UK government publishes media green paper
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has launched a consultation on plans to improve access to trusted news.
The green paper, titled ‘Watch this space: a new strategic direction for UK media’, covers all media sectors, with a focus on broadcasting and TV in particular.
The paper aims to address issues relating to the increasing consumption of news through social media, amid the prevalence of disinformation, AI-generated stories, and the algorithmic curation of news.
The government states that it will “explore legislative options” that would require social media platforms to give prominence to public service media as well as national and local news publishers. This could include placing trusted news sources at the top of people’s social media feeds during times of social unrest or crisis. Lisa Nandy, DCMS secretary of state, said: “It is vital that we make sure that people have better access to trusted and accurate news and that our regulated public service media is seen and heard in the fierce battle against mis and disinformation.”
Prominence would be accompanied by a media literacy obligation for public service broadcasters. The NUJ supports a nationwide media literacy initiative led by public service broadcasters, including the BBC, but has stressed that any obligation must come with additional, demarcated government funding. The union has emphasised the need for transparent labelling of AI-generated journalism to improve public trust in news.
The green paper also signals the government’s preference for regulatory reforms and proposes a transition from Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT/Freeview) to internet-delivered TV (IDTV) by either 2034 or 2044. Nandy said that the UK’s “world-leading TV sector” is “key to supporting social cohesion and is a cornerstone of our democracy, which is why, as the technology underpinning it changes, we are making sure it is protected for generations to come.”
Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, said:
“The government’s focus on improving access to trusted news and promoting public service media is welcome. We will be scrutinising the finer details of these proposals in consultation with our members and look forward engaging constructively with DCMS.
“However, these proposals follow the announcement of brutal cuts at STV and the BBC, where thousands of jobs and programmes are at risk of being lost. To safeguard access to accurate, high-quality news and information, the government must urgently intervene to protect jobs and the future of public service media.”
The consultation runs until 31 August with a white paper containing the government’s final policy positions expected later in the year. The NUJ will be consulting members through the union’s democratic structures and submitting a response.