Behind Local News Weekly: How the new Government can help local media
Hello,
Welcome to the weekly newsletter from Behind Local News.
If you missed last week’s newsletter, please do give it a read. Ed Walker took us inside the work of The Lead, a campaigning hyperlocal set-up which has been launching titles across the North of England — and made the most of the unexpected General Election to really pack a punch. You can read it here.
Some really good news in the last week from Wales — plans to allow councils to dodge publishing council tax notices in local newspapers have been scrapped by the Welsh Government. Publishers had warned the move, seen as a first step to ending the legal requirement to publish public notices, could have had a catastrophic impact on local publishers, especially newspapers.
While it’s fair to say that the legal requirement to publish public notices in print isn’t universally popular across our industry — not least among digital-only operations — it seems a reasonable point to make that removing the need for them to be published at all would be a damaging step for the local journalism as a whole.
That brings us to this week’s big read, which is authored by Owen Meredith, the CEO of the News Media Association. With Sir Keir Starmer now in Downing Street, what is it local news now needs from Government to thrive in the future? Thanks to Owen for finding time to write it at a very busy time for the organisation (and not just because it is celebrating a 10th birthday of the organisation this week!)
Thanks for reading, and let us know what we should be covering here at Behind Local News.
Behind Local News
New on site this week:
Welsh Government backs down on plans which would have damaged journalism in country
Plans to remove a legal requirement for council tax notices to be printed in local newspapers were abandoned at the 11th hour after publishers united to warn the proposals could damage journalism in Wales.
The King and us: HM praises media’s role in misinformation war
HM King Charles has said that news media titles underpin democracy and are “an antidote to misinformation” in a message to News Media Association members marking the 10th anniversary of the NMA.
Senior judges urges journalists to make most of McNae’s
Journalists were encouraged to use McNae’s Essential Law for Journalists as a guide to challenging court decisions on reporting restrictions, at the launch of the 27th edition of the “bible for journalists”.
Manchester homelessness reporting wins national recognition
A group of reporters with a shared experience of homelessness and unfit housing have scooped a National award for their work shining a spotlight on the issues surrounding their lived experiences.
Substack newsletter for Wimbledon launched
A new hyperlocal newsletter, The Wimble, serving a London community has attracted 1,000 subscribers within weeks of launching.
Irish News means business with new podcast launch
The Irish News has launched a new business podcast — promising insight combined with fun to bring a new audience to its stories.
Good news this week:
- Congratulations to the local news journalists and brands represented at the Press Gazette Future of Media Awards, the shortlist for which was announced last week.
- Exciting times for the Journalist’s Charity, which has announced that one of the most-respected editors in local journalism is joining as a trustee. Congratulations Alison Gow.
- And a final election story (maybe!). Congratulations to the Totnes Times for the eight-fold increase in audience it experienced during the Election.
After the landslide — what next in the fight to sustain local journalism in the UK?
Labour impressed editors during the General Election campaign by making senior politicians available, including Sir Keir Starmer, who visited a number of regional newsrooms. Now he’s Prime Minister, making sure the new Labour government delivers on its commitment to local news to a top priority for the News Media Association. Writing for Behind Local News, NMA CEO Owen Meredith looks at what needs to happen next…
As the dust settles on the general election and the new government puts forward its priorities for the coming months, it is worth reflecting on the role played by local news media in this fundamental exercise in democracy — and the vital part it will play as we move forward.
Our Local Matters report found that the public rely heavily upon highly trusted local news media to combat misinformation and fake news during a general election, and it performed that role through its commitment to trusted local journalism.
The OnePoll survey published as part of the report also highlighted that people believe local news media is a powerful force for good in communities — 91 per cent of the public agree that local news media improve communities by campaigning on issues that matter to residents.
The Labour Party has demonstrated that it understands this by engaging extensively with local news media in the run up to the election with Sir Keir Starmer visiting newsrooms including the Liverpool Echo, Manchester Evening News and the Northern Echo.
The new Prime Minister recognises the value of local news media, telling The Reading Chronicle earlier this year that local newspapers are vital — and the government must support them. “I think that in an age when people don’t trust politics, there’s a huge trust in your local paper,” Sir Keir said. “We’ve got to support our local papers.”
As we move forward, the NMA will continue to champion the vital role played by local news media and highlight the huge audiences enjoyed by the sector — 42 million people a month in print and digital.
With a record 335 new MPs elected for the first time, and 15 former MPs returning after a previous defeat, local newspapers will be crucial tool for constituents to get to know these fresh faces. We’ve already been in touch to congratulate those who won their seat and share our manifesto, setting out the necessary steps to support a free and sustainable local press.
We’ve also written to new Ministers and Shadow Ministers whose brief covers the interests of our industry — including the new Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy MP. For most Labour Ministers, this is their first time in government, but the majority have shadowed the brief for some time, meaning they should have good knowledge of the policy areas they are now responsible for, even if they find themselves learning on the job how to be a Minister.
There are critical challenges and key opportunities facing news publishers over the coming years. Protecting press freedom, which underpins our democracy, and the ability of journalists to scrutinise and hold power to account is vital.
Embedding the new digital markets regime — which received welcome support from the Labour Party during the passage of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill — to help publishers receive fair compensation for the use of their content by tech giants is also crucial.
As technology continues to develop at breakneck speed, unlocking efficiencies and finding new ways of storytelling through AI will be an opportunity for publishers. But protecting vital IP rights and copyright will be crucial. We welcomed the commitment in Labour’s Creative Manifesto to protect copyright: “Labour will support, maintain and promote the UK’s strong copyright regime.”
Establishing a new settlement between the BBC and commercial news providers to ensure that the BBC’s online presence does not distort the digital news market should be a key priority for government as we approach Charter renewal in 2027.
While work on these initiatives continues, the implementation of short-term tax reliefs, such as a local tax relief specifically tailored for journalism, would provide publishers with some much-needed breathing space.
Maintaining the statutory requirement on local authorities to publish public notices in printed local newspapers is also of vital importance to both democratic engagement and the sustainability of local journalism.
In Wales, we welcomed the Welsh government’s acknowledgement of this when it abandoned plans to remove council tax notices from local papers which would have set a dangerous precedent, ultimately leading to the disenfranchisement of vulnerable groups.
Investing a greater share of government advertising spend to local publishers would be an easy win for both government and local news — ensuring greater engagement with government messaging at the local level, at no additional cost to the taxpayer.
At the NMA, we are excited by the opportunities ahead. We welcomed Labour Party’s engagement with the industry on key legislation while in opposition and look forward to continuing that work to ensure a vibrant and sustainable news media sector in the UK.
