The hyperlocal publishers’ trade body has vowed to fight for “fair access” to statutory notices for its members.
The Independent Community News Network has pledged to continue pushing for changes in legislation which would make it easier for hyperlocals to compete with bigger publishers for the right to publish such notices.
In October 2017, ICNN co-founder Emma Meese, pictured, described statutory notice advertising as a “closed door for a substantial number of the members in our sector”.
Daniel Ionescu, editor of The Lincolnite, also wants the organisation to lobby ministers on the issue, describing the money paid by authorities for advertising as “subsidies” for larger regional newspapers.
The renewed pledge to fight on the issue was made in the 2018 annual report of the Cardiff University Centre for Community Journalism, which is responsible for running ICNN.
In the report, Emma said: “A number of legislations aimed at local news publishers, such as publishing statutory notices, were created when the local news landscape looked completely different.
“If we are to succeed in getting fair opportunities for our members we will have to look at these issues and fight for fair access for all.”
The ICNN currently has 102 members across the country.
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Absolutely right! As traditional local news rooms disappear and are increasingly replaced by clickbait factories, they are no longer being read by local people – those for whom statutory notices are aimed at.
Look at some of the big news websites, especially those with premiership football clubs and a very large number of readers come from across the world.
Hyper locals cover basic local news for local people. It makes perfect sense that they should be given a share – perhaps even a larger share than the big news groups.
These small independents are already losing out in terms of the BBC funded local democracy reporters and Facebook’s new reporters.
If we really want local news – real local news to survive than it needs to be supported.
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My understanding of the public notice policy was it had to be placed in the publication with the most effective reach of the area in question, with many of the bigger groups papers limping along the ground selling nowhere near the number of copies they used to ,and having woeful coverage of their territories,surely the new community independent publishers must have a case?
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Hyper-locals have as much right to bid for the notices as any other publication, and I’m surprised they haven’t had a go at this already. Good luck to them.
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