A leading digital media expert has praised MP Michael Fabricant for his support of The Lichfield Blog.
Rick Waghorn applauded Mr Fabricant’s decision to advertise in the wake of Guardian editor Alan Rusbridger’s comments at the Why Journalism Matters event on the future of reporting at a local level.
In his speech, Mr Rusbridger said:
“I don’t think our legislators have begun to wake up to this imminent problem as we face the collapse of the infrastructure of local news in the press and broadcasting.”
But Mr Waghorn was keen to praise the Lichfield MP for taking real steps to support a new-look local media landscape.
On his personal blog, Mr Waghorn said:
“I can now point to at least one elected Member of Parliament who has actually made a physical difference to the local news landscape in this country. Which is why Michael Fabricant MP, the Right Honourable Tory MP for Lichfield, deserves to take a bow. Because he’s put his money where his Digital Britain mouth is and has actually digitally engaged with his constituents by taking out an ad for his surgery on The Lichfield Blog and, in so doing, has helped cover their monthly hosting costs.
“Michael Fabricant MP has delivered exactly the kind of practical and, above all, immediate help that is required at this particular moment in media time. Not only that, but he has done it to his own benefit; that if he now recognises that 11,500 of his constituents are now digitally engaging with The Lichfield Blog then hadn’t he better follow the crowd?
“To put his name, his ‘brand’ and his surgery details somewhere where a growing bulk of his constituents were now starting to live their lives – or at least for a few minutes every day as the Last Post started to sound for the Lichfield Post. For me, that’s smart, joined-up thinking from someone in Westminster. Smart, joined-up thinking that is making a difference; one, small step in the right direction.”
Mr Fabricant explained why he had decided to advertise:
“It’s important that my constituents know how to contact me for advice and help and I have advertised my contact details in the print media for many years. But with a high percentage of my constituents having access to the internet and with The Lichfield Blog providing a valuable source of news, I thought it only too appropriate to advertise on digital media too. And with the Lichfield Post closing down, alternative news sources such as The Lichfield Blog become ever more important.”
You can find out about advertising on The Lichfield Blog and how we spend any revenue on the advertising page of this website.
