Hard Pressed flyer 220212 sm
• Hacked to bits: Restoring public trust in journalism - the Benn Debate
7.30pm Friday March 16th, Arnolfini, Bristol.
The reputation of journalism is in tatters after revelations about phone hacking, still being unravelled by the Leveson Inquiry and several police investigations.
Soon the focus will shift onto how the press – and the online media – can be regulated in a rapidly-changing landscape.
No-one wants a repetition of the abuses unveiled recently. But many are fearful that more effective regulation will mean politicians can dictate how the media is run.
Bristol NUJ has brought together a remarkable panel of nationally-known figures to debate these vital issues.
Lord Hunt – chairman of the Press Complaints Commission and former Conservative Cabinet minister
Christopher Jefferies – a happily retired school teacher until he was libelled by several newspapers over the Jo Yeates murder
Prof Epp Lauk – chair of the Estonian Press Council and an academic expert on press regulation and the culture of the press across Europe, with a particular focus on emerging democracies
Thais Portilho-Shrimpton – co-ordinator of the Hacked Off campaign against phone hacking, she has kept a close vigil on the Leveson Inquiry and knows many of the key figures who have given evidence
Richard Peppiatt – a former Daily Star reporter, he has spoken out about how he felt obliged to make up stories and how he felt the Star had an anti-Muslim agenda
PLUS
• Page One: Inside the New York Times – a documentary
5.30pm Friday March 16th
First showing in Bristol of this remarkable fly-on-the-wall film about one of the world's great newspapers as it faces up to the challenges of a revolution in the needs of media consumers.
Pricing
Both events
Film Only £ 6.50
Debate Only £ 6.50
Venue
Arnolfini,
16 Narrow Quay
Bristol,
Avon BS1 4QA;
0117 917 2300
Contact Information
Paul Breeden 07811 766072
www.bristolnuj.org.uk
Notes to editors:
The Benn Lectures
Every year since 2005 the annual Bristol NUJ Benn Lectures have brought together the public, the Bristol media community and a guest speaker of national distinction, in a chance to debate the most pressing journalistic and political issues of our times.
Past Benn Lecturers include Bristol politician, writer and NUJ honorary member Tony Benn; Journalist of the Year 2008 Andrew Gilligan; Independent columnist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown;
For 2012 The Benn Lecture Marks a momentous year for journalism with a debate featuring leading figures from across the journalistic world.
Notes to Editors
Bristol NUJ
Bristol NUJ is the local branch of the National Union of Journalists, representing hundreds of members working in editorial media in the city – more than any other regional organisation. As well as representing and defending members, the branch sees its role as standing up for high-quality, independent journalism, and acting as the city's prime forum for discussing journalism.
www.bristolnuj.org.uk
Bristol Festival of Ideas
The Bristol Festival of Ideas aims to stimulate people’s minds and passions with an inspiring programme of discussion and debate, featuring figures of national distinction. It seeks to provide an annual festival of debate and discussion in May with special events through the year. Overall, it is keen to link arts and sciences. It does not shy away from controversial issues and speakers and seeks to engage widely in the city.
http://www.ideasfestival.co.uk
MediaAct
MediaAct is a comparative research project on media accountability systems across EU member states and the Arab world, using these as indicators of media pluralism. The UK part of the project is based at the University of the West of England with MediaWise.
http://www.mediaact.eu
MediaWise
MediaWise (formerly PressWise) is an independent journalism ethics charity based at UWE. Set up in 1993 by victims of media abuse, it operates on the principle that press freedom is a responsibility exercised by journalists on behalf of the public, and that the public have a right to know when the media publish inaccurate information.
http://www.mediawise.org.uk
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Bristol NUJ
Bristol NUJ is the local branch of the National Union of Journalists, representing hundreds of members working in editorial media in the city – more than any other regional organisation. As well as representing and defending members, the branch sees its role as standing up for high-quality, independent journalism, and acting as the city's prime forum for discussing journalism.
www.bristolnuj.org.uk
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
