Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom

Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom
Name	Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom
Founded	2009 (merger year)
Dissolved	2018 (ceased operations)
Headquarters	London
Country	United Kingdom
Predecessor	National Union of Journalists; Media Reform Coalition; Voice of the Listener and Viewer
Successors	Media Reform Coalition; National Union of Journalists
Focus	Media ownership, broadcasting regulation, public service broadcasting

Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom was a United Kingdom-based advocacy coalition active in the early 21st century that sought to influence policy on media ownership, broadcasting plurality, and public service broadcasting. The coalition brought together trade unions, civil society organizations, broadcasters, and campaign groups to challenge concentrations of media power and to promote regulatory reforms. It engaged with legislators, regulatory bodies, trade unions, and civil society across the UK and Europe.

History

The campaign emerged from a lineage of activism tied to unions and media reform movements including the National Union of Journalists, Voice of the Listener and Viewer, and elements of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament-era media debates. It formed amid debates following decisions by the Office of Fair Trading, the Competition Commission, and the European Commission on mergers such as the News Corporation proposals and the BSkyB ownership controversies. The coalition operated through the administrations of Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, and David Cameron, engaging with inquiries such as the Leveson Inquiry and institutions including the Office of Communications and the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee.

Objectives and Campaigns

The campaign prioritized pluralism in outlets including newspapers owned by groups like Associated Newspapers, Trinity Mirror, and Daily Mail and General Trust. It advocated for safeguards in broadcasting where companies such as British Broadcasting Corporation, ITV plc, Channel 4 Television Corporation, and commercial operators including Virgin Media, Sky Group, and BT Group played central roles. Collective objectives targeted regulatory frameworks shaped by the Communications Act 2003, corporate maneuvers by conglomerates such as Pearson PLC and Reach plc, and public interest standards debated in arenas like the European Court of Human Rights and House of Lords committees. Campaign partners included unions such as Unite the Union, Unison, and GMB (trade union), alongside civil society actors like Amnesty International, Liberty (UK civil liberties organization), and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

Organizational Structure and Funding

The coalition operated as an umbrella network coordinated by a steering group composed of representatives from the National Union of Journalists, Public and Commercial Services Union, and other member bodies. Its governance linked to boards and advisory panels featuring figures from Ofcom, academic institutions such as Goldsmiths, University of London and City, University of London, and advocacy groups including Media Reform Coalition and Hacked Off. Funding sources combined union subscriptions, grants from foundations like the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and occasional support from philanthropic bodies associated with Open Society Foundations-style donors, alongside in-kind contributions from partner organizations such as Community and Friends of the Earth. The structure emphasized coalition-building comparable to networks like Save the Children and Amnesty International in coordinating campaigns.

Key Campaigns and Publications

Prominent initiatives targeted concentration in print and broadcast markets, responding to high-profile transactions involving News International, Gannett, Telegraph Media Group, and Guardian Media Group. The coalition produced briefing papers, reports, and submissions to inquiries including responses to the Leveson Inquiry and consultations by Ofcom and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Publications critiqued market dynamics shaped by platforms such as Google, Facebook, and YouTube and linked debates to policy instruments like the Communications Act 2003 and proposals debated in the European Parliament. Campaigns included public events with contributors from Palestine Solidarity Campaign, academics from Loughborough University and University of Westminster, and interventions during debates involving editors from The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, and broadcasters from BBC Radio 4, Channel 4 News, and Sky News.

Criticism and Controversies

Critics accused the coalition of partiality and political alignment with trade unions and left-leaning organizations including Momentum and sections of the Labour Party (UK), prompting debate in outlets such as The Spectator, New Statesman, and The Economist. Allegations included claims about selective targeting of proprietors like Rupert Murdoch and Viscount Rothermere while receiving funding or support from organisations with policy agendas similar to Hacked Off and Media Reform Coalition. Parliamentary figures from parties such as the Conservative Party (UK) and UK Independence Party questioned its influence on regulatory appointments and interventions in hearings of committees chaired by members of the House of Commons. Some academics at institutions like King's College London and University of Oxford critiqued methodological aspects of reports produced by the coalition.

Legacy and Impact

The coalition contributed to sustained public scrutiny of media plurality issues that influenced policy debates in arenas such as Ofcom consultations, the Leveson Inquiry, and legislation considered by the House of Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee. Its work helped shape discourse around ownership rules involving groups like News Corp, Trinity Mirror (Reach), and Daily Mail and General Trust and informed campaigns for stronger public service broadcasting protections for the BBC and Channel 4. Elements of its network persist in the Media Reform Coalition, union campaigning via the National Union of Journalists, and ongoing advocacy by civil society groups including Hacked Off and Voice of the Listener and Viewer.

Category:Media reform organizations Category:United Kingdom media