Thursday 15 October 2009

Jon Snow supports Mark Watts for Journalist editor...but can't vote after quitting union

Channel 4's Jon Snow is backing freelance and FoI specialist Mark Watts in the election for editor of the NUJ magazine, the Journalist, but apparently left the union last year and can't vote.
Snow, according to the FOIA website, said today: “I support the Watts campaign. It is time members voted for a truly independent journalists’ union.”
But intriguingly the story on the site also says: "Meanwhile, Snow also revealed in a telephone conversation with our reporter that he quit the NUJ last year because of what he regards as the politicisation of the union. He said: 'I was peeved over the boycott of Israel despite my strong Palestinian sympathies. I did not like being told what to think by my union.' "

5 comments:

Bill Goodwin said...

That's quite a coup. I think there is growing recognition that the journalist needs an independent editor like Mark Watts.

Greg Watts said...

I didn't know Snow had quit the NUJ. I agree with his reason for doing so.

Mark Watts said...

Re the comment from Greg Watts. While I would not, of course, want to banish anyone who has the fortune to share my surname from commenting, I thought that I should point out that he is, as they say, no relation.

And yes, I really am THE candidate.

Greg Watts said...

Yes, I can confirm Mark's comment. We are not related.

kevin cahill fbcs said...

If you want to see whether you think Mark Watts would make a good editor for Journalist in the media age, watch him live tonight, Saturday, on BBC News at 2315 (1115pm)I believe any editor who wants to move the Journalist on will have to have a good media presence - something we all know in our profession.