Has there ever been a more confounding time to be working in journalism?

Over the past year we’ve moved from congratulating the media’s dogged persistence in exposing illegal phone hacking, to the closure of one of the oldest newspapers in the world, and the hounding of hard working journalists.

The Inquiry into media ethics, chaired by Lord Justice Leveson, has already produced a number of memorable moments, with riveting testimony from JK Rowling, Max Mosely and Hugh Grant.

Undoubtedly, the inquiry is proving to be a cathartic experience for many; an opportunity to lay into individuals in the media who have exhibited truly awful behaviour.

However the inquiry is also an opportunity to address the structure of media governance in this country and will have far reaching consequences beyond the reprimanding of phone hacking.

Ask any student journalist why they are entering this profession and they will no doubt speak about their desire to make a difference; to play their part in holding power to account, to expose wrongdoing and to inform their community.

However the reality is that journalists operate in a business environment that is too often led by owners seeking to maximise their profits. This creates a working culture where cutbacks, redundancies, and closure of major titles has become the norm as quality journalism suffers.

Media moguls have slashed the investment needed for specialist investigative journalism to develop. The newsroom pressure on journalists to deliver copy within unrealistic deadlines is enormous.

It is no wonder then that once proud local and regional newspapers have become a shadow of themselves, regurgitating press releases, lacking the resources to fully report local news.

That’s why the National Union of Journalists is seeking to have the views of ordinary journalists represented in the Leveson Inquiry.

We are highlighting the need for journalists to sign up to a Conscience Clause that would allow them to refuse to engage in practices that go against our Code of Conduct, including intruding into anybody’s private life, grief or distress unless justified by overriding consideration of the public interest.

As an independent trade union, we want to ensure that our members’ voices are heard; their experiences documented; and our recommendations taken forward to ensure that the profession of journalism is done professionally.