link: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/standup4thebbc
We've always known that top-slicing is not the only threat facing the organisation. Many powerful interests will continue attacking the BBC - from rival media companies who resent the competition, to politicians who think that it should tow their line. We know the BBC isn't perfect and has made mistakes which make it more vulnerable to criticism, but it's definitely worth protecting.The Conservative Party are talking up their plans to cut the licence fee, and potentially close down whole parts of the BBC. Just yesterday, David Cameron said "the BBC has got very overextended and the licence fee is high". [1] [2]
The media multi-millionaire Rupert Murdoch is increasingly vocal in his attacks, calling the licence fee a "scandal". [3] His son, James Murdoch, the chief executive and chairman of News Corporation, says the licence fee should become "much, much smaller".
Together we've seen off the threat of top-slicing, which shows that people power works. The more of us there are, the more effective we'll be in standing up for the BBC against future attacks. Can you ask your friends to join in? Please forward this email and ask them to join the campaign by clicking this link: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/standup4thebbc
Thanks for getting involved,David, Hannah, Johnny, Nina and the 38 Degrees team
[1] http://www.mumsnet.com/onlinechats/david-cameron-nov-09#BBC_licence_fee
Last modified: Friday, November 20, 2009
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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.
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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.
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Papers from the Media for All Conference
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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.
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Previous stories
Public Service Broadcasting
BBC sees off plan to use licence fee for regional news on commercial channels
Top-slicing: Kaufman decries 'stupid' legislation
Briefing on Product Placement
TV broadcasting in Northern Ireland under threat
New report shows we can bridge broadcasting funding gap
EU parliament hosts battle on future of public broadcasting
Troubled ITV cuts jobs and costs
MPs' report expected to question BBC and Channel 4 linkup
Government considering options to solve funding crisis at Channel Four
The Slippery Slope of Public Funding: Where Will it End? Now we know:
ITV strike ballot called off
Sertuc conference postponed
Here we go again!
Campaigning for quality television
The future of PSB - postponed
Opting Out
Citizenship and Public Service Broadcasting
How do Ofcom and the BBC Trust see their Roles?
Commission recommends new TV channel for Scotland
Ofcom's 'smash and grab' raid on the BBC licence fee
World Service threatened
Wales, Devolution and Democracy
CPBF responds to Ofcom public service review
NUJ slams 'simplistic' top-slicing arguments
PSB on ITV - No thanks!
BBC unions ballot for action on jobs
Crisis looms in kids' telly
Scottish Broadcasting Commission wants to hear your views
Begin the fight back: How corporate strategists neutered the BBC
Joint statement from the BBC, BECTU, the NUJ and UNITE
BBC unions ballot for action
