Journalists at Thomson Reuters are set to go on strike for the first time in 25 years in protest of a “below-inflation” pay offer. Read the full story

Wikipedia blackout protest threat

Imagine a world with no Wikipedia. You might not have to, if the online encyclopedia’s founder, Jimmy Wales, follows through on his threat to temporarily take the website down in protest of an act being discussed in Congress. Wales has said he may block access to the website, if those who contribute to Wikipedia agree with his motive. What is he protesting over? The Stop Online Piracy Act, which is being placed under scrutiny for the burden it will place on websites, search engines and ISPs. (Source: The Register)

Local TV areas revealed

The 20 towns and cities that will receive their own local TV channels have been revealed by Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt. Brighton, Birmingham, London and Manchester are among the lucky few that will act as a trial for Hunt’s localised service, which hopes to provide locales with news and programming relevant to them. Hunt promises his idea will bring a “fundamental change” to programming in the country; many remain unconvinced. (Source: Press Gazette)

Trinity Mirror kicking journos in the teeth

The National Union of Journalists has labelled Trinity Mirror’s decision to freeze pay for a year a “kick in the teeth” for journalists. The freeze is essentially a real-term pay cut, given the rate of inflation. NUJ secretary Michelle Stanistreet said: “It’s time Trinity Mirror sat down with the NUJ for national discussions on the group’s future strategy, so all options for 2012 can be discussed.” (Source: NUJ)

Usual suspects announced for BBC Olympic coverage

The BBC has announced its presenting team for next year’s London Olympics. No surprises here, as Gary Lineker, Claire Balding and Sue Barker will head up proceedings as Auntie gets sporty. You can breathe a sigh of relief though – Mark Lawrenson’s name isn’t mentioned anywhere. (Source: MediaGuardian)

The big question facing Midlands’ journalism

It’s a tough question, but the National Union of Journalists is set to try and answer it: is journalism in the Midlands dead? Job cuts abound, including at the BBC and regional publishers, and the NUJ has called a public meeting to discuss the issue. “Excellent, hard-working journalists are being thrown on the scrap heap,” said general secretary Michelle Stanistreet, “and the citizens of this region are losing a vital check on the activities of local politicians and businesses”. As long as the debate doesn’t turn into a rendition of Monty Python’s parrot sketch, it’ll be interesting to hear the union’s conclusion. (Source: MediaGuardian)

Stop arguing about Clarkson and watch Stewart Lee

Despite strikes, the onset of winter and the gradual collapse of the Eurozone, Brits have been complaining in their droves about a man who makes Simon Cowell look fashionable. Yes, Jeremy Clarkson hit the headlines again, just in time for his annual Christmas book, a collection of his erudite thoughts. You can read what our Barny de Hoedt thought of the Clarkson furore here, but in the meantime we leave you with a snippet of Stewart Lee, explaining his own thoughts of the Top Gear troublemakers:

The winner of (Rupert Murdoch-owned) News Limited’s in-house journalism award has upped the game considerably. Simon Eroro took the prize for securing an interview with secretive Free West Papua militants. To get the scoop, Eroro had to cross rivers and jungles and get circumcised with bamboo sticks as part of a cleansing ceremony. Next year’s entrants are already plotting which limbs they can do without to satiate Murdoch’s news interests, but at least on this occasion Eroro’s reportage had a positive impact on Papua New Guinea. (Source: The Telegraph)

Channel 4 is setting up a training scheme for young investigative journalists, to inspire fresh faces to get into long-form current affairs programming instead of “glamorous” roles in comedy and entertainment. Chief exec David Abraham has thrown his weight behind the idea, suggesting that the allegedly dead days of journalism being a “noble” pursuit need to be dug up from the grave. (Source: The Independent)

Pats on backs and congratulatory cheers all round at the National Union of Journalists. The union has won a case demanding almost £200,000 for former Daily and Sunday Sport staff made redundant when the paper went bust last year. 62 members of staff will now be able to claim up to £3,200 each. (Source: Press Gazette)

Daily Digest is a quick round-up of media news that occurred today. For a weekly round-up of all the big stories, sign up for our newsletter which goes out every Wednesday.

It might be gloomy elsewhere, but not at Pearson. The publisher of the Financial Times has reported a 6 per cent year-on-year revenue increase at its FT Group. That’s not all, as the number of people actually paying to subscribe to the newspaper’s digital publication has increased by 30 per cent year-on-year, to almost 250,000. Next week: struggling regionals across the nation go pink to play catch up. (Source: MediaGuardian)

The National Union of Journalists is rallying the troops. Well, the BBC staff, and the union is set to ballot its members over a vote of no confidence for BBC head honcho Mark Thompson. It’s in response to the BBC’s decision to cut almost 2,000 jobs, and the NUJ’s general secretary Michelle Stanistreet has labelled Thompson the “architect of this butcher”. Even if Thompson survives the popularity contest, the ballot isn’t a great sign for the BBC’s top man – it’s the first time in 84 years that a director general has been called into question. (Source: journalism.co.uk)

The Mail Online has done it again. Anyone on Twitter this morning may have been puzzled by talk of used condoms and artificial insemination. It was, of course, the work of the Mail‘s Liz Jones (or ‘Jizz Loans’ as she has been not-so-affectionately nicknamed) who published a tirade concerning her quest to become a mother, regardless of the manner. Reactions weren’t mixed: most were disgusted, but the Guardian‘s Patrick Strudwick had his own go at shock-journalism, by claiming Jones provides a “public service”. God bless British journalism. (Source: The Guardian, Mail Online)

Daily Digest is a quick round-up of media news that occurred today. For a weekly round-up of all the big stories, sign up for our newsletter which goes out every Wednesday.

You might as well quit watching Strictly Come Dancing now, as the spectre of strike action looms over the final of the BBC’s flagship entertainment show. Read the full story

The National Union of Journalists has responded to Labour minster Ivan Lewis’ concept of ‘blacklisting’ journalists who are guilty of ‘gross mispractice’, calling the idea “depressing” and warning that journalists should not become the “scapegoats” for the wider issues surrounding media ownership in the UK. Read the full story

NUJ members at the Independent are expected to reject a one per cent pay rise offer made by the newspaper’s owner, Alexander Lebedev, according to MediaGuardian. Read the full story