From AI to tackling bad laws — the actions editors say the next Government needs to tackle to save journalism
Editors around the UK have joined forces to call on politicians to commit to action around five key issues which they say will determine whether journalism in the UK is able to thrive in the future.
Under the banner of the News Media Association, editors from local and national titles have set out the five topics which require urgent government action if journalism is to be sustained.
Their manifesto, published today, highlights five key policy areas that require immediate attention from the next Government:
- Artificial intelligence and intellectual property,
- Press freedom,
- A new settlement between commercial news publishers and the BBC,
- Promoting media plurality,
- Recognising the importance of local media to devolution and local growth.
“AI could collapse under the weight of misinformation it has created”
On AI, the NMA urges the government to ensure that publishers have control over the use of their content by large language models and are fairly compensated for its use.
If publishers are not fairly compensated for the use of their content by the Large Language Models that sit behind AI tools which are increasingly directly competing with publishers, investment in trusted journalism will inevitably fall, the NMA argues.
That could create a world where AI tools have nothing to feed on other than their own outputs, leading to ‘model collapse’, whereby LLMs break down under the weight of their own AI-generated misinformation.
“This is damaging not just for UK citizens, but also poses an existential risk for AI firms, as publishers and other creators will stop investing in the original content that fuels LLMs,” The NMA said in the manifesto.
The manifesto calls on the Government to ensure publishers have control over who can scrape their content, have the right to see how their content is used by AI firms, and are rewarded fairly for the use of content if they choose to engage with AI platforms.
Katharine Viner, editor-in- chief of the Guardian, said: “Without quality journalism to train and ground large language models, these technologies would struggle to make sense of the world around them.
“A strong copyright framework, transparency around how quality journalism is scraped and used, and a willingness to stand up for the right of investors in intellectual property to receive fair compensation for the use of their work should be at the heart of a balanced approach to AI policy of the next Government.”
Two of the five priorities focus specifically on local journalism.
The BBC threatens to crowd out Local News publishers
The NMA is also calling for measures to prevent the BBC from distorting the digital news market and crowding out commercial publishers, as well as action to stop the BBC entering the advertising marketplace.
Over the last two years, the BBC has moved away from actively trying to partner and support existing commercial local news publishers and opted to try and directly compete with it.
It controversially slashed local radio programming across England, leaving many BBC local statons only broadcasting local shows for a few hours a day, so it could invest in adding more journalists to directly compete with existing local news websites already struggling with tricky commercial conditions and a challenging advertising market.
The NMA draws parallels between the BBC’s heft and the impact tech giants have on local journalism, pointing out that while the Competition and Markets Authority’s (CMA) new digital markets powers will help local news publishers deal with global tech monopolies on a more level playing field, the BBC’s immense market power and increasingly severe impact on the local news sector remains unchecked.
Gary Shipton, editorial director at National World, said: “Funded by the enforced licence fee, the BBC’s anti-competitive incursion risks hundreds of journalists’ jobs as it steals audience and the advertising revenues associated with them.”
Last year, local publishers branded the BBC ‘neighbours from hell’ for the way it was abusing it’s guaranteed income to compete with rivals, while relationships over the Local Democracy Reporters scheme, funded by the BBC and administered by local publishers, have frayed after the BBC began portraying it as a ‘favour’ to the local press, ignoring the huge benefit it also receives from the scheme.
Devolution requires a resilient local Press
Government should divert more of its advertising spend into local media to ensure local newsrooms can thrive and grow, the NMA says.
It points to the fact that further devolution and local growth is dependent on supporting local news publishers whose titles sit right at the heart of local life.
A three-point plan is proposed, including maintaining the requirement for local authorities to place public notices in local newspapers, which has the double benefit of supporting local media and also ensuring citiziens have access to information.
The Government’s own advertising spend should be reviewed, with more money moving to trusted media and away from the tech platforms who increasingly are damaging publishers generally.
It also asks for a local journalism relief tax to be considered, and an extension of business rates relief beyond 2025, to allow publishers to invest in more local journalists.
Barnsley Chronicle editor, Andrew Harrod, said: “Local papers play a critical role in informing readers about local government activities and decision-making, while also giving a platform to voice opinions. Without this crucial link, local authorities cannot respond suitably to their community’s needs.
“The government must explore ways to support local news, such as keeping the requirement for local authorities to print public notices in local newspapers and diverting a greater proportion of its ad spend into local media. By doing so, we can ensure that local journalism thrives and that our communities remain informed and engaged.”
Ensuring media isn’t squashed by tech
The next government must ensure that regulatory interventions support a plural UK media environment, driving competition, innovation, and investment, the NMA said.
At the heart of this sits the need for trusted news to be freely available online. As well as tackling the threat of the BBC to local publishers, the Government must also address the tech platforms, the NMA said.
The NMA wants the next government to support Ofcom in efforts to bring media plurality rules up to date so it can address the influence of tech platforms on journalism and ensure the Digital Markets Unit which can force tech companies to set fair online advertising deals becomes a reality quickly.
It also wants to see that regulation covering areas such as online advertising do not have unintended consequences for trusted news publishers. Frequently in recent years, well-intentioned legislation has risked unintended consequences for publishers of all sizes.
Sarah Lester, editor of Manchester Evening News, said: “The next government has a responsibility to empower regulators that play a key role in bolstering a plural UK press ecosystem.
“This includes supporting the Digital Markets Unit to move quickly to guarantee a fair value exchange between Big Tech and trusted news publishers.
“The wider public is largely unaware of how much influence Big Tech has on what is served to them to read. It’s not an exaggeration to say without action a fundamental part of our democracy is at stake.”
Preserving Press Freedom
All of the above is dependent on preserving Press freedom in the UK, the NMA says.
The manifesto emphasises the importance of ensuring that new legislation does not impinge on press freedom, while also calling for legislative and non-legislative measures to combat strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs).
Editor-in-chief of The Sun Victoria Newton said: “Preserving press freedom is essential for our democracy. A free press represents voters and enables different voices to be heard in our society, allowing the public to make fully informed decisions and share in the democratic process.
“But for this to continue, journalists must be able to report on matters without fear or favour, having the access necessary to inform the public. The next government must also ensure that existing and future legislation preserves and promotes press freedom, never taking our hard-fought freedoms for granted.”
Owen Meredith, NMA chief executive, said: “The proposals put forward in this manifesto are crucial for safeguarding the sustainable future of independent, trusted UK news media.
“We hope all political parties will commit in their manifestos to support a free and sustainable urge the next government to prioritise these issues and work collaboratively with stakeholders to support media plurality in the UK. A free and sustainable press is essential for upholding democracy.”
