The minister in charge of overseeing the media industry has restated the government’s commitment to the local press.
Culture minister Ed Vaizey told MPs that people both “rely on and respect” the local media.
Mr Vaizey, left, was responding to a writtne parliamentary question about the government’s plans for the industry from Democratic Unionist Party MP Gregory Campbell.
He said: “As the Secretary of State has stated previously, local papers are the bread and butter of journalism – they are part of the communities they serve, and people rely on and respect them.
“In our manifesto, we committed to consulting on the introduction of a business rates relief for local newspapers in England, which we have now done, and are considering next steps.”
Last week a cross-party group of MPs led by Labour’s Helen Goodman tabled a motion urging government intervention to stop the “destruction” of local newspapers.
The government previously voiced its commitment to supporting the local newspaper industry both in the 2015 Budget and in the Conservative Party manifesto.
The budget stated that: “Local newspapers are an important source of information for local communities and a vital part of a healthy democracy.”
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He should read @Braganzas comment on the HTFP story 29/01 titled “MPs urge government intervention to stop ‘destruction’ of local press” and stop wasting everyones time,effort and money on an industry thats caused the problems its in.
Greed,bad decision making,self serving interestes of ther owners,chasing high profits over quality of the products and failing to respond to the ever growing threat of new media and new competitors who have built their businesss on doing all the things the regionals no longer do and primarily staffed by ex regional press people either pushed aside in the dumbing down processes or who saw the issues coming and jumped ship.
This reactive response by Ed Vaizey just shows how short of the real facts most MPs are when it comes to issues affecting the regional press and the real causes behind them.
its also ironic that todays story comes two pieces below about a privacy complaint by former MPS partner
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Business rate relief for newspapers – you can imagine what the often small firms that papers rely on for advertising would say to that.
Firms that are unable to increase their prices while offering inferior products and services, who do not shift their profits and jobs offshore or pay mega salaries for continuing poor performance.
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Richard: you say it all, really. I would add I’m not so sure the public rely on local media as they as they do on vids of cats juggling while careering down the high street on a skateboard. But that’s just me being cynical, probably.
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Tell that to the publishers and shareholders then!
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‘Relied’ not relies anymore
The greed of the regional press owners coupled with a contempt for its staff, readers and local businessss had led to the place they find themselves in now do should g be treated any differently to any other business or sector.
Offering rates relief and subsidies then looking to prop it up even further gives a big thumbs up to the way these businesses have been run and mis managed which is itself a slap in the face to those who have suffered as a result
If the MPs bothered to find out all the facts and speak to those directly affected they might understand why the industry is failing whilst new competitors to the big four publishers are not, if anything it’s those setting up in opposition to the traditional regional press groups that deserve support and sssistance, not those who’ve grown fat and wealthy on the backs of its employees
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