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Media

Information and resources for journalists about the work of Church Action on Poverty

Church Action on Poverty works with journalists to increase understanding of the nature of poverty in the UK, and to amplify the voices of the people affected.

We know that to build broader public support, we have to mobilise the power of the media. Our most powerful advocates are people with stories to tell. The most powerful stories point to long-term solutions rooted in compassion and justice.

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Recognise that people living in poverty are human beings. People living in poverty have dignity. That humanity and dignity is taken away because of how the media portrays them.

A participant in our Poverty Media programme

Contacts

Church Action on Poverty can provide staff members as spokespeople to comment on poverty-related news stories.

We also work with the real experts – people with personal experience of the issues, who are prepared to tell share stories.

For all press enquiries, please contact a member of our Public Affairs team. Click on the name to send an email to that person.

  • Gavin Aitchison, Communications and storytelling coordinator
    0161 872 9294 (office hours)
    07791 626 238 (out of office hours)
  • Liam Purcell, Chief executive
    0161 872 9294 (office hours)
    07728 290 777 (out of office hours)

Values and guidance

Church Action on Poverty encourages all journalists to follow the National Union of Journalists’ official guidelines on reporting poverty. 


Click here to download the Guide to Reporting Poverty, developed jointly with people with experience of poverty, the National Union of Journalists, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, On Road Media and ATD Fourth World.

The NUJ:

  • believes that the development of discriminatory language and the demonisation of the working poor and benefit recipients, through the use of stereotypes and misinformation, is an insult to workers, trade union organisations and readers.
  • believes that its members as trade unionists cannot avoid a measure of responsibility in fighting stereotypes of the working poor and benefit recipients as expressed through the mass media.
  • reaffirms its total opposition to censorship but equally the union reaffirms its belief that press freedom must be conditioned by responsibility and an acknowledgement by all media workers to resolve not to allow press freedom to be abused to slander a section of the community.
  • believes that newspapers and magazines should not originate material which encourages discrimination on grounds of being working poor or a benefit recipient.
  • believes that editors should ensure that coverage of social security stories should be placed in a balanced context.
  • will continue to monitor the development of media coverage in this area and give support to members seeking to enforce the above aims.