New report aims to put journalism unions 'in touch' with industry's future

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A new report by the International Federation of Journalists calls for more activism from union members and "fresh solidarity" within the industry.

The report [ PDF link ] addresses the effect of technological development on the industry, rejecting "the notion that that the internet destroys journalism," arguing instead that "the worldwide web has given freedom a lift and opened the door to a new and prolific era of information and journalism that can inform, inspire and educate new generations".

First discussed at the IFJ's World Congress in Spain last month , the report raises questions about the changing media landscape and its impact on journalists and unions, and claims that the survival of the industry relies on the ability of both to adapt. It also examines questions of funding, strategy and partnership.

The report was authored by a number of IFJ journalists with contributions from member organisations around the world.

Recommendations

In the report's final recommendations, a few of which are picked out below, it offers guidance to the IFJ, to journalism unions around the world and to the community of journalists.

Journalists should embrace the best of the changing environment to "sustain the best of journalism" - to grasp the "real potential of journalists as a collective force in a rapidly dispersing market," its authors suggest. Another recommendation is to "reach out to new media workers as colleagues".

Meanwhile, national unions should "ensure a real commitment to ethics and good practice on behalf of existing and new members and in new arenas of communication, including blogs and telecommunications".

The report suggests that the IFJ lobby for integrated multimedia training and investigate the potential for innovation and new forms of ownership and funding of media.

Journalists' role

The secretary general of the National Union of Journalists in Britain, Jeremy Dear, was a co-author of the report. He told Journalism.co.uk that the process had highlighted common problems facing media across the world. It was interesting to see how innovative journalists had been when finding new ways to make journalism pay, he said.

But, he added, it was crucial that journalists remained at the centre of the trade: "For the UK what's important is that we realise that journalism without journalists isn't possible. Yes, there are lots of excellent initiatives by communities, citizens and groups, but they are all by their very nature partial. What I found fascinating and what we need to get better at is developing the collaboration between these sources of information.

"Take the post-election chaos in Iran. You could not understand what was happening from the millions of Twitter feeds or simply from mobile phone footage or blogs - but you couldn't have properly covered the events without any of those either."

Aidan White, IFJ secretary general, said that this report will help unions to face up to the challenges of change in journalism: "It will help them chart a new course and to rethink how they approach recruitment and organising.

"This report has opened up a debate about how we need to distinguish between media and journalism. Everyone in society has an interest in nourishing and protecting journalism, that's quite a different task from deciding whether or not to bail out the media business.

"Journalists need to build new alliances to protect their craft: with civil society and policy makers and employers who care. This report will help take the debate forward and provides fresh argument at national level for journalists and their unions to secure the future of journalism for society and democracy."

Union membership

Both White and Dear argue that membership of a union is important. "I think all those who work in media would benefit from being a member of a union," said the NUJ secretary general.

"Every day we represent people working in new and emerging media who have been treated unfairly at work, have an issue with their contract, need legal advice, and want professional help," said Dear.

"We win hundreds of thousands of pounds for such members every year. As well as that, it is important we begin to build a professional solidarity and networking so we can help shape the future use of emerging technologies for the benefit of journalism, not just the bean-counters."

White argued that many people don't see the point of a union because their employers have made it clear that "if they want to keep their job or access they should steer clear of the union".

"In fact, given a free choice most journalists see the value of a union as providing collective voice and protecting their right."

Union organisation is also changing, White said. Journalists' unions are looking to find new ways of connecting with their members and with prospective members, he added. "[W]e do need to focus on the issues that matter: wages, training, contracts.

"Across Europe and beyond media unions are undergoing a massive review of their approach to organising. They are less exclusive, more flexible in the services they provide and more focused on reaching out to the new community of journalists, many of them young people, who don't appreciate old-style bureaucracy or self-serving defence of vested interests."

Keeping up with the new?

Dear defended the union against complaints that it had failed to keep up with new technological developments: "People will always criticise - some that we care too much about newer media, some that we care too much about traditional media.

"The platform is less important than the commitment to quality journalism. The fastest growing sector of the union for the past two years has been those working online - that trend will continue and more and more resources will consequently be devoted to supporting the sector. We want to represent all those who work with content and are committed to doing so."

Aidan White said that from an international perspective the NUJ had responded effectively to challenges: "The NUJ has recognised that change is inevitable and welcome, but that it must be organised in a way that respects people's rights.

"You can't abandon systems of worker protection overnight just to suit the commercial needs of media. If change is to work there has to be a degree of planning and a touch of humanity as well, even if some media employers think otherwise." The report can be found at this PDF link.