The British Journalism Review is designed as a forum of analysis and debate, to monitor the media, submit the best as well as the worst to scrutiny, and to raise the level of the dialogue.

This website is designed to give you an idea of who we are and what we publish.

We hope it will appeal not only to journalists, whether in newspapers, radio and television, or online, but also to media academics and students, and to anyone who cares about communication.

Have a look round, and let us know what you think.

Campbell, Hilsum at media conference

The third media conference to be co-hosted by the BJR and the University of Westminster culminated in the presentation of the annual Charles Wheeler Award for Outstanding Contribution to Broadcast Journalism, and an interview and Q&A session with former Downing Street director of communications Alastair Campbell.

The What makes good journalism conference was held at the University’s Marylebone Road, London, campus on June 7 and 8, with academics and journalists discussing a range of topics, including the definition of good journalism and where it could be found. The future of the profession, with the impact of online and institutional media outlets on “good journalism”, was also debated.

Lindsey Hilsum, international editor of Channel 4 News, received the Charles Wheeler award from Lady Wheeler, the late BBC foreign correspondent’s widow, on the second evening. Lindsey Hilsum said: “Charles Wheeler was my role model and hero. I have always aspired to report in his tradition, and that’s why I’m overwhelmed and honoured to get this award. Charles once told me how much he liked our foreign reporting on Channel 4 News, so I also think it’s a recognition for our efforts on C4N to report foreign news in a way that’s serious but not solemn, as he did.”

Alastair Campbell, interviewed by BJR editor Bill Hagerty, warned that journalism risks losing even more integrity by shifting its centre of gravity further towards celebrity culture. The arrival at the event of Boris Johnson – son-in-law of Charles Wheeler – prompted a spirited and mostly hilarious exchange between the former New Labour spin doctor and the Mayor of London.

The evening concluded with a reception at which Campbell and Mayor Johnson mingled with journalism students.

We gratefully acknowledge the support of the following organisations:

BBC	Google
Channel 4	The Guardian
Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday	News International
The Daily Telegraph	Trinity Mirror
The Economist	Unite (T&G)

All from the presentation to the Leveson Inquiry seminar on press standards by Daily Mail editor-in-chief Paul Dacre, October 12

“Let me start by making it clear that I unequivocally condemn phone hacking and payments to the police... But let’s keep all this in proportion. Britain’s cities weren’t looted as a result. No one died. The banks didn’t collapse because of the News of the World. Elected politicians continued to steal from the people they were paid to represent. The nation didn’t go to war. Yet the response has been a judicial inquiry with greater powers than those possessed by the public inquiries into the Iraq war. An inquiry, incidentally, that includes a panel of experts who – while honourable, distinguished people – don’t have the faintest clue how mass-selling newspapers operate. Indeed, am I alone in detecting the rank smells of hypocrisy and revenge in the political class’s current moral indignation over a British press that dared to expose their greed and corruption? The same political class, incidentally, that, until a few weeks ago, had spent years indulging in sickening genuflection to the Murdoch press?”

“...while I abhor statutory controls, there’s one area where Parliament can help the press. Some way must be found to compel all newspaper owners to fund and participate in self-regulation. God knows, the industry fought hard enough to prevent it, but the Express Group’s decision to leave the PCC was a body blow to the commission. How can you have self-regulation when a major newspaper group unilaterally withdraws from it?”

“I believe the time has come to debate the need for some kind of newspaper industry ombudsman – possibly sitting in tandem with the commission – to deal specifically with press standards. The commission should continue to do what it does well: resolve complaints, issue adjudications and impose the code. An ombudsman – possibly a retired judge or civil servant – could have the power to investigate, possibly with specialists co-opted on to his panel, potential press industry scandals. The ombudsman could also have the power to summon journalists and editors to give evidence, to name offenders and, if necessary – in the cases of the most extreme malfeasance – to impose fines.”