Newsroom
Guardian bosses decline invite to Observer meeting
Comedian David Mitchell is the star turn at a Stand Up for the Observer public meeting in London later this month.
The Peep Show actor writes a column for the Sunday paper, and has agreed to speak at the event organised by the NUJ and industry magazine and website Press Gazette.
Journalists from the joint Observer/Guardian chapels - who have launched a campaign website - are expected to attend as well as colleagues from other media and trade unions, concerned readers and other high-profile supporters from the worlds of culture and politics.
The event is being held at the Friends Meeting House in Euston Road, opposite Euston Station, from 7pm on Monday 21 September.
Press Gazette Editor Dominc Ponsofrd will chair the meeting and NUJ Deputy General Secretary Michelle Stanistreet will be one of the speakers.
A month ago it was revealed that closing the Observer - the world's oldest Sunday paper - was one of a number of options being considered by Guardian Media Group to stem mounting losses.
The autumn meeting of the Scott Trust – which owns GMG - will decide the future of The Observer.
NUJ national newspapers organiser Barry Fitzpatrick said: "We are hoping we can create enough pressure to make people realise that The Observer is a much loved-product which has a future.
"The paper's NUJ chapel are hoping to do that through a combination of lobbying and holding public meetings. And they are pledged to fight any compulsory redundancies if it comes to that."
Press Gazette asked Guardian management to send a representative to this month's meeting but they declined.
The on-line magazine has also invited the 11 members of the Scott Trust board to attend.
The campaign at The Observer is part of a union-wide battle against media cutbacks.
4 September 2009
