Local Media
Debate between Danny Chambers and Peter Fortune(1 day, 8 hours ago)
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Dr Danny Chambers (Winchester) (LD)
I want to give a big shout-out to the Hampshire Chronicle, which I write a monthly column for; that is one of the most vital ways to communicate with my constituents. I was speaking to the owner of the Meon Valley Times, which is a free service that anyone can access and is not behind a paywall. He told me about the difficulty of big social media companies populating their feeds with content from local journalists, who rarely get any financial benefit from that, despite doing the work. Does the hon. Member agree that these companies should be made to support local journalists and their hard work?
Peter Fortune
I do agree. That has been happening in local media since the invention of Facebook, which I will come to later.
Across the UK, local journalism attracts 42 million readers each week. It is the first port of call, be it print or digital in format, for communities who value a trusted source of information. While some formats may have changed from print to pixel, the trust in local brands has not, but the sector faces challenges, including the rapidly evolving digital environment, engagement with Government and public notice funding, and the conversation around a new relationship with the BBC.