WHAT might the future hold for the creative industries in Scotland following the referendum on Scots independence on September 18?
The issue is to be subject of a Question Time-style debate in Edinburgh later this month, with the panel including Fiona Hyslop, Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs.
The event, on the 14th of this month, is being staged jointly by the magazines body, PPA Scotland, along with the Scots division of the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising and also book industry outfit, Publishing Scotland.
Joining Hyslop will be Patricia Ferguson (Labour MSP and former Minister of Culture), Struan Stephenson (Conservative MEP) and Willie Rennie (leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats).
For more details, email nikki.simpson@ppascotland.co.uk.
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THE journalist, Alex Massie, is scheduled to be speaking about the reporting of Europe – at an event taking place in Edinburgh next week.
Say the organisers of the event on Thursday: “This is a panel discussion dedicated to the role and responsibility of the media when it comes to ‘Reporting Europe’.”
Massie writes for The Spectator, The Times and The Scotsman.
Read more, here.
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THE features editor of The Official Jacqueline Wilson Mag has been named innovations editor in the consumer entertainment division of the magazine’s publisher, DC Thomson.
Alexandria Turner takes up her role on Monday.
Says DC Thomson, here: “In the role of innovations editor, Alexandria will manage the editorial development of new magazine launches in the children’s market, producing quality magazines and brand extensions. She will also be responsible for creating customer focussed products and building brand loyalty.
“Alexandria began her career with DC Thomson in 2007 and has worked on a number of children’s titles for the company, including Shout and most recently The Official Jacqueline Wilson Mag.”
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SOME Scots names among the nominations in UK-wide awards celebrating the best of magazines.
The winners of the PPA Awards will be announced on July 10.
Read more, here.
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THE Edinburgh Evening News is looking for a news editor, as advertised here and repeated on twitter.com/allmediajobs.
And the Edinburgh-based PR agency, Holyrood Partnership, is seeking junior account executives – as advertised here.
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YOU report legal affairs? Interested in legal affairs? Then check out the brand new twitter.com/allLegalPR.
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WRITES Alison Rowat in today’s Herald newspaper, following the announcement by Jeremy Paxman that he’s retiring as a presenter of the BBC current affairs programme, Newsnight: “That his departure prompted so much coverage might be seen as the media once again gazing at its own belly button and finding all the fluff gathered there fascinating.
“While that is true to a certain extent, there is something significant about Paxman’s leaving, because he represents a style of broadcast journalism that is in danger of disappearing, yet one which should be more, not less, in evidence as the minutes tick onwards to September 18.
“At his best, Paxman deployed what might be called in fancy terms the inquisitorial style of interviewing, also known as the Corporal Jones, ‘they don’t like it up ‘em’, approach. He did not see it as his job to give any politician, of whatever party, an easy ride. It is a noble aim, but one which is becoming harder to pursue. With an ever growing number of broadcasting outlets vying for their attention, the wily politician can easily opt for the soft interview over the tougher kind.”
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BEGINS Craig Brown, in today’s Scotsman: “A Free Church of Scotland minister has claimed popular BBC comedy Rev reveals the corporation’s ‘anti-Christian agenda’.”
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AND begins The Guardian newspaper: “Press freedom globally has declined to its lowest level in over a decade, a major new report has found.
“The study, conducted by American NGO Freedom House, examined legal, political and economic factors affecting the media in 197 countries. It found that only 14 per cent of the world’s population are living under a free press, 44 per cent are in countries considered to be not free and 42 per cent are in states with a partially free Press.”
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