News

Latest on freelance income

By Mark Fisher | Mar 23, 2020

23/3/20 Pressure is mounting on the government to help freelances who have lost income as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, so keep your eye on the news, but here are some useful links about the situation as it stands: NUJ press release: UK freelances face destitution as they have been “forgotten” in the government’s rescue…

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Journalism – the next generation

By Mark Fisher | Mar 2, 2020

We’ve got a very special meeting this month organised by our student rep John Gillespie, who has put together a panel of student speakers to talk about their journalism dissertation topics.  We had a huge turnout at a similar event last year, so we’ve booked the large room at the Quaker Meeting House on Victoria Terrace. The…

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From freelance journalism to writing fiction

By Mark Fisher | Feb 7, 2020

We’ve got two special meetings lined up this month and next.  The first, on Monday 17 February, celebrates the publication of Miss Blaine’s Prefect and the Vampire Menace, the second comic crime novel by our member Olga Wojtas. Olga, who also writes “cosy crime e-novellas” under the name Helena Marchmont, will be reading from her new book, published…

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Happy new AGM – next NUJ meeting 20 January

By Mark Fisher | Jan 8, 2020

This month, it’s the branch’s annual general meeting when we’ll be reflecting on the year gone by and electing officers for the year ahead. Let me know if you’d like to stand (or stand down) for any of the posts. This is how it’s looking at the moment: Chair: Joyce McMillanVice-chair: Simon BarrowSecretary: Mark FisherMembership and welfare: Paul CockburnTreasurer: David…

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Women, journalism and fair pay

By Mark Fisher | Oct 16, 2019

We’ve got a great discussion lined up for this month’s Edinburgh Freelance meeting, as we take a look at the gender pay gap and how it affects journalists. Leading the debate we have:Claire Sawers, arts writer, reflecting on Equal, the new book by BBC journalist Carrie Gracie (https://carriegracie.com/) Layla-Roxanne Hill, writer, talking about the disparities in…

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How can the NUJ work best for freelances?

By Mark Fisher | Jun 5, 2019

Pleased to report a positive outcome to the court case hanging over Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey, our guest speakers in April. They were arrested in relation to No Stone Unturned, their powerful documentary about a massacre in a Northern Irish pub in 1994, but the police have now dropped the case against them At this month’s…

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Edinburgh Freelance update

By Mark Fisher | May 16, 2019

Sorry, we’re going to skip our meeting this month, which means the next Edinburgh Freelance meeting will be on Monday 17 June. The plan is to have a discussion that can feed into the NUJ’s structural review, asking how the union can best work on behalf of freelances, and how the voices of freelances can be…

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FILM SCREENING No Stone Unturned

By Mark Fisher | Apr 4, 2019

I’m delighted to announce a very special event for this month’s branch meeting. In conjunction with Edinburgh and District Branch, we’re welcoming NUJ members Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey who were arrested in relation to No Stone Unturned, their powerful documentary about a massacre in a Northern Irish pub in 1994 when masked men shot at football fans from…

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Special guest speaker: Allan Wort of the Media Fund – Monday 11 March

By Mark Fisher | Mar 4, 2019

We’re teaming up again with Edinburgh and District next week to welcome a special guest speaker to Edinburgh. Alan Wort is treasurer of the Media Fund, the funding body that supports independent media. They have already done some great work in helping independent media enterprises get off the ground and have an impressive growth strategy.Allan is keen to secure…

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