Birmingham and Coventry National Union of Journalists

Birmingham and Coventry January Branch Meeting

Thursday 19th January 2012
Bennett's Bar
8 Bennetts Hill
Birmingham
B2 5RS
Meet 18:00 for 18:30 start

Light refreshments will be served

Agenda:
1) Introduction by chair/those attending
2) Minutes of December meeting
3) Secretary/Treasurers reports
4) Branch reports
5) Up date on BBC dispute any other disputes/ redundancies in the area
6) Crisis in Midlands Journalism: Feedback from December public meeting
7) Discussion on the way forward: *Lee Kenny will lead off
8) Any other business

* Here are some proposals by Lee Kenny

To produce five three-minute vignettes highlighting the issues facing Midland journalists.

These could consist of:

Print: Details of Midland communities without papers (those listed at December public meeting). Focus on one title (possibly the Chase Post). Interviews with former staff, community groups which regularly appeared in the paper (Neighbourhood groups, sports teams, clubs/societies) and their thoughts now the papers no longer report on their communities.

Radio: Details of closures/newsroom mergers. Interviews with news journalists affected by closures.

TV: Details of closures/newsroom mergers. Interviews with news journalists affected by closures.

Local Democracy: Highlight the court, council, NHS Trust meetings which take place without a reporter present. Short/intercut interviews with MPs/councillors/magistrates discussing the importance of local media.

The Wider Community: Vox pops with people on the streets of the major Midland Towns. Ascertain how they find out about their areas and the importance they place on local journalism.

The idea is that these could be screened separately (on YouTube) of as one 15 minute-long piece (at events/meetings).

Obviously we could develop these with the branch/other reporters to see what they think.

The videos and Facebook interest could build up to a bigger event in the Spring (Midland Journalism Week or something of that elk) which would hopefully have the support of Midland press/radio/TV/MPs/schools to better highlight the issue.


Agree/disagree or have other ideas, let the branch know before the 19th!

birminghamcoventry@nuj.org.uk