Three big stories that in recent months have dominated the news, and will continue to do so for some time to come, bolster the union’s case that there is no substitute for well-resourced quality journalism.

When in April Ian Tomlinson died after being hit by a police officer during the G20 protests, it was professional journalism that turned a citizen’s shaky video footage into an investigation that is still turning up stories.

And while accusations of chequebook journalism were initially levelled at the Telegraph when it first unleashed the MPs’ expenses scandal, there is no doubt that the ongoing revelations are the result of old-fashioned legwork and rigorous fact-checking.

The ground had already been cleared for the Telegraph of course by the excellent work done by Heather Brooke, whose persistent and patient freedom of information campaign ought to receive far more recognition than it has outside of the NUJ.

Today’s scoop by Nick Davies revealing the practices at the News of the World under Andy Coulson, shows what media organisations can achieve when they give their journalists time and freedom to cultivate sources and properly research important stories that are genuinely in the public interest – rather than just give them the phone numbers of ethically-dubious private detectives and ask them to go fishing. It is a red-letter day indeed when you find yourself agreeing with Andrew Neil.

It ought to be obvious that if the onslaught of cuts in our industry continues then the future of quality journalism like this will be under serious threat.

If we don’t fight, all we’ll be left with are skeleton-staffed newsrooms where the word hack means nothing more than what editors expect their reporters to do to get their stories.

Posted by Rich Simcox

Tags: Andy Coulson, cuts, ethics, Guardian, hacking, Heather Brooke, Ian Tomlinson, job cuts, MPs' expenses, National Union of Journalists, News of the World, Nick Davies, NUJ, phone-tapping, Telegraph