A DCMS Committee report into the sustainability of local journalism has warned the government it must act to halt the decline in the quality and coverage of local news, and that more needs to be done to support smaller, independent publishers.
Today’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) report on the sustainability of local journalism, which the Bedford Independent helped to create, has highlighted “the harmful impact on communities of the resulting decline in access to local news”.
Read: DCMS Committee report – Sustainability of local journalism
This includes a decrease in participation in civic life (including voting), less scrutiny of local government decisions, and increasing levels of polarisation and misinformation.
In the 10 years between 2009 and 2019, more than 300 local newspaper titles have closed, including Bedfordshire on Sunday and its short-lived successor Bedfordshire Midweek.
The surviving news providers left across the UK are either made up of print titles with ever-dwindling circulation or digital titles, such as the Bedford Independent, which reach more readers but have fewer resources and journalists.
The Committee has now recommended that the Government takes urgent steps to stop the decline in local news and reduce the harmful impact on communities and local democracy.
These include making sure smaller titles get a fair share of Government advertising revenue in local news titles, changes to the way statutory notices are published, and how donations or philanthropic investment could be encouraged.
The Bedford Independent submitted written evidence of the work it is doing to stem the ‘news drought’ in Bedford Borough and then was invited to give evidence in person at a DCMS committee hearing in June last year.
Read: Bedford media gives evidence at DCMS enquiry into local journalism
At the hearing, Paul Hutchinson, co-managing editor and co-founder of the Bedford Independent, said there were a variety of ways the Government could easily help support local news and he believes the DCMS Committee has listened.
“It’s clear the DCMS committee has listened to all the evidence presented to them and I thank them for their time in creating recommendations that really do look at the sector as a whole,” he said.
“Independent and small local titles like us provide much-needed locally relevant news that bigger publishers either aren’t able to provide or simply aren’t interested in.
“However, these recommendations will only mean something if the Government listens to the multitude of experts that have come forward to provide the evidence needed for this report.”
Overpaid executives
As part of its investigation to prepare the report, the DCMS Committee highlighted the imbalance in the ownership of the local news sector and the inflated pay packages of executives at big publishers including Reach (BedsLive) and National World (Times & Citizen).
In their summary, they said: ‘The local news market is highly concentrated, with the largest three publishers owning more than two-thirds of all local newspaper titles.
‘Consolidation within the sector has ensured the survival of many titles, but we recommend the Government works to ensure that more support for local journalism reaches smaller publishers, many of whom are driving innovation that could help sustain the sector as a whole.’
They also cited criticism from the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) toward the low levels of pay big publishers had for journalists.
Reach, which owns Beds Live, pays a trainee journalist £21,500 a year, £25,000 for a senior journalist and £30,000 for content editors. Salaries are higher for staff based in London.
For comparison, the pay award for Reach’s CEO in 2021 was £4 million.
“They have cut jobs, reduced wages and even closed titles, yet awarded their top executive £millions in packages. How can they be considered responsible local news publishers?” asked Paul.
“For too long these publishers have taken an unfair and inflated share of the sector’s revenue and it’s time the Government took steps to change this.
“As we said to the Committee last year, independent and small local publishers like the Bedford Indepdenent just need a fair share of revenue so we can put that money back into providing high-quality local news that is invaluable to our communities.”
Read: Please don’t forget independent local news when offering support, Michelle
Immediate opportunities
Amongst its recommendations, the report made two suggestions that could make a difference to the revenue of small, local publishers almost overnight.
“While some recommendations may take time, those aimed at statutory notices and philanthropic investment could bring real change quickly by diverting local money into local publications run by local people for local people almost immediately,” said Paul.
Changing the rules around statutory notices does look like it could give an immediate financial boost, but this does need local authorities to also push for these changes from their end too.
However, local publishers could themselves start to look at how they might access philanthropic funding from individuals and businesses who value the vital role local news plays in a community’s ecosystem.
This is something that the Bedford Independent is already blazing a trail with as part of a new project to support its ongoing news provision.
Bedford Independent Patrons
At the end of 2022, the Bedford Independent launched ‘Patrons’, its philanthropy platform to encourage local businesses, organisations and individuals to support local news in the Borough.
“Patrons is a chance for us to create a strong financial framework for independent public interest news in Bedford,” said co-managing editor and co-founder, Erica Roffe.
“We know that there are many, many businesses in Bedford Borough that recognise the importance of supporting local news, but they don’t need or want to advertise in a traditional way on our website.
“Becoming a Patron is similar to sponsoring a local sports team; it’s a way to fulfil an organisation’s corporate social responsibility (CSR), help enhance our local community and become part of something meaningful and make a difference.”
Tim Pain, the owner of Bedford Heights is a Patron of the Bedford Independent and an advocate of philanthropy to support local news.
He is actively encouraging other business owners and organisations to support the initiative.
“We all have a vested interest to see the town and the county prosper and for those looking to invest or move into the area, the Bedford Independent offers a valuable insight,” said Tim.
“I think it offers a valuable service and from a business perspective, I am keen to see it maintained to guarantee well-written and accurately reported local news.”
One of the first businesses to sign up to become a Patron was YouCanBookMe.
“Even though our business is international, our heart and home is in Bedford and we recognise the importance of independent, high-quality news and reporting for our town,” said YouCanBookMe’s Bridget Harris.
“We take the view if we don’t help support it then who will? These are the days to step up and do your bit.”
YouCanBookMe and Bedford Heights have also been joined by Bedford School as inaugural patrons.
James Hodgson, Head Master at Bedford School, echoed the need to support local news providers.
“We are proud to support the Bedford Independent as an inaugural patron,” said James.
“We believe passionately in the importance of responsible, truthful and informative journalism within the local community that we are part of and are delighted to be able to contribute to the security of the organisation that so consistently provides it.”
If you would like to become a Bedford Independent Patron and help secure the future of independent local news in Bedford, please visit our dedicated page.
Statutory notice monopoly
Another of the possible ‘immediate changes’ would be removing the ‘monopoly of statutory notices’ which currently hands £millions of taxpayers’ and local businesses’ cash to out-of-town publishers.
At present statutory notices, which tell people about planning notices and other information the council needs to publish, and licence or event notices by businesses, can only be published in printed publications.
It is estimated that an average of £181,000 per year per local authority is spent on publishing statutory notices in print publications that have limited circulation and readership.
This means that in Bedford there is only one place to publish these notices and an out-of-town publisher is the sole recipient of that revenue.
This limits the number of people that see them, unnecessarily increases the cost of placing these notices to cover printing costs and diverts local money to shareholders who have no desire to support the local economy.
Since it was founded, the Bedford Independent has been campaigning to allow regulated and widely-read digital publications to carry these notices to reduce costs and increase visibility.
“It’s great to see the DCMS Committee agrees the current statutory notice system is archaic, costly and no longer fit for purpose,” added Paul.
“The rising cost of printing means charges for these notices are taking vital funds away from other council services and discouraging struggling local businesses from extending licences or putting on innovative events to increase their own income.
“The DCMS Committee’s recommendations will allow Bedford Borough Council and local Bedford businesses a chance to place their notices in a publication that not only reaches more people but charges less.
“We now call on Bedford Borough Council to show true support for local businesses like us and agree that these changes are welcome.
“They could even go so far as to lead by example and allow these changes locally instead of waiting for central government to catch up”.
Sustainable future
Damian Green MP (Conservative), Acting Chair of the DCMS Committee, said: “With the shift towards online readership swallowing up traditional print revenues, many local newspapers which have served their communities for years have struggled to keep their heads above water.
“While hundreds have already folded, those that remain are faced with a lack of resources to conduct quality journalism, forcing them into a downward spiral of decline, as readership and therefore revenues continue to fall further.”
Mr Green said that the disappearance of local news providers has “ripped a hole in the heart of communities”.
“While there are many success stories of innovation, the very nature of having smaller audiences and limited reach means local publishers find it hard to float in a market that rewards scale,” he said.
“The sector can have a sustainable future, but without more support and a rebalancing of the rules to help smaller publishers, the decline in local journalism and all the negative impacts associated with it will continue.”
