Nice to know thatmy unionpeople associated with my union (self correcting in the interests of fairness), which I have been a member of for the last 15 years think that the journalistic field in which I work - blogging - is "effing blogs".
Like many of the people commenting, I too was once a member of the NUJ; I'm rather glad that I never went back judging by the extraordinary responses from a representative of that organisation to the original post (do read the whole thread if you can, it's highly entertaining.)
It contrasts nicely with the deft way that Anthony Gold responded to my critical article over on Open Enterprise, where he immediately offered to talk with me about the issues I raised (which turned into this interview). I emerged with enhanced respect for the man and the organisation he heads, since he did exactly what the NUJ representative did not: he addressed the issues I raised in a non-confrontational way.
Chris is not a representative of the NUJ, he never claimed to be one and has, in fact, denied being anything other than a representative of himself. It makes the story a little less interesting, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteWell, thanks for the clarification, but he did write: "as you know I chair the Professional Training Committee", which strongly implied he was speaking for the NUJ, albeit indirectly.
ReplyDeletePerhaps it might have been better for him to add that they were *his* views only, and not in any way official policy. For, as you say, it changes the dynamics somewhat.
He has done so since and, to be absolutely clear, the Professional Training Committee is not a representative group, it's a coordinating body.
ReplyDeleteOK. thanks.
ReplyDelete