Launch meeting, Media Workers Against the War Scotland
Saturday April 21, 12.30-1400 @ SACC Conference, STUC, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3
It doesn’t matter what kind of journalist you are; we all want to report the facts truthfully and comprehensively. That means explaining context, including alternative views, questioning and challenging official statements and policies, and above all, opposing what’s morally wrong and illegal.
The issue of flawed and biased coverage is becoming ever-more problematic. The media was prone to supine and lazy journalism in the build up to both wars in the Gulf. Politicians and lobbyists must no longer be allowed to bully a weakened and pliable media to sell a misguided war on terror by perpetuating armed aggression in Iran and Afghanistan.
That is why we are organising Media Workers Against the War Scotland to oppose the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and to warn against attacking Iran, through fair reporting and better scrutiny of government policy and military conduct. If we can organise in workplaces to give media staff confidence in standing up to their editors and managers to insist on ethical standards of fair and balanced reporting, then we have made a start in telling the unvarnished truth.
DEBATE THE ISSUES ON APRIL 21
With speakers:
ON NEWS, TRUTH AND POWER
Professor John Eldridge, a member of the Glasgow University Media Group, the foremost centre for media research and analysis in the UK. Professor Eldridge will talk about the issues which war reporting raises, particularly the way the media is used in war coverage to build support for, and to normalise, state aggression.
ON ANTI-WAR ACTIVISM INSIDE THE MEDIA
Dave Crouch is the chair of Media Workers Against War and has been instrumental in organising its successful campaign. MWAW has protested, leafleted and debated with the major media organisations including the BBC, ITN, BSkyB, CNN and other broadcasters and with newspaper editors and politicians. Recent speakers at MWAW meetings included Yasmin Alibhai Brown, Gary Younge, Craig Murray, Yvonne Ridley and NUJ president Jeremy Dear.
Media Workers Against the War Scotland’s launch meeting is being held at the annual conference of Scotland Against Criminalising Communities, in the STUC, 333 Woodlands Road, Glasgow G3, Saturday 21 April at 1230-1400.
Contact: Bruce Whitehead Email: brucek3@aol.com Mobile: 07944 928 702 www.mwaw.net
