The National Union of Journalists have condemned an advertising campaign from the Department for Work and Pensions about the Universal Credit benefits system.
According to the union, who also offered their support and solidarity to members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS), the adverts include ‘unbranded wraparound advertorials and features that promote Universal Credit but they are not clearly labelled as paid adverts and advertorial information.’
NUJ NEC representative Natasha Hirst said: “It is a gross injustice and an insult to all disabled people who have shared their stories and to the journalists who have ethically reported on them, for the DWP to dismiss and misrepresent the appalling impact of their damaging system of Universal Credit.
“The DWP campaign to disseminate inaccurate and misleading communications about the Governments Universal Credit system is funded by taxpayers’ money and in breach of the Government Communication Service propriety guidelines.”
Ann Galpin, chair of NUJ disabled members’ council and co-chair of the TUC disabled workers’ committee, added: “It is heartening to see wide support for NUJ members who face undue pressure from editors and managers to breach our own guidance on ethical reporting and content creation. It’s not 1984, attempts by the Government to push out propaganda cannot go unchallenged.
“We are appalled that these misleading wraparounds and features have appeared in the Metro today, coinciding with the release of Philip Alston’s report on poverty in the UK, which heavily criticises austerity and welfare reform.”
The adverts were first spotted in some editions of the Metro newspaper, a free newspaper generally found on public transport and at major transport hubs and interchanges.
This article first appeared on News on News. Kevin Coy is the editor of News on News.
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