Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of journalism education on (a) countering misinformation and (b) levels of democratic participation.

A free, sustainable, and diverse media landscape is the best way to maintain a shared understanding of facts, and we are committed to supporting the invaluable role which journalism plays in the fabric of our society. Trustworthy journalism plays a vital role in countering the effects of mis- and disinformation, and local journalism in particular plays a crucial role in fostering civic engagement, with evidence showing a positive and significant correlation between daily circulation of local newspapers and local election turnout.

It is important therefore to maintain a healthy and diverse pipeline of talent into the industry through the provision of journalism education opportunities. With this in mind, we are exploring through the DCMS Local Media Strategy whether more can be done to promote journalism as a career amongst young people, including through the DCMS-funded Creative Careers Programme which is intended to promote careers in the creative industries among young people and recently added the National Council for the Training of Journalists to its steering group.