We have recently been contacted by a number of people regarding an article written by the editor of Jewish News. The article accuses us of not wanting to work with Jewish News because it is a Jewish newspaper. We feel this is a gross misrepresentation of the situation and is not something that we take lightly, so we feel that it is only correct that we share our side of the story.

In 2024, we were introduced to Jewish News through our client, World Jewish Relief, an incredible charity representing the Jewish community that delivers life-saving action globally. The directors of Studio Republic met with Jewish News and found them to be genuinely lovely people and a team that we as directors felt we could work well with.

As with all new opportunities, the project was discussed internally with our team. Following those internal discussions, the collective decision was made not to proceed with the work because it sat outside of our strategic focus on the charity and non-profit sector. We simply weren’t comfortable working with a media outlet. The decision was not related to faith, race, nationality or any other individual characteristic. Our choices about the work we take on is solely where we believe we can have the greatest impact as an agency whilst aligning with our mission of amplifying the purpose of charities.

We explained our position, and politely declined the opportunity, but sadly were accused of anti-semitism by the editor, who threatened to expose us as such. It is incredibly disappointing to see a false narrative being presented, as it is wholly untrue. We are particularly disappointed by the way the situation has been framed, as it does not accurately reflect either the conversations that took place or the values we hold as an organisation.

Our intention was never to cause offence or hurt through our decision, and we acknowledge the suffering that anti-semitism causes, and would never want to be a part of this very real problem.

We are proud of the inclusive business we have built and would never and have never discriminated against any organisation or business. If anyone would like to have a direct conversation with us about this, we would welcome the opportunity to speak openly and honestly.