General Secretary Jeremy Dear introduced the Future of the Media debate saying there “could not be a more crucial time” to talk about the future. It is predicted that half the country’s newspapers will close between now and 2013.
Motion 14 was passed, as was Motion 17. Motions 18 was passed with debate and one remission to an amendment. Both 25 and 26 were successful and Motion 27 was passed to conclude the debate.
For Motion 14, which covered 15 and 16, the National Executive Council (NEC) proposed that there be a high-profile campaign to fight for media jobs and against management greed. South Yorkshire, Portsmouth, Leeds and London Central branches all spoke to support the motion and it was passed unanimously.
Public money to aid Local Press
Motions 18 (covering 19 to 24) discussed the demise of regional and local press and how public money can maintain publishing these titles. Manchester branch proposed an amendment to investigate the possibility of local authorities funding independent local press. This was opposed by Nottingham Branch who insisted The Nottingham Evening Post would be worse off with this proposal. Following support from the Northern Ireland branch, the amendment was carried.
The Wales Executive Council suggested an amendment for the NEC to research involvement in pilot projects to run a local newspaper. The NEC said the amendment needed to be revised before it was carried and conference agreed to a remission.
Black Members Council called for support to ensure Black press is still represented following redundancies at The Voice. The motion was passed to ensure that defensive action for regional papers will include ethnic minority media.
Identifying how media is regulated and organised
Members from London Freelance spoke to defend selected motions 25 and 26. Both were passed. They draw attention to how media is currently being regulated as digital media is merging all aspects of journalism and governments are bowing to large corporations. The NEC is instructed to produce a report and be at the forefront of advising a Royal Commission investigating all aspects of Britsh media and its implications on society and politics.
The Edinburgh and District branch put forward Motion 27 which was carried by conference. It instructs the NEC to set up a media commission in Scotland to safeguard the Scottish press which is seeing the current crisis escalate faster than in other areas.
