Yorkshire Post editor calls for urgent action to help local journalism
One of the UK’s most senior regional editors has written to MPs and the prime minister urging urgent help for local newsrooms.
James Mitchinson, editorial director for JPIMedia in Yorkshire, and editor of the Yorkshire Post, sent his letter hours after the company had confirmed a round of furlough and pay cuts across the business.
Titles in his region have also begun appealing to online readers to go out and buy a newspaper to ensure the titles are able to keep serving local communites.
James calls on MPs to urge the government to commit to investing in a significant local media public information campaign, arguing that local media remains the most trusted source of news.
James also asks for Government to extend the 100% business rates holiday already offered to retail, hospitality and leisure businesses to include news publishers, which are providing vital information and guidance to the public.
James wrote: “Even as I am typing this there are emails coming into my inbox from my journalists to whom I have just delivered the news that they must all take pay cuts to help protect our newspapers from collapse and to protect their jobs.
“We have furloughed a significant number of staff as advertising has stopped coming in, some titles have lost more than 80% of their income and are facing huge challenges getting our newspapers into people’s hands, owing to the coronavirus.
“I believe local newspapers are so much more to communities than just a newspaper. We campaign and counsel; we care and I am asking you to do those things for the newspaper I look after and the communities they serve.”
At the same time, both the Yorkshire Post and Yorkshire Evening Post have begun running appeals for support from readers at the bottom of every article they publish online.
On the YEP, a letter from editor Laura Collins said: “Thank you for reading this story on our website. These are challenging times but the team at the Yorkshire Evening Post need your support more than ever in the weeks ahead.
“While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you — wherever possible and providing it is safe for you to do so — to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.
“Inevitably falling advertising revenues will start to have an impact on local newspapers and the way we continue to work during this period of uncertainty. So the support of our readers has never been more important as we try to make sure that we keep you connected with the city you live in during this time. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. We need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.
“Our team of trusted reporters are working incredibly hard behind the scenes- from kitchen tables and spare bedrooms — to look at how we can do this and your continued support to the YEP will help to protect its viability in the days and weeks ahead.
