Nouse.co.uk » YUSU cuts Yorker ties

YUSU cuts Yorker ties

October 29, 2008
Patrick Harte and Maks Fus Mickiewicz

Online news website The Yorker has been denied access to YUSU officers following a Union council decision last week.

YUSU Societies and Communications Officer Rory Shanks has restricted further The Yorker’s previously limited access to the Union. The organisation will no longer be provided with official press releases or press passes to Union-organised events such as the annual elections and Roses.

The Yorker, which describes itself as “a student-run website which provides news, features and comment” on the University of York campus, has, since its inception two years ago, been a private limited company. This independence means that the society is not Union ratified, and has not signed up to the YUSU media charter media charter, which mandates media societies on certain legal and welfare principles.

The decision to exclude the organisation followed various discussions within the Union Coordination Committee, where it was decided that since The Yorker does not directly contribute to, and is not accountable to the Union, it should not be treated like other ratified campus media societies.

Shanks said: “Until some sort of compromise, be it through a signing of the fair practise agreement, be it through the signing of the media charter or their eventual ratification we will continue to treat them as an external media organisation.”

Despite attempts to move discussions forward to confirm a place for The Yorker within recognised student media, the organisation appears unconcerned by the current developments.

“We are contemplating negotiations but we have to concentrate on protecting our independent status,” commented Editor of The Yorker, Dominic Freeston.

Both The Yorker and Nouse.co.uk were nominated for best website in the 2008 Guardian Student Media Awards.