Journalism is one of the fundamental elements which makes democracy remain because journalists represent the voice of the public opinion. Which is why being a journalist has become a difficult job and it is complicated to imagine how tough it is when we are not on the field.
Moreover, the NUJ is involved in other aspects of the journalism social protection as the pay, more than £9 million has been secured the past year for the NUJ members. They also tend to regularize the difference of salary between genders, 91% of the UK and Irish media companies pay more men than women according to a Press Gazette study.
When a person joins the NUJ, especially as a young journalist or student, “you have the ability to set up your own network, you are joining an organisation which lets you have access to a career development” Gerry Curran, a member of National Executive of the NUJ explained during a recent press conference. Members of the NUJ are helped in any social issue at work, the organisation works against work harassment and insists on the fact that every media workers have to be treated with respect.
Every members are part of a collective voice, the purpose is to defend workers right and attacks against press freedom. “I was always against press regulation, I think they should be self-regulated” said the National Executive of the NUJ about the complicated question between press regulation and press freedom. Joining the NUJ is “creating an opportunity for yourself” Gerry Curran added.
The NUJ is also involved in journalists unfairly imprisoned abroad. The 5th of January, due to a protest in Ankara in Turkey, three women journalists were detained and another one was beaten. They might have been tortured in prison and we do not have any information concerning their location. According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), torture and unfair imprisonment are unfortunately getting common in Turkey.
“We demand the immediate release of all our colleagues still in jail and a guarantee that they can work free of fear. We call on President Erdogan to immediately stop his smear campaign against the press.” Said Anthony Bellanger, the IFG general secretary.
Currently, supporting journalists in Washington is the current issue for the NUJ admitted the member of National Executive, especially the braveness of Shepard Smith, a journalist of the CNBC, who asked to stop the tape while Trump was claiming “the election was stolen from us”.
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