This local news campaign group was set up around a year ago, to see what could be done about the threats to the quality and independence of the local news media, as well as the crisis affecting public service broadcasting. The article includes a report on the one-day media conference (see 
http://www.oxnuj.org.uk/story.php?storyID=126) also held in Oxford on March 19, as well as a draft agenda for this Tuesday's meeting.
http://www.oxnuj.org.uk/story.php?storyID=126) also held in Oxford on March 19, as well as a draft agenda for this Tuesday's meeting.
Oxfordshire Local News Campaign
60 Cricket Road Oxford OX4 3DQ e-mail
oxnuj@aol.com, Tel 01865 723450
The next meeting of the campaign will be 6.00pm
Tuesday September 13,
in the Panel Room, Oxford Town Hall
Draft Agenda
1. Press pack: report and ideas
2. Editors’ forum
3. Banbury meeting
4. Profile of the Campaign
i. ad in Senior Citizens News
5. AOB
Minutes of the Oxfordshire Local News Campaign meeting, May 19th 2005
Present:
Peter Cann (NUJ), Sue Tibbles (Oxford Trades Council), Mark Ladbrooke (Oxford Unison), Nigel Day (OCC Adult Learning Services), Lucy Pickering (Oxford Community English School), Janet Mace (Oxon Council of Disabled People), Carol Cattley (NUJ, Voice of Listener and Viewer), Anna Wagstaff (NUJ), Eileen Cameron Kirby (Indymedia), Khadija Safwat (Sudanese Cultural Society), Peter McIntyre (NUJ)
Apologies
Morton and Betty Hooper (Voice of Listener and Viewer), Mary Evans Young (Age Concern), Monica Macleod (Oxford Pensioners Action Group), Mike Taylor (NUJ)
Report of the conference and discussion
Good and bad points were reported. There was a good representation of the local community in attendance, and the level of discussion was very high. It avoided focusing on individual gripes, but concentrated on processes –deadlines, familiarity (or lack of it) with background to the stories, choice of sources/line, heavy dependence on police/fire/ambulance services for stories. There was a consensus that the BBC and Oxford Mail speakers explained well how they do their job, but many in the audience had found it hard to follow the presentation on public service broadcasting. There was very positive feedback from many who attended. They appreciated the chance for opening a dialogue with local journalists and many were keen to find ways to keep it going.
The five aims outlined in the original Local News Campaign Leaflet (shown below) were agreed by the meeting with one amendment
1 All local media should commit themselves to public service values of fairness and balance, reflecting the diversity of Oxfordshire communities.
2 Local media should employ enough journalists to ensure high quality local services and staffing levels should be protected.
3 BBC and ITV should undertake to protect and expand local programming and services.
4 The BBC should continue to be funded by the licence fee as a commitment to public service and quality.
5 Local media organisations should participate in a local forum to explain how they meet their obligations, and to listen to public views.
The amendment was to change “balance” in point 1 to “openness”, as many people felt the concept of “balance” is sometimes misused by the media.
The meeting agreed the Local News Campaign should meet as soon as possible, inviting everyone who had attended the public meeting or otherwise shown an interest, and should pursue the idea of exploring ways to improve the dialogue between the local media and community groups and the public, e.g. through six-monthly “editors forums”. (The present meeting had been called on the basis of that decision).
In a wider discussion, Anna Wagstaff reported on Levellers Day, where she had spoken about the Campaign and related issues, and the Campaign had a stall. It was clear that many at Levellers Day had already heard of the Campaign and the also the imminent threat to the BBC, which reflected well on the distribution of publicity done so far.
Khadija Safwat stressed that severe cutbacks at the BBC would have worldwide repercussions. The world service for instance was heavily relied on in Sudan, which is poorly served by national media.
Tony Richardson raised the issue of corporate control of distribution. In the US, Wallmart’s importance as an outlet has put it in a position to effectively exert censorship over certain publications. Now that Tescos and other supermarkets have moved into magazine and newspaper selling, could this happen here?
Moving ahead
Editors Forum
Peter McIntyre reported that a delegation from the campaign had met with the station manager of BBC Oxford, Steve Taschini. He was very open to the idea of an editors forum, where editors of all the local print and broadcast media could meet community groups and the public, and cited examples of similar forums he had participated in elsewhere.
Bridget Dakin, editor of the Banbury Guardian, had attended the public meeting and is also supportive of the idea of an editors forum. The news editor at Fox FM had also agreed to a meeting with the Campaign, although this had so far not happened. It was agreed that the Campaign should seek meetings with Fox, Central and Milestone (Oxford 6 and Passion FM) before approaching the Oxford Mail and Times, as the latter could be the hardest to persuade.
Bridget Dakin had approached the campaign with a view to organizing a similar public meeting in Banbury. If the BBC sent their Banbury reporter and there was also representation from the other Banabury paper, the Banbury Cake, in addition to local community groups, this could act as a sort of pilot “editors forum”. (The meeting felt the idea was good in principle, but no-one committed themselves to take on organizing it. October or November were seen as the earliest possible months)
Practical aids to improve communications between community and media: Press packs
Nigel Day and Lucy Pickering argued there is a need for practical information to help community groups get their stories over to the media. They need to know what makes for a good story in the eyes of a news editor. How to write an effective press release, etc. The journalists also need to me more knowledgeable and aware about who is active doing what to what effect in the community, so that they turn to them for information or quotes when a story arises. The media should be more responsive and community groups need to be more proactive.
It was agreed that the campaign should produce a press pack designed for both journalists and community groups. It would inform community groups about the local media, phone/fax/e-mail details of news desks and of specialist reporters (Ox Mail) and forward planning desks (broadcasting) etc, and give information on drawing up press releases, preparing media events etc. It would also give journalists information and contact details for community groups, including names and numbers/e-mails of contacts and links to websites etc.
AOB
BBC strike
Anna Wagstaff informed the meeting of the days of the BBC national strike against a crippling cuts programme, and urged people to go to the picket line to show their support and write to the BBC Director General protesting at the proposed cuts.
Public meeting
Notice was given of a meeting at Green College on the future of ITV and the BBC, with speakers from OFCOM, the BBC, and academics, May 26th, 6pm.
Next Meeting of the Campaign
Agreed the next meeting would be called sometime at the end of July.
60 Cricket Road Oxford OX4 3DQ e-mail
oxnuj@aol.com, Tel 01865 723450 The next meeting of the campaign will be 6.00pm
Tuesday September 13,
in the Panel Room, Oxford Town Hall
Draft Agenda
1. Press pack: report and ideas
2. Editors’ forum
3. Banbury meeting
4. Profile of the Campaign
i. ad in Senior Citizens News
5. AOB
Minutes of the Oxfordshire Local News Campaign meeting, May 19th 2005
Present:
Peter Cann (NUJ), Sue Tibbles (Oxford Trades Council), Mark Ladbrooke (Oxford Unison), Nigel Day (OCC Adult Learning Services), Lucy Pickering (Oxford Community English School), Janet Mace (Oxon Council of Disabled People), Carol Cattley (NUJ, Voice of Listener and Viewer), Anna Wagstaff (NUJ), Eileen Cameron Kirby (Indymedia), Khadija Safwat (Sudanese Cultural Society), Peter McIntyre (NUJ)
Apologies
Morton and Betty Hooper (Voice of Listener and Viewer), Mary Evans Young (Age Concern), Monica Macleod (Oxford Pensioners Action Group), Mike Taylor (NUJ)
Report of the conference and discussion
Good and bad points were reported. There was a good representation of the local community in attendance, and the level of discussion was very high. It avoided focusing on individual gripes, but concentrated on processes –deadlines, familiarity (or lack of it) with background to the stories, choice of sources/line, heavy dependence on police/fire/ambulance services for stories. There was a consensus that the BBC and Oxford Mail speakers explained well how they do their job, but many in the audience had found it hard to follow the presentation on public service broadcasting. There was very positive feedback from many who attended. They appreciated the chance for opening a dialogue with local journalists and many were keen to find ways to keep it going.
The five aims outlined in the original Local News Campaign Leaflet (shown below) were agreed by the meeting with one amendment
1 All local media should commit themselves to public service values of fairness and balance, reflecting the diversity of Oxfordshire communities.
2 Local media should employ enough journalists to ensure high quality local services and staffing levels should be protected.
3 BBC and ITV should undertake to protect and expand local programming and services.
4 The BBC should continue to be funded by the licence fee as a commitment to public service and quality.
5 Local media organisations should participate in a local forum to explain how they meet their obligations, and to listen to public views.
The amendment was to change “balance” in point 1 to “openness”, as many people felt the concept of “balance” is sometimes misused by the media.
The meeting agreed the Local News Campaign should meet as soon as possible, inviting everyone who had attended the public meeting or otherwise shown an interest, and should pursue the idea of exploring ways to improve the dialogue between the local media and community groups and the public, e.g. through six-monthly “editors forums”. (The present meeting had been called on the basis of that decision).
In a wider discussion, Anna Wagstaff reported on Levellers Day, where she had spoken about the Campaign and related issues, and the Campaign had a stall. It was clear that many at Levellers Day had already heard of the Campaign and the also the imminent threat to the BBC, which reflected well on the distribution of publicity done so far.
Khadija Safwat stressed that severe cutbacks at the BBC would have worldwide repercussions. The world service for instance was heavily relied on in Sudan, which is poorly served by national media.
Tony Richardson raised the issue of corporate control of distribution. In the US, Wallmart’s importance as an outlet has put it in a position to effectively exert censorship over certain publications. Now that Tescos and other supermarkets have moved into magazine and newspaper selling, could this happen here?
Moving ahead
Editors Forum
Peter McIntyre reported that a delegation from the campaign had met with the station manager of BBC Oxford, Steve Taschini. He was very open to the idea of an editors forum, where editors of all the local print and broadcast media could meet community groups and the public, and cited examples of similar forums he had participated in elsewhere.
Bridget Dakin, editor of the Banbury Guardian, had attended the public meeting and is also supportive of the idea of an editors forum. The news editor at Fox FM had also agreed to a meeting with the Campaign, although this had so far not happened. It was agreed that the Campaign should seek meetings with Fox, Central and Milestone (Oxford 6 and Passion FM) before approaching the Oxford Mail and Times, as the latter could be the hardest to persuade.
Bridget Dakin had approached the campaign with a view to organizing a similar public meeting in Banbury. If the BBC sent their Banbury reporter and there was also representation from the other Banabury paper, the Banbury Cake, in addition to local community groups, this could act as a sort of pilot “editors forum”. (The meeting felt the idea was good in principle, but no-one committed themselves to take on organizing it. October or November were seen as the earliest possible months)
Practical aids to improve communications between community and media: Press packs
Nigel Day and Lucy Pickering argued there is a need for practical information to help community groups get their stories over to the media. They need to know what makes for a good story in the eyes of a news editor. How to write an effective press release, etc. The journalists also need to me more knowledgeable and aware about who is active doing what to what effect in the community, so that they turn to them for information or quotes when a story arises. The media should be more responsive and community groups need to be more proactive.
It was agreed that the campaign should produce a press pack designed for both journalists and community groups. It would inform community groups about the local media, phone/fax/e-mail details of news desks and of specialist reporters (Ox Mail) and forward planning desks (broadcasting) etc, and give information on drawing up press releases, preparing media events etc. It would also give journalists information and contact details for community groups, including names and numbers/e-mails of contacts and links to websites etc.
AOB
BBC strike
Anna Wagstaff informed the meeting of the days of the BBC national strike against a crippling cuts programme, and urged people to go to the picket line to show their support and write to the BBC Director General protesting at the proposed cuts.
Public meeting
Notice was given of a meeting at Green College on the future of ITV and the BBC, with speakers from OFCOM, the BBC, and academics, May 26th, 6pm.
Next Meeting of the Campaign
Agreed the next meeting would be called sometime at the end of July.
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