In 1921, CP Scott set out the values that have since been adopted by the Scott Trust: honesty, integrity, courage, fairness and a sense of duty to readers and the community. As journalists at the Guardian and Observer, it has been distressing to experience how far the trust has departed from them. Its chair, Ole Jacob Sunde, has claimed that it listened to and addressed staff views before approving the in-principle transfer of the Observer to Tortoise media (We want what’s best for the Observer – and the Guardian. That’s why the deal with Tortoise makes sense, 7 December).
This has not been our experience. There were no conversations with Observer staff prior to a decision to explore selling the Observer. Observer journalists have not been involved in due diligence relating to the transfer. Several Scott Trust directors have refused to speak to senior Observer staff, including the editor, or simply ignored our approaches. The deal was approved while journalists were on strike.
