Telegraph calls for law change over Pearson investigation | National newspaper ABCs
Plus we have your news diary for the week ahead and Prince Harry and Tom Watson are left as the only remaining claimants against The Sun's publisher
Welcome to your daily newsletter from Press Gazette on Monday 18 November 2024.
The Telegraph has called for a change in the law to better protect freedom of speech as it emerged over the weekend that journalist Allison Pearson is being investigated under a possible breach of the Public Order Act.
Essex Police is at the centre of a huge row after officers visited Pearson on Remembrance Sunday to discuss a complaint made about a Twitter post sent a year earlier.
The visit took a Kafkaesque turn when Phillips was told she could not be told either the substance of the offending post or who had made the complaint.
Readers of Press Gazette will know that UK police have a long history of heavy-handed tactics when it comes to their dealings with journalists. During Operation Elveden in the late 2000s, 34 journalists were arrested and/or charged - many in dawn raids - but none were ever convicted at trial.
In recent years we have covered several examples of journalists being arrested whilst covering protests.
The X post which appears to have caused so much offence has now emerged. It appears to have been deleted by Pearson because it was inaccurate.
Press Gazette has found a link to the message on an internet archive website and published a version of it today (with faces obscured for legal reasons). Pearson says the complained-about post was "innocuous" and "does not come near the threshold for criminal prosecution".
Today we also report on the latest national newspaper ABC sales figures which show print decline continuing to run at 15%, giving newspapers a half-life of about five years. The Mail titles, i and FT are however out-performing the market.
There has been a major development in Prince Harry versus The Sun as 39 of his co-defendants have chosen to settle their cases. Only Harry and former Labour MP Tom Watson are proceeding to trial in January over allegations of unlawful newsgathering.
Last week former Sun royal editor Duncan Larcombe told me he believes Harry's claim is "deluded".
As we head into the home straight of 2024 news publishers are continuing to cut costs ahead of year-end. Dotdash Meredith in the US is cutting 53 staff working on its portfolio of print magazines.
Our news in brief section below details more cuts which have emerged over the weekend at the Express titles.
And your news diary for the week ahead includes former health secretary Matt Hancock appearing at the Covid-19 inquiry, inflation data in the UK and Royal Mail Group annual results.
On Press Gazette
Telegraph calls for change in law after Allison Pearson accused of Public Order offence
In a leader column The Sunday Telegraph warned that “overzealous police officers” are “choosing to focus their effort on policing thoughts and speech rather than cracking down on violent crime or theft”.
Newspaper ABCs: Sunday Mail in Scotland manages to hold off monthly decline in October
Reach-owned Scottish newspaper the Sunday Mail was the only paid-for title to see any minor circulation growth in October.
Prince Harry and Tom Watson only remaining claimants against Sun publisher
The trial is expected to be held in January.
News diary 18 – 24 November: 1,000 days since invasion of Ukraine, Hancock at Covid inquiry
A look ahead at the key events leading the news agenda this week, from the team at Foresight News.
News in brief
Dotdash Meredith has laid off 53 people, mostly in print. (Press Gazette)
Sunday Express editor David Wooding has left Reach as the company looks to merge the Sunday and daily editorial teams into one seven-day operation, The Guardian reports.
Donald Trump's lawyer sent a letter to The New York Times and Penguin Random House a week before the election demanding $10bn in defamation damages, CJR reports. (Columbia Journalism Review)
Former Spectator editor Fraser Nelson has been hired by The Times, Semafor reports.
Company sources at News Corp have told The Telegraph that the company is "exploring plans to launch a new digital-only rival to The Spectator". (The Spectator)
Elon Musk unsuccessfully approached the chief executive of Substack about acquiring the platform in April 2023, The New York Times reports. Substack has separately told the NYT that its network now encompasses four million paid subscriptions and that more than 30 publishers there make at least $1m annually. (The New York Times)
This week on Press Gazette:
Scott Trust appoints new member as it nears crucial Observer sale decision
Top publishers saw less traffic on day of 2024 US election versus 2020
Telegraph is launching an AI-driven newsroom tool every month
Fresh auction looms for Telegraph as Dovid Efune yet to secure financing
Paul Staines steps down as Guido Fawkes editor, Ross Kempsell becomes publisher
News Corp adds Google-powered AI summaries to Factiva search results
Open web group says Google Sandbox ‘governance framework’ lets it ‘mark its own homework’
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.
What about other journalists like Matt Kennard / Asa Winstanley?
Double standards at Press Gazette?