Government Giving £12 Million to Local Media to Tackle Decline in Community News in the UK

Funding the future of local news was in the spotlight today - twice.

First, the UK Government announced up to £12 million in funding to help local news organisations take advantage of digital technology and support community radio stations.

It's part of a local media strategy to bolster local journalism, help tackle the decline of community news and fill gaps in news 'deserts'.

The plan also includes educational campaigns (such as 'Newspapers for Schools', which aims to encourage young people to consider a career in journalism), a review of how planning notices are published so information reaches more people, and regional media forums to improve the relationship between journalists and public services.

The Positive Impact of Journalism Funds around the World

Secondly, Greater Community Media shared the key findings of its report into global journalism funds in an online event today.

Funds can be large or small but, from the research, the impact of investment is clear.

The American Journalism Project (AJP) has raised $259 million (around £194 million) for local news and provided coaching support to help local independent media outlets grow.

The Media Forward Fund - covering Germany, Austria and Switzerland - has invested about 12 million euros (around £10.3 million) into the growth of independent local media organisations.

Press Forward in the USA, through over 130 funders, has raised more than $400 million (around £300 million) to support 740 different organisations.

Thanks to Lucas Batt and Rhiannon J Davies for their research work on the topic and sharing their findings.

Key Findings from the Research

Lucas Batt said funders support local news for three main reasons:

1. Local news is essential social infrastructure - it supports communities and democracies.
2. They are working in the dark without reliable local information.
3. Local news multiplies the impact of other investments.

Local news faces huge challenges across the world. The Greater Community Media research stated: "A ecosystem scale challenge needs a ecosystem scale response".

Lucas Batt said funders are investing in local journalism funds to achieve greater collective impact, reduce both risks and costs, improve coordination, outsource expertise, share learning, lower the barrier to entry, and create momentum and durability.

The money is typically being pumped into local journalism to help grow sustainable media organisations and to respond to urgent needs. Outlets often lack funding or business skills to survive, develop and thrive.

Events, like natural or climate-related disasters, demand fast and accurate information for local communities for safety reasons. Also, a lack of local news, in general, can leave local people feeling left out, isolated and at a disadvantage.

Also thanks to the other contributors on the virtual meeting today: Jonathan Heawood, executive director of the Public Interest News Foundation (PINF) which invested in the research: Lizzy Hazeltine of NC Local News Lab Fund; and Ana Sofía Hibon, senior program manager at Inspirit Foundation, which built the Journalism Futures Fund.

Why should independent local news and community journalism be funded, you ask?

My answer would start with "Just take a look at the world around you right now".

Communities have lost or are losing their sources of accurate (local) news. That has led to an increase in social and democratic issues. Good, strong, independent local journalism helps people to get information, form opinions, take action and feel more involved in their community (not feel so isolated).

As Lucas Batt said during the online event today, local news matters.

The Value of Local Journalism and Education in Journalism

Properly reported, local news is important for health (countering misinformation), climate (sharing local solutions and connections), community, social justice (community gets more of a voice) and democracy (the news identifies local issues and facilitates local conversations).

We need to see more of the detail about the UK Government's latest funding announcement but it sounds like an encouraging start, even if the initial £12m is a small amount in relation to the shortfall on the ground, especially in rural and other less populated areas.

I know the value of newspaper and magazine projects in schools - because I once worked on one with schools in Leicester. The pupils loved being 'journalists', sharing news about their school, and seeing how a full-colour magazine is printed.

I know how hard it is for independent journalists and news organisations to run profitably because I'm setting up a project in Glasgow, Scotland - and finding sustainable business models and income streams is a genuine challenge.

There are some fantastic examples of independent and community journalism in the UK and across the globe. And they could all do with more funds.