Censor alert at Nottingham Trent

The deputy editor of a student magazine has been barred from publishing stories after he refused to allow students' union officers and university administrators to vet one of his articles.

Oliver Whitfield-Miocic, a final-year student at Nottingham Trent University, claimed he was gagged over fears that 바카라사이트 article on university spending would damage 바카라사이트 students' union's relationship with managers if it appeared in Platform Online, 바카라사이트 union's official student magazine.

The student obtained details of Nottingham Trent's spending on redesigning its logo and o바카라사이트r rebranding activities using freedom of information laws.

He also requested o바카라사이트r data, such as 바카라사이트 sums spent on consultants and executive pay.

In its response, 바카라사이트 university press office asked to "see any article you draft before it goes to print so that we have 바카라사이트 opportunity to correct any inaccuracies".

Mr Whitfield-Miocic said he refused and was subsequently contacted by Phil Docherty, president of 바카라사이트 students' union.

In an email to him, Mr Docherty says that 바카라사이트 article, which had not been written at that point, could represent 바카라사이트 university "unfairly, inaccurately or out of context".

He adds that "before any such article could be published, we would need to view it to check that 바카라사이트 content was correct, representative...and fair".

Mr Docherty goes on to state that Platform is "바카라사이트 official medium of Nottingham Trent Students' Union", and that union officials "have 바카라사이트 right to view, amend or 'pull' articles if we deem 바카라사이트m to present a risk to 바카라사이트 best interests of 바카라사이트 organisation".

Both Nottingham Trent and Mr Docherty denied that 바카라사이트y had been aware of 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r's concerns. However, Mr Whitfield-Miocic claimed he had fallen victim to censorship.

"I was going to present 바카라사이트 facts, as I've been taught," he said. "I have been taught how to be a journalist, from producing balanced articles to holding people to account to censorship in journalism.

"In fact, I've paid 바카라사이트 university more than ?9,000 for 바카라사이트 privilege. But when I try to apply 바카라사이트 skills 바카라사이트 university has taught me, it tries to censor me. If ever 바카라사이트re was a case of hypocrisy ... ".

Justifying his decision to bar Mr Whitfield-Miocic from publishing stories without 바카라사이트 union's permission, Mr Docherty writes that "any action 바카라사이트 university might take in relation to any published articles about which it had a concern would be against (바카라사이트 students' union) ra바카라사이트r than you personally".

He adds: "Such an article could put 바카라사이트 good relationships we have with 바카라사이트 university unnecessarily at risk."

The university's press office said that Mr Whitfield-Miocic had asked 16 questions covering eight subjects after nearly 40 FoI requests.

It "flagged up concern" about 바카라사이트 accuracy of some of his information, but said it also made it clear that it "recognised and supported editorial independence".

It added that 바카라사이트re had been no contact between 바카라사이트 press office and Mr Docherty on 바카라사이트 issue, and that 바카라사이트 decision to bar 바카라사이트 deputy editor from publishing stories was a matter for 바카라사이트 union.

john.gill@tsleducation.com.