A Member of the Scottish Parliament has called for fresh thinking around media ownership in a column for a daily newspaper.
Andy Wightman, a Scottish Green MSP for the Lothians, has said in The Scotsman that newspaper ownership has become “more concentrated in the hands of rich and powerful individuals whilst local media titles have been disappearing.”
Mr Wightman, pictured, has called for new models including crowdfunding, community shares, community interest companies, co-operatives and mutuals to be explored as alternatives to the status quo.
His comments come after he attended the Scottish Press Freedom Summit, which was held last Friday.
In his column, Mr Wightman wrote: “As a politician, I expect the media to report, scrutinise and question the things I say and do. The same should be true of all who hold positions of power and influence. But too often this is not happening.
“The print media has shrunk across the UK and resources have been squeezed. The consequence is less attention paid to the stories that matter, lower standards of reporting and often the complete absence of any reporting at all on vital issues both local and national.
“Different models of media have emerged including the employee-owned West Highland Free Press and the online Ferret co-operative. These and others point the way ahead for resilient and effective journalism in Scotland but they are in a minority and face their own challenges.
“One of the challenges to a free press identified at the Scottish Press Freedom Summit was the question of ownership and control.
“Across the UK, the ownership of newspapers has become more concentrated in the hands of rich and powerful individuals whilst local media titles have been disappearing.
“However, with crowdfunding, community shares, community interest companies, co-operatives and mutuals, all providing the key ingredients of a more democratic and accountable ownership, it is time to think differently about media ownership to put the future of our free press on a more stable and secure footing.”
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So true. Paywalls? Load of old rubbish.
If it wouldn’t work for The Sun it won’t work for regional rags.
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JPI is the worst example lately. ‘Suits’ sitting around bored stiff wondering if there are any mugs out there willing to buy their understaffed ‘sweatshop’ papers with ever dwindling ‘buy it’ figures. Look how many of them are filled with house ads rather than paid-fors. Oh yes, I forgot they sacked shedloads of ad reps a few years ago.
Then again, it’s okay for Mr Wightman to say: ‘However, with crowdfunding, community shares, community interest companies, co-operatives and mutuals, all providing the key ingredients of a more democratic and accountable ownership, it is time to think differently about media ownership to put the future of our free press on a more stable and secure footing.”.BUT I reckon it’s far too late. People are now used to reading breaking news on papers’ Fbook sites so when it’s printed they know full well it’s a day or two ‘old news’ so why buy a print copy?
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“The system” puts artificial barriers in the way of establishing a new local paper. Why? There are many examples of how. For example, new local papers are not allowed to use copy from so-called ‘democracy’ reporters, on the grounds that they haven’t previously published this kind of copy. Regulation bears on local papers at an unreasonable level, kicked off by what happened at a relatively small number of national titles. If those in power truly cannot tell the difference between the News of the World and The Buteman (RIP) perhaps they should have entrusted “regulation” to other people? The BBC-funded ‘democracy’ content requires users to be in a sound financial state, but JP was allowed to use it, and if I understand the current situation correctly, JPI can still use it, despite a prepack that wiped out a reported £135m. Can anyone explain this?
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