Latest news with #NUJ
The National
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Labour 'must back probe into Israel's blatant killing of journalists'
Anas al-Sharif, an Al Jazeera correspondent and one of Gaza's best known reporters, was killed in an Israeli strike on August 10 along with five other journalists: correspondent Mohammed Qreiqeh, camera operators Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, and Moamen Aliwa, and freelance photojournalist Mohammed Al-Khaldi, who succumbed to his wounds after the other five deaths were widely reported. Israel admitted targeting al-Sharif in the strike, claiming that he was an operative for Hamas who had led a 'terrorist cell and advanced rocket attacks on Israeli civilians and IDF troops'. It did not comment on the other five journalists killed. READ MORE: John Swinney looking at 'whole range of measures' against Israel However, Al Jazeera rejected the claim against al-Sharif, saying Israel had admitted to its crimes and branding the killing a 'desperate attempt to silence the voices exposing the impending seizure and occupation of Gaza.' The Committee to Protect Journalists's Sara Qudah said: 'Israel wiped out an entire news crew. It has made no claims that any of the other journalists were terrorists. That's murder. Plain and simple.' Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is accused of perpetrating genocide, is aiming to take complete control over Gaza City, with his security cabinet approving the plans last Friday. Israel does not allow any international media outlets into Gaza, meaning organisations have to rely on reports from local journalists in the region. Al Jazeera warned that al-Sharif and his colleagues were 'among the last remaining voices' in Gaza. Anas al-Sharif was killed by Israel (Image: Dawoud Abo Alkas/Anadolu via Getty Images) The spokesperson for the UN secretary general has said they are investigating the killing of al-Sharif and the other media workers. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has said that at least 195 journalists – including 180 Palestinians – have been killed since October 7, 2023. IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger said: "After a smear campaign against Gaza's journalists, Israel has killed five Al Jazeera staff in a tent housing journalists. 'The deliberate targeting of journalists is a war crime and Israeli leaders must be held accountable for their heinous actions. 'We condemn in the strongest possible terms this deliberate killing of our colleagues and we stand in solidarity with all staff at Al Jazeera and our colleagues working in Gaza under such unacceptable circumstances.' READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon says Israel committing 'nothing short of genocide' In the UK, the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) called for the Labour Government to support an International Criminal Court (ICC) investigation into Israel's killing of journalists. Netanyahu is already wanted for arrest by the ICC for alleged crimes against humanity. NUJ general secretary Laura Davison said: 'Journalists have specific rights under international law and once again these rights have been violated while other civilians have been killed as collateral damage. Israel has denied foreign reporters access to Gaza while systematically discrediting, targeting and killing local journalists. These are the activities of a government that does not want the world to witness its actions. 'That the Israeli military openly admits to these atrocities brings into sharp focus the need for international action to end this impunity. 'We once again reiterate our call for the UK Government, who claim to be committed to press freedom, to exert serious pressure to protect journalists, uphold international law and support an investigation by the International Criminal Court into the blatant targeting of journalists and media workers by Israeli forces. There must be immediate international action to end this obscene behaviour.' Husam Zumlot, the Palestinian ambassador to the UK, said: 'This deliberate assassination of Palestinian journalists is part of Israel's ongoing effort to silence the truth and carry out genocide in darkness. But no matter how many they kill, our people will continue to document and expose these atrocities to the world.' Israel has killed Al Jazeera correspondent Anas Esharif and four of his colleagues in an airstrike on their tent outside Shifa Hospital in Gaza. This deliberate assassination of Palestinian journalists is part of Israel's ongoing effort to silence the truth and carry out genocide… — Husam Zomlot (@hzomlot) August 10, 2025 Former Scottish first minister Humza Yousaf said: 'I hope every journalist in Scotland, UK and across the world will stand in solidarity with fellow journalists who are being targeted and assassinated by Israel with impunity. 'These are the actions of a regime that does not want the truth of what they are doing in Gaza to be exposed.' Yousaf further shared a post from journalist Mehdi Hasan, who had written in response to allegations against al-Sharif made by the IDF: 'Remember that this military's leadership is currently indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court, and being investigated for genocide at the International Court of Justice.' Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said: 'The deliberate and relentless killing of Palestinian journalists is sickening beyond words – and is a desperate attempt to silence the truth about Israel's ongoing crimes against humanity. 'Shame on all those who empowered Israel to murder with impunity.' The UK Government has been approached for comment.
The Herald Scotland
10-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Dozens of jobs at risk at Reach in overhaul of sports coverage
The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the news publisher has placed 104 roles at risk, with around half of these set for redundancies. Roles across national and local publications, print and digital, content and production are set to be affected. The union said dedicated correspondents covering Liverpool, Manchester United, and London football clubs will be halved, while three writers covering Midland clubs and two on Welsh sport are at risk. Reach, which publishes the Manchester Evening News and Liverpool Echo, is also expected to cut its number of content editors from 26 to 16 and heavily reduce sports sub editor roles. David Higgerson, chief digital publisher at Reach, said: 'We are changing the structure of our sports teams to reduce duplication and work more efficiently, while ensuring dedicated resources to deliver exclusive content, rooted in the communities we serve. 'For example, we will continue to have dedicated writers covering our most popular football clubs, as well as for a range of specialist sports including tennis, golf, and F1, delivering content across our portfolio.' The company is also expected to cut arts desk staff. Workers in Scotland and Ireland will not be impacted, the NUJ said. Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, said: 'The NUJ is deeply concerned by the impact these cuts will have on staff workload and morale. 'Either fewer staff will be expected to do more work, or Reach is seeking to use AI to fill the resulting gap. 'The replication of content across Reach's titles will mean less localised coverage and less media diversity. 'Ultimately, this results in a poorer product.'
The Independent
10-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Dozens of jobs at risk at Reach in overhaul of sports coverage
Reach is expected to cut around 50 jobs as part of an overhaul focused on its sports coverage. The company, which publishes the Daily Mirror, Daily Express and a host of regional titles, said the plans are designed to 'reduce duplication'. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the news publisher has placed 104 roles at risk, with around half of these set for redundancies. Roles across national and local publications, print and digital, content and production are set to be affected. The union said dedicated correspondents covering Liverpool, Manchester United, and London football clubs will be halved, while three writers covering Midland clubs and two on Welsh sport are at risk. Reach, which publishes the Manchester Evening News and Liverpool Echo, is also expected to cut its number of content editors from 26 to 16 and heavily reduce sports sub editor roles. David Higgerson, chief digital publisher at Reach, said: 'We are changing the structure of our sports teams to reduce duplication and work more efficiently, while ensuring dedicated resources to deliver exclusive content, rooted in the communities we serve. 'For example, we will continue to have dedicated writers covering our most popular football clubs, as well as for a range of specialist sports including tennis, golf, and F1, delivering content across our portfolio.' The company is also expected to cut arts desk staff. Workers in Scotland and Ireland will not be impacted, the NUJ said. Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, said: 'The NUJ is deeply concerned by the impact these cuts will have on staff workload and morale. 'Either fewer staff will be expected to do more work, or Reach is seeking to use AI to fill the resulting gap. 'The replication of content across Reach's titles will mean less localised coverage and less media diversity. 'Ultimately, this results in a poorer product.'
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Dozens of jobs at risk at Reach in overhaul of sports coverage
Reach is expected to cut around 50 jobs as part of an overhaul focused on its sports coverage. The company, which publishes the Daily Mirror, Daily Express and a host of regional titles, said the plans are designed to 'reduce duplication'. The National Union of Journalists (NUJ) said the news publisher has placed 104 roles at risk, with around half of these set for redundancies. Roles across national and local publications, print and digital, content and production are set to be affected. The union said dedicated correspondents covering Liverpool, Manchester United, and London football clubs will be halved, while three writers covering Midland clubs and two on Welsh sport are at risk. Reach, which publishes the Manchester Evening News and Liverpool Echo, is also expected to cut its number of content editors from 26 to 16 and heavily reduce sports sub editor roles. David Higgerson, chief digital publisher at Reach, said: 'We are changing the structure of our sports teams to reduce duplication and work more efficiently, while ensuring dedicated resources to deliver exclusive content, rooted in the communities we serve. 'For example, we will continue to have dedicated writers covering our most popular football clubs, as well as for a range of specialist sports including tennis, golf, and F1, delivering content across our portfolio.' The company is also expected to cut arts desk staff. Workers in Scotland and Ireland will not be impacted, the NUJ said. Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, said: 'The NUJ is deeply concerned by the impact these cuts will have on staff workload and morale. 'Either fewer staff will be expected to do more work, or Reach is seeking to use AI to fill the resulting gap. 'The replication of content across Reach's titles will mean less localised coverage and less media diversity. 'Ultimately, this results in a poorer product.'
Irish Times
08-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
‘Outsourcing' RTÉ shows will put licence payers' money in private hands, committee to hear
RTÉ's decision to move the production of programmes like Fair City and the Late Late Show to outside companies is a case of putting more licence payers' money 'into the pockets of private-for-profit entities', an Oireachtas committee is expected to hear, and will lead to fewer long-term careers in Irish television and radio. Representatives from the RTÉ group of trade unions – comprising the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) , Siptu, Connect and Unite – will appear before the joint Oireachtas committee on media on Tuesday. The committee is scrutinising the Government's Broadcasting Amendment Bill, which, among other things, would require RTÉ to spend a quarter of its annual public funding on programming commissioned from the private sector. Trevor Keegan, co-chairman of the RTÉ trade union group, is also expected to tell committee members that unions were not consulted before the State broadcaster's recent decision to shelve its religious affairs programming department. How the wealthy are buying up land to avoid inheritance tax Listen | 22:03 In May, the broadcaster announced plans to switch production of some religious programming – specifically, 'Christian worship content' – to the private sector. Asked about the decision at the committee in May, RTÉ director general Kevin Bakhurst denied that the organisation is phasing out religious programming altogether but said it hoped to get a better quality of product. READ MORE The union group is expected to tell the committee that the department, the 'latest casualty' of cost-cutting at the broadcaster, has 'effectively been shut down'. Meanwhile, the decision to move production of the Late Late Show and Fair City to private companies, which was first mooted last summer, is creating 'worries and fears' among workers in Montrose. Mr Bakhurst has previously denied that this amounts to the privatisation of RTÉ programming and said it would be 'commissioning' the programmes from third parties instead, as it does for other programming. He also previously challenged the unions' use of the word 'outsourcing' in this case. Mr Keegan will say that the group of unions does not object to improving the independent sector, but objects to the 'displacement of safe employment with defined career paths and security of tenure'. Aside from some larger firms, much independent programming is created by workers on short-term contracts with 'fragile protections' and this model is not 'conducive to long-term careers in TV and radio production'. The 'farming out' of programming 'is simply putting more licence payers' money into the pockets of private for-profit entities', the committee is expected to hear. The union group will also express disappointment with the Government's decision to 'ignore' the Future of Media Commission's recommendation to abolish the licence fee and fund public service broadcasting through the exchequer. Siptu, meanwhile, will tell the committee that the Bill is an important opportunity to protect the future of public service broadcasting in the State. However, mandating RTÉ to spend at least 25 per cent of its public funding on privately produced programming 'could become a mechanism for outsourcing RTÉ production', Adrian Kane, Siptu services divisional organiser, will tell committee members, unless 'properly safeguarded'. The union's position is that increased funding should support new content and employment, 'not a reallocation of work' done by RTÉ workers, Mr Kane will say.
