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The executive director of the trade journalism body, the Society of Publishers, resigned after the organization was criticized for its response to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s accusations of racism.
Ian Murray said he must “take the blame” and step aside after strong criticism of the industry body.
It comes after ITV News anchor Charlene White said she would not be hosting the Society’s Press Awards, while outlets including the Huffington Post, Yorkshire Post and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism said they would withdraw from the event. after being nominated for their work.
The society initially responded to Harry and Meghan’s claims of racism in the media with a statement denying the claims, saying that “the UK media are not intolerant and will not be swayed in their vital role of doing hold the rich and powerful to account. “
Following protests from members of the British press, the body said the statement “was made in that spirit” of defending freedom of expression, “but it did not reflect what we all know: that there is a lot of work to be done in the media. communication”. to improve diversity and inclusion ”.
Murray added that the comment, which he defended in a BBC interview with Victoria Derbyshire in which he described examples of intolerance in the tabloid press as “a needle in a haystack”, “was not intended to overlook the fact that the media industry in the UK has work to do on inclusion and diversity. “
He said: “While I do not agree that the Society’s statement was intended to defend racism in any way, I accept that it could have been much clearer in its condemnation of bigotry and has clearly caused upset.
“As CEO, I run the Society and as such I must take the blame, so I have decided that it is in the best interests of the board and members that I step aside so the organization can begin to rebuild its reputation.” .
Murray said he was stepping aside “with a heavy heart” and added that he is “proud” of the work of society “defending media freedom during the three years that I have been in charge, as well as the initiatives that we have. created and continue to create diversity in the newsroom. “
Before resigning, Ms. White had announced her decision to step away from the role of hostess in a letter, in which she described herself as “a black woman who has always stood up for what she believes in, regardless of the impact it would have on my career”.
“Following your recent comments on race and the UK press, I have decided to no longer be available to present the Publishers Society British Press Awards this month,” he wrote.
“A few years ago your organization approached me to become a judge for your awards and to work alongside you because at the time you were sorely lacking in being a fair reflection of the UK population. In other words, the list of nominations and winners involved very few non-white journalists.
“This is not an unusual scenario, sadly. Over the years, various organizations have been held accountable for rooting out and ignoring the work of women and ethnic minority professionals. So, you told me you wanted that to change. In fact, we talk extensively about it.
But here’s the thing. I only work with organizations that practice what they preach. My time is precious, so I prefer not to waste it. Since the Black Lives Matter movement really took hold in the UK last year, every institution in this country has finally had to analyze their failings and their position in terms of how they treat ethnic minorities both inside and outside its walls. . But for some unknown reason, you feel like the UK press is exempt from that discussion. “
She added: “So maybe you’d better look elsewhere for a host for your awards this year. Maybe someone whose views match yours – that the UK press is the only institution in the whole country that has a perfect race record. “
Meanwhile, the publications that the awards were to commend also wanted to distance themselves from the organization.
Yorkshire Post editor James Mitchinson wrote in a letter to readers that he would not enter the regional society awards “with regret but with utter conviction,” adding “as a white man in his forties, I I feel sadly short of credentials to lead this fight, but I will be condemned if the color of my skin and my perceived social status are going to prevent me from listening, learning, improving myself and improving my workplace. “
Meanwhile, the Office of Investigative Journalism said that the Society’s “statement denying intolerance and racism in the UK media shows a lack of awareness and understanding of the persistent and deep-seated issues we see.
