If you've wondered why the UK news industry has such a problem with institutional racism, it's worth remembering that the industry's Editors Code guidelines have a whole section spelling out that comparing African migrants to "cockroaches" is acceptable: editorscode.org.uk/downloads/code…
The UK news industry has specifically gone out of its way to ensure that articles which are "discriminatory against gay people in general, autistic people in general or transgender people in general" are permitted under its "Editors' Code": ipso.co.uk/news-press-rel…
In its decision to permit the publication of articles that are discriminatory towards entire groups of people, the UK news industry has put itself directly at odds with international standards for ethical journalism. For example the IFJ charter: ifj.org/who/rules-and-…
By contrast with the UK newspaper industry's approach, the International Federation of Journalists states that media professionals should "ensure that the dissemination of information or opinion does not contribute to hatred or prejudice" ifj.org/who/rules-and-…
The industry-run complaints body IPSO has even tried to claim that discriminatory statements attacking an entire group are less harmful than statements targeting an individual because "the effect... is diluted" ipso.co.uk/news-press-rel…
Despite the evidence, the UK newspaper industry's Society of Editors still hasn't withdrawn its misleading statement downplaying the extent of racism and bigotry within the UK press:
A cash-strapped city council decides not to hold a November 5th event...
GB News then pushes a toxic narrative framing "woke councils" as a threat to "our culture" and falsely claims that Bonfire Night has been "banned"... /1
GB News then pushes the divisive & evidence-free suggestion that "they've singled out Bonfire Night because it's part of British culture", and frames this as part of a supposed wider threat to "British traditions" /2
GB News further ramps up the divisive narrative by suggesting that, in contrast, Black History Month, disability awareness & trans events would never "get cancelled" - with the implication that such events are *not* part of "British culture"... /3
If you work for a major advertiser here are some things your company can do. 🧵
Tell the big social media platforms how concerned you are that the violence on Britain’s streets is being fuelled by online hate and misinformation. /1 campaignlive.co.uk/article/adland…
In the meantime, stopping all advertising on X and Meta will send a clear message about how seriously you take this. It will also ensure that your ads are not aligned with any hateful and dangerous content. /2 campaignlive.co.uk/article/adland…
If you’re already among the many advertisers steering clear of X, going public about this decision can send an even more powerful message, and can also encourage other brands to follow suit. /3 campaignlive.co.uk/article/adland…
Extraordinary that anyone would try to deny that the Daily Mail (among other UK media) has fuelled dangerous levels of racism. 🧵
1/independent.co.uk/news/media/pre…
Research by the UN High Commission for Refugees found that the Daily Mail – and The Sun – showed a hostility towards migrants that was “unique” among the newspapers they sampled across five European countries: 2/ unhcr.org/uk/media/press…
As long ago as 2008, the journalist Nick Davies published a shocking exposé of systemic racism within the Daily Mail newsroom, in his book Flat Earth News: 3/
Congratulations to @Grind for doing the right thing. Sadly they're now getting a hateful pile-on from Twitter accounts with long numbers in their name... Let's show that love is stronger than hate! #StartSpreadingLove
GB News might not like it - but companies are free to choose where they do & don't advertise, and customers are free to speak out & seek to influence those advertising choices...
Well done to @Grind for choosing love over hate 👏👏👏
Today's Daily Mail is ramping up the anti-woke paranoia with some strikingly violent imagery. Is this really what @sainsburys@LloydsBank & @LidlGB want to align themselves with?