Hundreds of international media companies issued a statement on Tuesday accusing Britain’s Conservative Party of undermining press freedom by charging journalists to cover their annual conference.
Including the French press agency AFPthe American newspapers The New York Times and The Washington Post and the German newspaper The Mirror have signed an open letter about this. The declaration has been signed by a total of nearly three hundred media companies from more than sixty countries, including China and Russia. On behalf of the Netherlands it concerns the NOS, NRC, Fidelity, the Algemeen Dagblad, The Telegraph, BNR and NPO Radio 1.
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s ruling party demanded compensation from media in exchange for accreditation for the first time at last year’s conference. This year again, media must pay 137 pounds (160 euros) to report on the conference that will take place in October in Manchester. If they apply after August 1, the costs will even be increased to 880 pounds (over 1000 euros).
“In effect, this decision sets a dangerous precedent for countries around the world that will use this decision to justify financial and other barriers to media coverage of the political process,” the statement said. “We therefore call on the organizers of the Tory party conference to scrap or refund costs and to allow fair and free reporting.”
The party itself claims that the costs are necessary to cover administrative costs for the “thousands” of journalists who do not show up. However, the Foreign Press Association of UK-based foreign media says the party has not produced any evidence that journalists are failing on such a scale.
Free unlimited access to Showbytes? Which can!
Log in or create an account and don’t miss a thing of the stars.