NUJ London Freelance Branch 🗞️

Shireen Abu Akleh Prize - enter now 🏆 In honour of Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh and the courage and commitment of women journalists worldwide.

Calling women journalists! Entries for the #ShireenAbuAkleh Prize close on Sun 1 Mar.

Organised by @IFJGlobal and the UPF - the 5K euro award recognises the courage and commitment of women journalists around the world. Open to all nationalities and media formats.

Apply here:

Keir Starmer orders investigation into Labour Together claims The think tank paid a company at least £30,000 to investigate the origins of a story about undeclared donations.

PM orders investigation into Labour Together claims. #PressFreedom

PA members celebrate new branch with tea party Press Association staff celebrated the creation of a new NUJ branch with cake and a cuppa.

The next chapter in the Press Association story!

Great news - welcome to Jonathan and Emily. #HeartUnions #StrongerTogether

Alan Slingsby 1949-2026 | The Freelance Celebrating a "brilliant Production Editor"

Freelance Feb26: Alan Slingsby 1949-2026

“He worked with me on the Journalist for 20 years – he could do a 32-page mag in three hours.” - Tim Gopsill. @brixtonblog.bsky.social @brixtonbuzz.bsky.social

Stern-Bryan Fellowship | City St George's, University of London Journalists are invited to apply for the 45th Stern-Bryan Fellowship.

Calling early career British journalists - Entries for the Stern-Bryan Fellowship close today! (13 Feb).

"As a freelancer, I was astonished to get an interview, let alone be picked for the fellowship itself. The experience changed my life." - @leloveluck

Details here:

Awards, prizes and bursaries | The Freelance ...a running list...

Entries for the @reutersinstitute.bsky.social Journalist Fellowship Programme close today! (13 Feb). Open to mid-career journalists.

See our roundup of awards, prizes and bursaries:

UK & Ireland journalists - apply now for the #CIJLyraMcKee Bursary 2026!

NUJ gives evidence to Joint Oireachtas Committee on AI and copyright Séamus Dooley, NUJ Irish Secretary, called for a tech tax and stronger legislation to protect journalism and democracy while giving evidence to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on AI and copyright.

“Tech companies should be obliged to disclose their training data, the design of their algorithms and their output, and pay their fair share for the wholescale robbery of creative workers’ labour.”

Watch the AI & copyright hearing here:

Studying journalism or just starting out in media?

Join our Student and Early Careers online event at 12 pm (12 Feb). We’ll be sharing experiences, tips and lots more. Find out what the Union can do for you.

Book now: buff.ly/TkRkhCi

#HeartUnions #StrongerTogether

Register as a data controller | The Freelance New advice from the Freelance Fees Guide

Freelance Feb26: Register as a data controller - basic advice roundup.

New advice section - get in touch if you have any questions.

Ireland’s basic income for the arts scheme becomes permanent When piloted, initiative that provided €325 a week to eligible artists recouped more than its net cost, study shows

Well done @gov.ie - it's a great start.

Thank you for valuing culture and creativity.

www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...

Student and Early Careers Network launch Our brand new Student and Early Careers Network is starting in February 2026 with a choice of two dates and times to fit around your commitments.

New to journalism or the Union? Join our Student and Early Careers Network event TONIGHT to connect with other members, get advice and contacts.

Weds 11 Feb, 7-8pm online. #HeartUnions Week

Book now:

Hong Kong: NUJ condemns sentencing of Jimmy Lai The NUJ has condemned the 20-year prison sentence handed to Hong Kong media magnate, Jimmy Lai, following a “politically motivated” conviction to silence free speech.

"The NUJ joins @ifjglobal.bsky.social in calling for Lai’s immediate release and for all charges against him to be dropped." #pressfreedom

Branch coffee morning: what can Muck Rack do for you? | The Freelance Join us for a session with their Director of Editorial

Freelance Feb26: LFB Coffee Morning: what can @muckrack.com do for you?

Get your journo portfolio updated. Tools, trends reports, expert sources and more.
12 Mar, 3 pm. #LFBTraining

Members: Register now:

Amazon is reportedly preparing to launch a marketplace for publishers to sell their content to firms offering AI products www.reuters.com/business/ret...

NUJ submits evidence on AI licensing and copyright in journalism The NUJ has responded to the Department for Culture, Media & Sport’s call for evidence on AI licensing and copyright in creative industries.

NUJ submits evidence on AI licensing and copyright in journalism - here's what we're urging the Govt to do. @DCMS

Read the full submission: buff.ly/ODOvCe1

"We're really trying to focus on the year of the creator." - thanks to Isabelle Doran @creatorsrights.bsky.social for the great work you're doing to protect creators.

11.5K people responded to their Copyright & AI consultation - mostly individuals. Huge!

"Write to your MP - as much as possible."

2026 IIJ Freelance Journalism Conference March 5 and 6, 2026 – live, online 14+ hours of entrepreneurship learning and community-building for independent and creator journalists Register at TheIIJ.com שו Only $89 when you register before Feb 27

You’re invited to Solo Together: a conference for independent journalists and creators to find community and build thriving businesses. Register before Feb 27 for only $89! theiij.com/sessions-26

For ‘the best of us’ - impact of our honouring of Gaza colleagues | The Freelance On reflection... #HeartUnions Week

It's #HeartUnions Week! ❤️

We're proud of the vigils we organised last year honouring the courage of Gazan journalists. And our letter to Downing Street - 'for the best of us.'

Here's our roundup of coverage - very moving speeches, thank you all. #StrongerTogether

Trouble at The Mill | The Freelance ...chunky lawsuit for The Londoner

Freelance Feb26: Trouble at The Mill - chunky lawsuit for @londonermag.bsky.social
@millmedia.bsky.social

NUJ London Freelance Branch meetings Dates for your diary - what's coming up in 2026

⏰ LFB meeting tonight! (9 Feb)
6.30 pm

We'll be hearing from Isabelle Doran @the-aop.org about the work of @creatorsrights.bsky.social and other unions on the campaign for fair contracts for freelancers. Also: AI & copyright.

Happy #HeartUnions Week! #JoinAUnion

buff.ly/N8XZSFL

NUJ London Freelance on Substack

✍️ We're on #Substack too.

If you're publishing there, feel free to connect at @nujlondonfreelance.

Will be sharing NUJ news and Freelance updates over on Notes as well as Bluesky and LinkedIn. @nikatalbot.bsky.social

⏰ LFB members' meeting - Monday 9 Feb
6.30 pm, HQ + online

We'll be hearing from Isabelle Doran @the-aop.org about the work of @creatorsrights.bsky.social and other unions on the campaign for fair contracts for freelancers.

And the work they're doing on AI & copyright.

buff.ly/N8XZSFL

Last day to register at the early bird price - just $69

Agenda and speakers: theiij.substack.com/p/register-t...

Labour thinktank close to Morgan McSweeney ‘paid firm to investigate journalists’ Labour Together allegedly hired company to look at Sunday Times and Guardian reporters after article about donations A thinktank previously run by a Labour minister and the prime minister’s chief of staff is alleged to have paid a PR firm to investigate journalists who were looking into its funding. Labour Together, once run by Morgan McSweeney and then by Josh Simons, now a Cabinet Office minister, hired APCO Worldwide to investigate journalists from the Guardian, the Sunday Times and other outlets and to identify their sources, according to claims in the Substack publication Democracy for Sale. Continue reading...

Labour thinktank close to Morgan McSweeney ‘paid firm to investigate journalists’

⏰ Next branch meeting - Monday Feb 9

We'll be hearing from Isabelle Doran @the-aop.org about the work of the @creatorsrights.bsky.social and others on the campaign for fair contracts for freelancers. Plus, AI & copyright.

See you there!

www.londonfreelance.org/lfb/meetings...

International Journalism Festival Biggest media event in Europe. Join us!

🎪 International Journalism Festival '26
15-18 April in Perugia

The initial fringe events programme is now online. If you want to propose an event see the FAQs on their website.

Fun, free entry, friendly! Great networking opps and Perugia is beautiful in Spring.

Well worth a read - connect with the ft. journos (we love to collab) and also check out the @muckrack.com blog piece on Substack.

@nujlfb.bsky.social is hosting a members' webinar on 12 March to help you make the most of MuckRack. Join us!

Urgent action needed to stop AI slop infiltrating mainstream news A surge in fake AI-generated experts appearing in mainstream news demonstrates the threat AI poses to trust in journalism and the need for a strong, coordinated response, the NUJ has said.

Urgent action needed to stop AI slop infiltrating mainstream news.

An investigation by @pressgazette.co.uk uncovered 1,000 articles in the British press that attribute 50 “non-existent and AI-enhanced experts.”

How the NUJ is working with other orgs to tackle this.

Our Journalist Fellowship The Journalist Fellowship Programme is one of the world’s leading schemes for practising, mid-career journalists.

📣 Entries for the @reutersinstitute.bsky.social Journalist Fellowship close soon

An opportunity for practising, mid-career journalists & editors to take some time out from their day jobs to explore journalism in depth.

Apply by 13 Feb: