A package of measures aimed at supporting local news publishers is beng rolled out by the UK government.
Included is a new GB£12 million (A$23.15 million) fund to boost local news provision, as part of a strategy emerging following an address earlier this year by culture, media and sport minister Lisa Nandy.
It includes new funding to help local news publishers innovate digitally, support community radio stations and tackle the risks of ‘news deserts’ by helping to revive a local news presence in communities that currently don’t have one.
The minister said the strategy would almost triple the size of funding for community radio, “harnessing the power of local and national government and giving more young people access to high quality journalism and the opportunity to pursue careers in it”, noting that local media had always been a ladder of opportunity to help new voices break into journalism.
“This is not a nice to have. It is essential to a cohesive country,” she said, promising that the new strategy was only a starting point, with “a new approach to local media, which nurtures it and places it directly at the heart of our government’s support for our country.
“Because the future of news is local.”
Included is a new regional media forum in the west of England, a campaign in schools in north west England to “inspire young people from all backgrounds to pursue local media careers,” and a commitment to guarantee digital access to a wide range of local and national news in all state schools.
She said it would commit central government to “making the best use” of local and hyperlocal media in advertising and public information, “while helping them to become more competitive and championing their use in commercial advertising.”
At an address in March to launch the programme, Society of Editors chief executive Dawn Alford said publishers and editors had been adapting to a rapidly changing media landscape for years, and some were now reaching 80 per cent of the local population their titles serve, “more than ever before.
News Media Association chief executive, Owen Meredith welcomed “a clear commitment to make better use of trusted local news environments” as well as the new fund to boost local news provision.
Local media outlets in print, online, radio or TV will be able to bid for grants to support their financial sustainability and transition to online-focussed business models under the new multi-year fund.
A portion of it will be used to revive local news in areas where a presence has retreated – helping existing publishers or neighbouring news titles expand, or with the establishment of new, independent, community-owned titles.