Journalists’ Charity offers free Tortoise memberships to all beneficiaries

20 July, 2021

The Journalists’ Charity is delighted to announce that it is partnering with Tortoise, to offer all Journalists’ Charity beneficiaries a free 12-month membership to the ‘slow news’ organisation.

Founded by former Director of BBC News, James Harding and former Publisher at the Wall Street Journal, Katie Vanneck-Smith in April 2019, Tortoise has grown rapidly to offer an innovative model for storytelling that welcomes public opinion to influence the news agenda.

The Journalists’ Charity will be joining a network of not-for-profits, NGOs and other charities who invite groups of people to participate in Tortoise’s open newsroom discussions and themed digital Think-ins, concentrating on topics concerning technology, natural resources, identity, finance, and longevity. Guest speakers include MPs, CEOs, and authors to name a few, and have welcomed figures such as Madeline Albright, Carolyn McCall, and Gina Miller.

All Journalists’ Charity beneficiaries (including successful First Jobs Fund applicants) will be offered a Tortoise membership which includes unlimited access to Tortoise Think-Ins, investigative journalism written pieces from award-winning writers and the Slow Newscast podcast, for a 12-month period.

James Brindle, CEO of the Journalists’ Charity says “By joining the Tortoise network, we can now proudly offer beneficiaries of the Journalists’ Charity not only practical support, but an opportunity to develop their journalism skills and broaden their knowledge. Tortoise is a unique news platform that welcomes the voices and opinions of those that may often be underrepresented in the newsroom, an approach to journalism that aligns well with the charity’s own mission to support all journalists from every sector of the industry, nationwide.”

David Taylor, Senior Editor and Partner at Tortoise says “There’s never been a better time to be a journalist – or a more precarious one. There are so many ways to tell stories and reach audiences, but job security is tenuous and there is an atmosphere of hostility in some quarters often deliberately whipped up by politicians.

“So, we’re really happy to have the Journalists’ Charity join the Tortoise Community Network as part of our drive to get diverse voices into our reporting and help people make progress in their careers. We want everyone to have a seat at the table in our newsroom.”

For more information on our new partner Tortoise, visit their website.