Lichfield’s MP has called on the Government to take more steps to support local news providers.
Sir Michael Fabricant has raised the issue in a written Parliamentary question to the Cabinet Office.
Estimates from the Public Interest News Foundation suggest that more than £47million is spent by councils and government departments across the country each year on public notices to inform residents of things such as licensing applications, planning information and highway closures.
But the organisation said that much of this funding went to large newspaper groups even though many of them no longer publish in the areas the notices relate to.
Sir Michael Fabricant, Conservative MP for Lichfield, said he was pushing for a change:
“Lichfield Live and its sister newspaper play an important part in the life of Lichfield and Burntwood.
“Following the sad demise of the Lichfield Mercury and the newer Lichfield Post, as well as the Lichfield editions of the Express and Star newspaper, there has been a vacuum in local news delivery which Lichfield Live has filled.
“Whatever we might think of some of the predictable negative keyboard warriors who inhabit the comments section, the reporting pages have always been fair and accurate in my experience.
“I am keen that journalism like Lichfield Live be encouraged and put on a sounder financial footing by advertising space being bought on independent local news websites by local and national government for public announcements.
“I have tabled today a Parliamentary written question to the Cabinet Office and I look forward to a response.”
Sir Michael Fabricant
Sir Michael’s written question said:
“To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what steps he is taking to promote independent news networks by ensuring that Government and other public announcements are made by buying space on news websites not owned by newspaper groups particularly in areas where no local printed newspapers are available.“
Question tabled by Sir Michael Fabricant
“Stimulating the local news economy”
The issue of public notice spending has come to prominence in recent years due to the changing shape of the local news landscape across the UK.
A 2023 report by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport said withdrawing the money from existing large publishers could “seriously damage the sector”.
But the Public Interest News Foundation’s executive director Jonathan Heawood, writing in October, said the current system was broken and did not do enough to support the wider range of organisations now providing news for local communities.
“Nobody is asking the Government to withdraw public notices from the local news industry, they are simply asking for this revenue to be made available to a wider range of publishers, including digital first and digital only publishers, who often reach wider audiences than their corporate counterparts.
“This change would have the dual advantage of stimulating the local news economy and ensuring that more people see these important notices.
“We are concerned about this situation because of the effect it has on local communities.
“In order for communities to thrive, they need a vibrant information ecosystem, where councils share important information and publishers run sustainable news organisations.”
Jonathan Heawood
Taken a few years for the MP to get here but let’s see how he follows up the answer I know he will get from the Minister.
Our Conservative MP has taught me the error of my ways. I realise now that is the fault of “predictable negative keyboard warriors” that our roads of full of potholes. My failure to be positive is causing the problems of Lichfield City Centre. It is time for all of the other negative thinkers to admit their guilt and point out out what their negative thought is causing.
Professor Pineapple… I don’t understand your negativity. You must accept the odd pothole, a few housing estates (and warehouses), a little waiting time for health care and a generation or more to get things done. How could you complain about our councillors who display singular knowledge well beyond our understanding?
I have lived in Lichfield for most of my life. It is now vibrant with shops, entertainment, open spaces, and great infrastructure what is there to be negative about?