Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Local Journalism

Thursday 11 January 2024 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 3 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Local journalism faces challenges such as low pay and job insecurity, leading to reduced coverage in areas like local news and emergency incidents.
  • The Department is exploring options such as VAT zero rating, rates relief, and encouraging the BBC's local democracy reporting service to support local journalism.
  • The DCMS is in talks with the Cabinet Office about ad spend during the pandemic to support local newspapers and address digital access issues among readers.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

Local media faces challenges to sustainability. The Evening Chronicle has experienced significant staff cuts over two years.

Question

What steps her Department is taking to support local journalism? Low pay and job insecurity are rife in local journalism. My constituents get less local news, emergency incident coverage, and sports team coverage due to staffing reductions at the Evening Chronicle. What further steps will the Minister take to address career retention issues?

Answer from Julia Lopez

We are exploring options through our digital markets legislation and mid-term charter review. We met with Reach and other groups, looked at VAT zero rating, rates relief, and encourage the BBC's local democracy reporting service.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific measures to address career retention issues in journalism

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Q2 Liz Twist Lab Blaydon and Consett
Employment Culture, Media & Sport
Context

Local media faces challenges to sustainability. The Evening Chronicle has experienced significant staff cuts over two years.

Question

Low pay and job insecurity are rife in local journalism. My constituents get less local news, emergency incident coverage, and sports team coverage due to staffing reductions at the Evening Chronicle. What further steps will the Minister take to address career retention issues?

Answer from Julia Lopez

We are considering various options including ad spend, VAT zero rating, and rates relief. We also encourage the BBC's local democracy reporting service.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific measures to address career retention issues in journalism

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Q3 Stephanie Peacock Lab Barnsley South
Culture, Media & Sport
Context

The Government spends a large amount of money on ads but may overlook local print media in favour of online platforms. Many people rely on print for news and information.

Question

What steps is the Minister taking to ensure that the Government's policy on placing adverts supports the interests of both our press and the public? The Barnsley Chronicle, like many other papers, struggles with digital access issues among readers. How will this be addressed?

Answer from Julia Lopez

The DCMS is in talks with the Cabinet Office about ad spend during the pandemic, when large amounts were spent on local newspapers. The Government recognizes the importance of older readership and audience reach.

Partly answered

Not addressed: Did not provide specific measures to support local print media for government ads

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