The role of the National Union of Journalists is to come under discussion at a public debate where former MP Tony Benn will be among the panellists.
The discussion will be lead by a panel which also includes Jeremy Dear, NUJ general secretary, and David Aaronovitch, columnist for the Times. The moderator will be Charlie Beckett, director of the Polis think tank at the London School of Economics.
The debate, “What is the role of the NUJ in today’s media?” promises to be a lively and controversial discussion, at London’s Frontline Club on Friday, June 15.
The question will be addressed at the well-known Paddington venue where foreign correspondents and commentators gather for lively discussions on the stories of the day. There will be prominent voices for and against the union's role.
Jeremy Dear said: “Times are changing fast and the union is changing with them. There are many new challenges facing us and we are ready to meet them. We cannot stand still hoping things will say stay the same - they simply won’t.
“The future of journalism itself is an exciting one and the NUJ is ready to embrace the new media environment. The potential is huge but so are the challenges. The union is determined to ensure that as the nature of our work evolves so do our working conditions. Journalists must be properly trained and rewarded for their vital role in the integrated digital future.
“But although the technology may change, the key issues that our members face don’t.
”Every day the union works to increase the pay and improve the working conditions of its members - this has been our key role for the last hundred years and, given the nature of the corporations that own our media, it is a sad fact that it will be for the next. In this respect, the day the union is no longer needed will be a happy one!”
