Journalism – the next generation

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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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Freelance Christmas Party with Jenny Lindsay

I’m delighted to invite you to our annual Christmas party in conjunction with Edinburgh and District Branch next Monday And I’m doubly delighted to say our entertainment this year is from performance poet Jenny Lindsay, described by the Scotsman as “defiant, eloquent and inspiring”

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Journalism: the next generation – Mon 19 Nov

Next Monday’s meeting is a chance to welcome the next generation of journalists into the NUJ as we talk about making the transition from student journalism to a professional career. We’ve already been publicising the meeting among students and have had a phenomenal response. We’re hoping there’ll be a similarly big take-up from branch members…

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