Scott Trust press freedom questions over Observer sale I NS editor to stand down
Plus Carole Cadwalladr says Guardian bosses told her to "desist" in criticism of Tortoise deal and Reach's CEO says he has kept job cuts promise as the company ends 2024 with redundancies
Welcome to your daily newsletter from Press Gazette on Monday 25 November 2024, brought to you today in association with Glide Publishing Platform, who provide a specialist Headless CMS and Customer Data Platform for publishers and media organisations.
The Scott Trust meets today with the future of The Observer top of the agenda.
The body, which owns Guardian News and Media, has owned The Observer as well since 1993 and appears to want to get rid of the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.
Guardian journalists are set to walk out for two days in protest at the sale process on 4 December and Observer suitor Tortoise Media has said it wants a decision before Christmas.
We exclusively report two developments in the story today:
1) Observer writer Carole Cadwalladr said she has been warned by Guardian management that public statements relating to the Observer sale could put her in breach of contract. She subsequently spoke to a press freedom conference in Malta denouncing the deal. We have her comments in full.
2) A consortium of press freedom groups has urged the Scott Trust to answer six questions about the Observer sale, including: "Why is the sale of The Observer being discussed only with one preferred bidder instead of through an open, transparent and fair process?" We have the questions and the Scott Trus/Tortoise media responses here.
Reach has made yet more redundancies at the Sunday Express and Scottish and Irish editions of its national Sunday papers. But chief executive Jim Mullen says investment elsewhere means the publisher will end the year with more journalists than it had at the end of the big cutbacks at the start of the year.
And the House of Lords has published a major report on the future of news. Highlights include a recommendation that local news publishers should benefit from tax breaks and a recognition that copyright law needs to be updated to incentivise both publishers and generative AI companies.
You are can read the full report here and we'll have some more analysis on Press Gazette later today.
My colleague at our sister title The New Statesman, Jason Cowley, has announced his decision to step down after 16 years as editor at the end of this year (but continue as a writer for the title). His opposite number on rival title The Spectator, Fraser Nelson, left in September after 15 years in post, so we are seeing a changing of the guard on the UK's two leading political/cultural magazines of the left and right.
Nelson (who surely offers an objective view) said on Twitter: "Under Jason Cowley, The New Statesman defied industry gravity - increasing sales in a market down by two-thirds.
"After 16 years he leaves behind a magazine that has never been better and its future never brighter."
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On Press Gazette
Observer journalist Carole Cadwalladr. Picture: Orwell Foundation
Observer writer speaks out over ‘grave threat’ to title at press freedom conference
Cadwalladr, who is on a freelance contract with The Observer, was written to by management after appearing on the Media Confidential podcast hosted by former Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger earlier this month.
Observer sale to Tortoise: Press freedom groups seeks answers from Scott Trust
The Scott Trust has received a letter co-signed by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom, the European Federation of Journalists, Index on Censorship, International Press Institute and OBC Transeuropa.
Jason Cowley bowing out after 16 years as New Statesman editor
“Most rewarding has been helping to develop and nurture a new generation of talented political and cultural writers.”
Reach ends year with more redundancies but reports net increase in staff
Reach chief executive Jim Mullen has written to staff saying “I have kept my word” on job cuts at the group as parts of the business enact redundancies.
Reach journalist targeted by online abuse shares story as part of new police campaign
“Our journalist who bravely shared her story is sadly one of many women who I know have been targeted by unjustifiable and revolting aggression and sent extreme adult content without consent.”
News diary 25 November – December 1: Parliament debates assisted dying and tobacco and vapes bill
A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda this week, from the team at Foresight News.
News in brief
The House of Lords Future of News report says the Government “must update legislation to align incentives between news providers and AI firms and help them strike mutually beneficial deals". Full report here.
The Times reports that Mishal Husain is set to step down from her regular role presenting Radio 4's Today programme after 11 years. (The Times)
Nadhim Zahawi and British-Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Mansour are in "advanced talks" to join Dovid Efune's bid for The Telegraph, the Financial Times reports.
Also on Press Gazette:
Battle for future of National World as shareholder launches takeover bid
Jay Rayner leaves Observer as departing editor slams planned sale
Muslim news site 5Pillars quits regulator for religious reasons
Essex Police drops ‘misguided and chilling’ action against Allison Pearson
Guardian strike: Staff agree 48-hour walkout over Observer sale to Tortoise
Google Discover has become Reach’s ‘biggest referrer of traffic’
Guardian US editor Betsy Reed: ‘We want to offer readers joy and hope’
How top New Zealand news publisher unlocked growth by splitting in two
How publishers can use branded content to grow advertising revenue (promoted)
News agency behind UK’s biggest headlines expands into US (promoted)
Podcast 78: Generative AI in the newsroom at The Telegraph
Telegraph Media Group director of technology Dylan Jacques talks to us about the title’s ambitious plans to roll out a new generative-AI powered feature every month for 12 months.
It has already rolled out AI-written summaries and various internal tools which are helping journalists use AI to improve content, increase reader engagement and so sell more subscriptions.