NUJ welcomes launch of Local Media Strategy
The NUJ has welcomed measures in the new strategy, including a new £12 million multi-year government fund, and called for further interventions to revitalise local journalism.
Published today (17 March), the Local Media Strategy has been described as “the first action plan to back local news in a generation” by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).
Lisa Nandy, UK culture secretary, says the strategy shows that “the future of news is local” and is “essential to a cohesive country”, while acknowledging that it “is the start - not the end point - and we recognise there is more to do.”
The strategy includes the following measures:
- A Local News Fund with up to £12 million in government grants distributed over two years to support "digital innovation” and “to fill ‘news deserts”. Further information on the Fund will be shared in the coming weeks.
- Increased annual funding of £1 million for community radio over the next three years, to sustain 400 existing stations and encourage the sector’s development “in underserved areas”.
- A new 'Inspiring the Future’ campaign based in the North West focused on developing media literacy skills and promoting journalism as a career to young people from diverse backgrounds.
- Promoting the ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library - an existing government scheme offering digital access to 150 local and national news titles - to pupils and teachers in state schools.
- Establishing a Regional Media Forum in the West of England “to improve the relationship between local journalists and local public services."
- A review of public notices, including local government decisions and alcohol licencing notices.
- Increased use of local and hyperlocal media in government advertising campaigns.
The NUJ has campaigned for a number of these measures in its News Recovery Plan, including investment in hyperlocal government advertising, a nationwide media literacy initiative, promotion of journalism education and access to local news, and the establishment of a Journalism Foundation with government grants.
Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, said:
“This is a positive start. The NUJ has campaigned for years for proactive government support to revive local journalism and we welcome the acknowledgment of the essential role our members play in improving social cohesion and local democracy.
“The establishment of a new government-backed fund is recognition that the sector is too important to allow the market to decide its fate, and we seek further details of the grant criteria and process.
“We support measures to promote media literacy, journalism education and access to news. We look forward to getting involved in these initiatives as well as the Regional Media Forum through our structures. The government should also consider interest-free loans for journalism students as well as vouchers and tax credits to boost online and print subscriptions.
“This strategy comes after decades of damage, with cuts to staff, consolidation of ownership and the closure of cherished local titles across the UK. Our members have experienced redundancies, high workloads, low morale and the advent of artificial intelligence - but have continued to fly the flag for quality journalism.
“While the measures announced today will help relieve some of those pressures, more needs to be done. This means addressing the huge power imbalance between local publishers and tech giants - who dictate search traffic, gobble up advertising revenue, and continue to profit from the theft of journalists’ work without contributing their fair share to the preservation of the sector.
“We call on the government to engage the union and our members meaningfully in the next stage of this strategy and adopt further measures in the NUJ’s News Recovery Plan to truly revitalise local journalism.”
The News Recovery Plan also calls for:
- A 6% windfall tax on tech giants plus an ongoing digital tax.
- The ability to confer “asset of community value” status on local papers.
- Reform of media ownership rules with a strengthened public interest test, restricting private firms from owning over 25% of the market.
- A nationwide media literacy initiative to equip people with the skills to navigate disinformation and deep fakes.
- Reversal of BBC Local Radio cuts, reform of the Local Democracy Reporter scheme, and guaranteed funding for quality local news provision through the BBC Charter Renewal process.
- Tax breaks and extension of business rates relief for local titles and public interest journalism, with targeted help for local social enterprises and journalistic cooperatives taking over titles from major regional operators.
- Usage of AI within local journalism for public good based on the principles of worker control, consent and compensation, with urgent regulation, transparent labelling, and a revocable opt-in mechanism for individual and collective licensing.
- Retaining the requirement to publish public notices in local papers. The government has said that there are “concerns” regarding the effectiveness of local papers in raising public awareness of statutory information. However, research shows that more people access public notices through local titles than through local authority websites, printed mailouts, and social media.