Media Quotes of the Week: From NUJ and Johnston Press boss don't see eye to eye on i to beware August meeting on new press regulator

Johnston Press chief executive Ashley Highfield: “The acquisition of the i newspaper in April was transformational for Johnston Press. Since the acquisition we have increased circulation considerably, using the extensive JP distribution network, and continued to grow market share. The market continues to be challenging and uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the Brexit negotiations has caused further softness in some segments of the advertising market, in June and July.”

Laura Davison, NUJ national organiser, in a statement: "Sadly Ashley Highfield is living in cloud cuckoo land if he thinks the acquisition of the i is transformational. Taking on extra debt and flogging off other assets will not result in salvation for Johnston Press. Our members see the actual reality in the company's newsrooms day in and day out. Content sharing between the i and other titles is a way of trying to mask low staffing levels in Johnston Press sites with all the consequent problems for quality journalism and stressed-out staff."

Liz Gerard on her SubScribe blog: "The trouble is that almost all of our local newspapers are now owned by one of three groups - Trinity Mirror, Johnston Press and the American-owned Newsquest - each of which seems to have problems with the definition of 'local'. Well here's a clue: if something is 10, 20 or 50 miles away, it isn't local. If your office is on an industrial estate when your readers are in the high street, it isn't local. If your reporter is in one town, your editor in another and your subs in a different county or even country, your product isn't local."

Gareth Davies ‏@Gareth_Davies on Twitter: "Little bit of news following last week's article and tweets about the issues facing local papers in the UK...So, to that end, I've set up @journalocal, which which aims to share the best examples of local journalism in the UK."

Donald Trump, as reported by NBC News:  "It's so disgusting what's going on with the media that we have too win. We have to win."

Peter Preston in the Observer: "Turkey is not some faraway country. In media, and many other, terms it is a fragile democracy with a fast-developing economy. It has TV stations, newspapers and websites local and national. It is, in aspiration and often in fulfilment, part of the modern world. Yet, at a blow, its government can close 45 newspapers, three news agencies, 16 TV channels, 15 magazines and 29 publishers. It can round up 80 journalists (not to mention thousands of soldiers, police officers, lecturers, teachers and government employees). It can censor the internet, blocking access to more than 20 news sites."

Sunday Post journalist Darryl Smith on being one of the last two journalists to leave Fleet Street, as reported by BBC News: "As someone who always wanted to be a journalist, and with a keen sense of history as well, just looking at the buildings even now still excites me. It makes me smile, when I think of how I now have that place in history."

The Daily Mail on the decision by the Press Recognition Panel to meet on August 23 to consider whether to recognise Impress: "Campaigners fear that the meeting will see approval for the would-be Press watchdog Impress rubber stamped. The body is almost entirely funded by Max Mosley, who has been a key figure in calls for tougher Press regulation after he sued the now-closed paper News Of The World after it printed photos of him taking part in an orgy with prostitutes....If Impress is recognised, it could trigger implementation of a draconian law under which newspapers may have to pay the legal costs of people who sue them - even if the newspaper wins its case.”"

Bob Satchwell, executive director of the Society of Editors: "It does seem strange that the PRP should choose to make its decision when most people with an interest are likely to be on holiday. The majority of major publishers have long-term contracts with Ipso. The industry has voted with its feet."

Media Quotes of the Week: From journalists are right to pay sources to Telegraph goes to the dogs

John Butterfield QC, defending a News of the World reporter accused at the Old Bailey of paying a prison officer for stories about Jon Venables, as reported by the Daily Mail: "They call it crime – we call it democracy. It is necessary and appropriate to reimburse whistleblowers against the risk they are going to get the sack. The issues that this prosecution would seek to trample over are as serious as it gets in a democratic country."

Nigel Rumfitt QC, representing the Sun’s head of news Chris Pharo who is accused of paying public officials for confidential information, on News International's Management Standards Committee giving material to police, as reported by the Guardian: “In slang, they were shopping their own staff.”

Laura Davison, NUJ national organiser, on the latests job cuts at Newsquest: "Newsquest's previous cost cutting record speaks for itself and now more journalists are facing the chop. This is not building a sustainable future for the business. The announcement of these cuts was made a week before an industry summit called by the government to ensure a vibrant future for the local and regional press. Culture Secretary Ed Vaizey has called together industry figures and union representatives to discuss future strategy and this sends out a very poor signal."

Johnston Press group NUJ chapel in a statement: "Morale is at rock bottom in Johnston Press, yet further cuts have been announced. Our members are shocked by further photographic redundancies, a move which is likely to hit the quality of newspapers and websites we produce, lead to further declining readership and harm the long-term prospects of the company. Alarmingly, Johnston Press management believes that more 'user generated content' is the way forward."

Jeremy Bowen in the Radio Times: “The threat from Islamic State is so unequivocal that even the most enterprising and daring reporters are hesitating to take the risk of being anywhere near them.”

Ian Katz ‏@iankatz1000 on Twitter: "World's most eminent biologist EO Wilson reserves ultimate insult for @RichardDawkins in #newsnight interview tonight: 'He's a journalist'."

Sky's Alex Crawford interviewed in the Guardian: "If I was a bloke I’m just reaching my peak now. In America they have a totally different approach to older women working in broadcasting. It’s time Britain woke up.”

Tim Walker ‏@ThatTimWalker on Twitter: "Proud to have been banged out in the Telegraph newsroom just now by such great colleagues. There wasn't a day I didn't love that job & them."

Tim Walker ‏@ThatTimWalker on Twitter: "There are actually some things to be said for redundancy: I see in my diary I was due to review @MadeinDagenham tonight."

Oliver Kamm in The Times [£] on tv news channel Russia Today: "The problem with RT is not just bias but that it’s not a news channel at all. It’s a propaganda outlet for Vladimir Putin. Its broadcasting is a constant diet of lies in the service of a regime that murders journalists, imprisons protesters, defends dictators and menaces neighbouring states."

Peter Preston in The Observer: "Newspaper stories about pending hot/cold/wet/dry weather are much loved by editors because they are cheap/unprovable till much later/good for sales/quickly forgotten."

Callum Baird in The Herald reports on the less than riveting goaless draw between Morton and Airdrie:"BACK in the sixth century BC, when Babylonia fell, the Persian Empire rose from its ashes and toga-wearing Greek philosophers first started to look quizzically at tortoises, the Chinese sage Lao Tzu delicately laid down the first few brushstrokes of the Tao Te Ching, the text that would go on to become the bedrock of Taoism. Lao Tzu had faith in the duality of the universe. "When people see some things as beautiful, other things become ugly," he declared. Yin and yang. Each thing must, by its very nature, have an opposite. So perhaps that in order to have that mouthwatering Old Firm derby drawn out of the hat on Saturday evening we first had to sit through this: 90 minutes of the most tedious, excruciating football imaginable. For what seemed like an eternity, the large clock hanging over one of the stands at Cappielow poked fun of the spectator. Time stood still. The little hand lazily ticked its way round, trundling through treacle. The match cloyed at the senses."

Bob Preston from Marlborough, Wiltshire, in a letter to the Daily Telegraph: "SIR – I have a better use for my “used” copies of The Daily Telegraph than Malcolm Parkin’s friend (Letters, October 30). I have three working English springer spaniels and when they come home from a shoot on a wet day in winter the Telegraph comes into its own. It is the only paper I can tear into inch-wide vertical strips: just tear down and shake into the dogs’ box. Once the dogs are dry in the morning the used paper can be sent for recycling in the usual way. A very versatile newspaper. I don’t know what paper the Telegraph uses for its newsprint, but please don’t change it."

[£]=paywall

Media Quotes of the Week: From reporting death in the digital age to why journalists can't write

Janice Turner on the coverage of the death of Peaches Geldof, in The Times [£]: "The dilemma now is how we deal with death in a digital age. The press faces constant accusations of tastelessness or intrusion. But it was the US president and British prime minister who posed for a selfie at Nelson Mandela’s memorial; Diane Abbott MP who live-tweeted Tony Benn’s funeral. The more a famous person shares of his or her life, the closer the public feels entitled to be. The last of countless Twitter photographs Peaches shared was a childhood snap with her late mother, yet newspapers who republished it were condemned."

Financial Times editor Lionel Barber on the paper's plan to set-up its own system of press regulation: "After careful consideration, the FT has decided to put in place a system which is accountable, credible, robust and highly adaptable to meet the pace of change in our industry. We believe this approach is consistent with our record of journalistic excellence and integrity, and it builds on our already strong system of governance designed to maintain the highest possible ethical standards."

Former NSA contractor Edward Snowden on the decision by the Pulitzer prize committee to give the Guardian and Washington Post its top award for the revelations on secret surveillance: "I am grateful to the committee for their recognition of the efforts of those involved in the last year's reporting, and join others around the world in congratulating Glenn Greenwald, Laura Poitras, Barton Gellman, Ewen MacAskill and all of the others at the Guardian and Washington Post on winning the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. Today's decision is a vindication for everyone who believes that the public has a role in government. We owe it to the efforts of the brave reporters and their colleagues who kept working in the face of extraordinary intimidation, including the forced destruction of journalistic materials, the inappropriate use of terrorism laws, and so many other means of pressure to get them to stop what the world now recognises was work of vital public importance. This decision reminds us that what no individual conscience can change, a free press can. My efforts would have been meaningless without the dedication, passion, and skill of these newspapers, and they have my gratitude and respect for their extraordinary service to our society. Their work has given us a better future and a more accountable democracy."

Will Gore in the Independent on the way the Oscar Pistorious murder trial in South Africa is being covered, compared to cases in the UK where stricter reporting rules apply: "Readers may have noticed there has been more “colour” than would be the case if the trial was taking place in the UK. Our reporter in Pretoria has given fascinating glimpses into the personalities of the various characters in proceedings (witnesses, onlookers and lawyers) and has hinted at the impression left on the courtroom by some of the interventions, even some of the evidence."

Trinity Mirror's David Higgerson, on his blog, speaking up for User Generated Content in the regional press: "People take the pictures, shoot the video and their thoughts without a second thought thanks to social media – getting them to share it with the media is the challenge. It’s a challenge half-won if people are already aware you regularly deal with UGC. Getting people to think about us and send stuff to us is a much more rewarding relationship than just scouring social media looking for something which might be newsworthy – for all concerned."

NUJ national organiser Laura Davison on the closure by Trinity Mirror of the Fulham and Hammersmith Chronicle, Westminster Chronicle and Kensington and Chelsea Chronicle:“This announcement has come as a terrible shock to the hardworking staff of these titles.The speed of it means there is little time to look at meaningful alternatives to closure.Trinity Mirror should not simply be able to shut down these titles and lock them away after years of starving them of resources. It will leave some communities with no local paper, depriving them of a way to access information and hold local power to account. Readers and the Trinity Mirror journalists who serve them, deserve better.”

Newcastle's Sunday Sun hits back at Newcastle manager Alan Pardew for blaming local press for not backing his team's after a string of poor results.

Peter Preston on Maria Miller in The Observer: "Miller didn't have to make challenging speeches, so she didn't. Nor, whatever the conspiracy theorists may think, was she truly in charge of any power-tinged processes. Leveson and the royal charter? A wheeze cooked up by Oliver Letwin in the Cabinet Office and implemented in a dazed rush by David Cameron – and whatever Westminster says, it's dead in the water until way past the general election."

New Culture Secretary Sajid Javid on Maria Miller on Question Time: "I don't think you can blame this on Leveson or the media or something. The media are a cornerstone of our democracy, their freedom is very important and if they want to investigate wrongdoing by politicians or any other public official they should do that and nothing should stop them from doing that."

Grey Cardigan on TheSpinAlley: "I KNOW it gets boring, but I have to keep asking the question of every regional editor I meet: 'Why have your bosses butchered your newspaper when it still makes 90% of your profits?' They smile ruefully at me and nod in silent agreement but nobody, nobody, has ever attempted to answer the question. I know, and they know, that their website is never going to make serious money."

Giles Coren in The Times [£] on the claims that people no longer read books because they are too busy skimming social media: "This is worst among journalists, who are without question the least well-read people you will ever meet (unless you regularly meet chefs). They spend all day 'reading' newspapers, shorthand notes, filed copy, newswires, blogs, and when they come home they reckon they’ve done their 'reading' for the day and now it’s time to drink cheap wine and watch Game of Thrones. Which is why the writing in news publications is getting worse and worse by the week: because the people who write the words only ever skim-read other, similar words, thus 'deactivating their deep-reading facility' and stunting their literary development. The result is that, with a few exceptions, the university-educated journalists of my generation write like swotty teenagers, while the straight-from-school-to-the-newsroom guys and girls write like policemen. Because they do not read (because they read too much), their ability with words does not develop over time."