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.
Key questions have been left unanswered. We were told that the rationale for the transfer is that the Scott Trust would never invest in the Observer; why, then, has £5m been found to underwrite Tortoise in exchange for a less-than-10% stake of this company? Why would the Observer have a greater chance of success as a standalone outlet, given the diseconomies of scale entailed in extracting it from an integrated operation with the Guardian?
How is consigning Observer journalism, currently read by millions of people a week around the world, to behind a paywall that, even assuming very optimistic projections, would only be accessed by a tiny fraction of that readership, consistent with the Scott Trust objective of promoting liberal journalism? If the trust was set on a sale, why immediately enter into exclusive negotiations with Tortoise rather than explore other interest that could potentially generate more resources for the Observer?
Tim Adams Writer
Neal Ascherson Writer
Anna Bawden Health and social affairs correspondent and mother of the Guardian/Observer NUJ chapel
Rafael Behr Columnist
Catherine Bennett Columnist
Kathryn Bromwich Commissioning editor and writer
Carole Cadwalladr Writer
Imogen Carter Assistant editor, Observer New Review
Steve Chamberlain Assistant editor, Observer magazine
Rachel Cooke Writer
John Crace Sketch writer
Sarah Donaldson Observer arts editor
Richard Eilers Production journalist
Oren Gruenbaum Deputy production editor and deputy father of the Guardian/Observer NUJ chapel
Simon Hattenstone Features writer
Toby Helm Observer political editor
Marina Hyde Columnist
Jane Ferguson Editor, Observer New Review
Jonathan Freedland Columnist
Amelia Hill Senior reporter
Owen Jones Columnist
Martin Kettle Columnist
Dan Kuper Deputy father of the Guardian/Observer NUJ chapel
Jedidajah Otte Reporter
Nils Pratley Financial editor and former Scott Trust director
Susanna Rustin Leader writer
Shahesta Shailty Deputy editor, Observer magazine
Maeve Shearlaw Video producer and deputy mother of the Guardian/Observer NUJ chapel
Harriet Sherwood Journalist
Sonia Sodha Columnist and Observer chief leader writer
Ben Tarring Observer comment editor
Vanessa Thorpe Observer arts and media correspondent
Simon Tisdall Foreign affairs commentator
Polly Toynbee Columnist
Eva Wiseman Columnist
Caroline Bannock Community editor
Andrew Rawnsley chief political commentator, the Observer
George Monbiot Columnist
Emma Cook Assistant editor and travel editor, Observer magazine
Robin McKie Observer science editor
Phillip Inman Economics correspondent and chair of the Guardian/Observer NUJ chapel
Martin Love Observer motoring editor
Ursula Kenny Books editor
Ian Tucker Science and technology editor, Observer New Review
Guy Lane Picture editor, news
Patrick Barkham Natural history writer
Helena Horton Environment reporter
Rob Davies Reporter
John Stuttle Systems editor and father of the Unite chapel
Denis Campbell Health policy editor
Aisha Riaz Assistant production editor
Kirsten Broomhall Production editor, theguardian.com
Bill Montgomery Systems editor
Sandra Laville Environment correspondent
Andrea Chapman Deputy production editor, Saturday magazine
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent and Scott Trust director
Will Hutton Columnist and former editor of the Observer
Roger Ridey Subeditor
Severin Carrell Scotland editor
Sarah Gilbert Features photo editor
Jim Powell Picture editor, the Observer
Mateusz Karpow Systems editor
Libby Brooks Scotland correspondent
Richard Lloyd Deputy production editor, G1
Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent
Paul Mardles Subeditor, Observer New Review and Comment
Philip Adams Chief subeditor, Observer New Review
Tony Bell Picture editor, Observer New Review
Philippa Perry Columnist
Jamie Fahey Production editor, G1
Debbie Kent Assistant production editor
Gavin McOwan Production editor, Saturday magazine
Honey Webb Assistant production editor
Richard Alcock Production editor and clerk to the Guardian/Observer NUJ chapel
Geoff Moore Assistant production editor
Carol McDaid Deputy production editor, Observer New Review
Pru Hone Subeditor
Catherine Nelson Production editor
Nigel Pollitt Subeditor
Jem Bartholomew Reporter
Christopher Hack Designer, G1
Simon Wardell Subeditor
Robert White Obituaries editor
Becca McAuley Subeditor
Philip McMahon Staff software engineer
David Blishen Group product manager
Michael Becker Art director, G1
Hollie Richardson Assistant TV editor
Ben Thomas Designer, G1
Glyn Busfield Night production editor, Observer
Tim Jonze Associate editor, Culture
Luke Hoyland Product manager, investigations and reporting
Jim Hedge Diary editor, Guardian picture desk
Amy Sedghi Reporter
Isobel Montgomery Deputy editor, Guardian Weekly
Richard Partington Economics correspondent
Gwilym Mumford Culture editor, Saturday magazine
James Eagle Assistant production editor
Emily Mackay Guardian news subeditor
Ed Latham Production editor (business), the Observer
Ben Hewitt Subeditor
Clare Horton Assistant editor, Guardian Weekly
Dave Hall Production editor, Feast
Ruth Pallesen-Mustikay Designer
Richard Preston Night editor
Anna Aguilar Assistant production editor
Ian Ford Joint night editor
Jimmy Frenkler Subeditor
Jennifer Bradly Subeditor
Ally Shaw Assistant production editor
Martin Horsfield Production editor, Saturday magazine
Alex Sanders Staff developer
Suzanne Warr Production editor, Guardian news
Ben Smith Deputy art director, G1
Sam Hession Senior software engineer
