AGM

Preliminary notice of Calderdale NUJ's AGM, to be held at the Square Chapel, Halifax, from 6.30pm on Tuesday February 21. All members are encouraged to attend.

Technology permitting, the meeting should also include a showing of a film about the Working Class Movement Library in Salford, presented by Jeremy Dear.

Citizen journalism debate

Good debate on the Media Guardian blog on the emerging issue of 'citizen journalism' (a subject that also produced some heated opinions at the last branch meeting). The Guardian debate was chaired by the NUJ's Jeremy Dear and includes contributions from Yorkshire freelance rep (and Calderdale branch regular) Adam Christie.

Update - the NUJ has launched a 'Witness Contributors’ Code of Practice' - click here to download. Seems sensible to me - any comments?

Homeworking site

Interesting new site atenterprisenation.com for freelances or anyone working from home. It's mostly aimed at people running their own businesses from home, but there's plenty of interest to freelance journos, including technology info, tax tips and 'lifestyle' features. Written content isn't brilliant, but there's some useful links to other resources.

New look

Welcome to the new look Calderdalenuj.org. As you can see, I've moved the site to a blog-style format. This should help me to update the site more frequently, with the latest news from the branch and its members, as well as items of interest from the wider world of journalism. You can also add comments to any post, so there's the opportunity to get an online dialogue going between members. Please, use it. Let me know what you think of this new homepage.

The old news page will be kept online for the while, as an archive of what we've been doing over the past year or so. The list of committee members and the branch freelance directory also remain as they were, and can be accessed from the links to the right. There's plenty of freelance members who haven't submitted their details for directory - if you want to be on, email us.

Next meeting, as noted below, is on Monday 16 Jan at the White Lion. See you there.

Tim Chapman
treasurer/webmaster

Informal meeting - Monday 16 Jan

Calderdale NUJ is holding an informal members' meeting this coming Monday, 16 January, from 7.30pm in the bar area of the White Lion, Hebden Bridge. No major business apart from selecting a branch delegate to the NUJ annual conference in March, but a good chance to have a pint and a blather with other local journalists, writers, editors and photographers.