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

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to support local independent (1) newspapers, and (2) radio stations, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Local news coverage provides a vital service - supplying information about local public affairs, holding local decision-makers to account, and providing a forum for community discussion. The Government’s manifesto recognises their role, committing to “support local and regional newspapers, as vital pillars of communities and local democracy”.

It has been an absolute priority to ensure we do all we can to support local news outlets during this crisis, as well as supporting commercial and community radio. This includes bringing forward the commencement of zero-rating of VAT on e-newspapers to May 2020, and reaching agreement with Arqiva, the UK’s TV and radio transmission provider, to provide six months discount charges which has benefited small local commercial radio stations.

Government also worked to ensure local media could operate during the Covid-19 lockdown period. We designated journalists and other key media ancillary staff as ‘key workers’; issued guidance to local authorities on the importance of newspaper delivery; took steps to ensure the use of ‘keyword blocklisting’ technology was not disproportionately limiting news publishers’ online advertising revenues for Covid-19 related stories; and implemented a significant public information campaign, using local and national press and commercial radio to extend the reach of these campaigns.

We continue to work closely with local news organisations to assess the effectiveness of our media support measures and the impact of Coronavirus-related government policy, including the current tiered restrictions, on their ability to continue supporting their communities.