Building momentum: Calls for a Public Journalism Institute continue
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Months after the No News is Bad News event held in Edinburgh in June of this year, during which community journalists and indie news publishers showed their support for a Public Interest Journalism Institute, the calls continue…
Investigative Journalist and author of Night Train to Odesa, Jen Stout - who also appeared as a guest during the conference in June - recently made a call to the Culture Secretary to reinstate a Public Interest Journalism Institute.
Jen reiterated the call as she spoke at the Wigtown Book Festival:
“There is an urgent need to reverse the decline in Scottish journalism and this is one way to do it… In an age rife with disinformation and lies, we desperately need this…Imagine if there was a Scottish Public Interest Journalism Institute – supporting local, international and specialist journalism, but also acting as an advocate for the kind of strong, trusted reporting every citizen needs.”
Jen extended the call specifically to the Culture Secretary, Angus Robertson, who she said can move things forward:
“A Public Interest Journalism Working Group was established in 2021 but there has been little progress, and it now falls to Culture Secretary Angus Robertson to push matters forward.” adding that she hopes MSPs and ministers understand that, although journalists can be a pain for them, “a news vacuum full of disinformation and conspiracy would be much worse.”
In June 2022, the Culture Secretary responded to the proposal for a Public Interest Journalism Institute. He said he warmly welcomed the working group’s “well-researched report and their thoughtful and innovative solutions to the extremely pertinent challenges facing the sector in light of a changing media landscape.”
But, as of this year, the Public Interest Journalism Institute is yet to come to fruition despite the continued calls from within the sector for further funding and support.
If you would like to read more of what Jen Stout had to say over the weekend on the matter, you can read The Edinburgh reporter’s piece in this week’s newsletter.
-Devon
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