Bristol Conference to be held for out of work journalists
Bristol Media and the National Union of Journalists have organised a conference in Bristol with the aim of introducing out of work journalists to the PR and communications industry.
The company announced that it was to cut 45 jobs, while other moves are also being implemented at ITV.
The conference will be held next Saturday at the Bristol Ramada Plaza hotel and will invite along journalists to help them find work in the communications industry.
Bristol Media, which represents 1,600 media firms in the South West, approached the NUJ following news of the redundancy programme and offered to facilitate the day, bringing together speakers from Bristol's PR community and other industry bodies including the Public Relations Consultants Association, The Chartered Institute of Public Relations and BRAVE, Bristol's enterprise agency.
The day will include workshops and presentations from more than 10 PR executives and recruitment specialists, including Sarah Pinch, head of communications at University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Lis Anderson, managing director, Corixa Communications and PRCA council member, Liz Snell, The Green Room, Tom Bowden-Green, CIPR and Chloe Rigby, freelance business writer.
Christina Zaba, NUJ Bristol branch chair, commented: "Bristol is the second media city in the UK, and it's a booming city, but that doesn't mean there aren't other organisations looking for the skills of journalists."
Zaba said the conference would help "lift the doom and gloom" for out-of-work journalists.
"What we're hearing from PR organisations is that journalists know what a story is, they know how to write, they know what's newsworthy. That's one thing, the ability to supply material to the media that media can use.
"As well as that, they’re disciplined, professional, used to working under pressure. They have earned their stripes."
For more information or to book a place at the conference, email nuj@christina.zaba.com.