成人论坛 and the News Media Association announce plans for ground-breaking new partnership
Today the 成人论坛 and the News Media Association (NMA) are announcing a set of plans to support local journalism in the UK which include a new team of reporters to cover local councils and other institutions.
These plans will enhance local journalism, ensure greater accountability of people in public life and enable 成人论坛 audiences and newspaper readers to get better coverage of what’s really happening in their communities
The 150 local reporters will be funded by the 成人论坛 and employed by qualifying local news organisations to cover local authorities and public services. The framework created envisages that this number may rise to 200 in 2019. The proposals also include setting up a video news bank to allow local news media to access 成人论坛 News output for use online.
The agreement will get under way as part of the new 成人论坛 Charter in 2017 and sets out to sustain plurality in the local news media, drive up the quality of services and use the expertise of both the 成人论坛 and the local commercial news sector for the benefit of all audiences. The key initiatives are:
- The establishment of a reporting service to cover local authorities and public services. The 成人论坛 will fund 150 journalists from 2017*, who will be employed by qualifying local news organisations to provide a service to local news providers including the 成人论坛.
- A video news bank enabling 成人论坛 local video and audio news content to be accessed by other local news media websites, enhancing their online offers and making 成人论坛 news output more accessible to audiences online.
- The 成人论坛 will invest in a data journalism unit which will work with partners across the industry to develop expertise and deliver content to all local news providers.
In addition to those key initiatives there will be a jointly commissioned independent audit to establish the usage of local press content by the 成人论坛 on its media platforms and vice versa. The outcome of the independent audit will inform a review of the 成人论坛’s efforts to improve the linking and attribution of stories and sources.
The proposals mean an overall investment of around £8million a year and it heralds a new and unique partnership that will support both the 成人论坛’s on-going public mission to serve local audiences, and the growth and evolution of the commercial news media sector.
James Harding, Director, 成人论坛 News and Current Affairs, said: “These plans are not just a milestone in the relationship between the 成人论坛 and the local press. They will enhance local journalism, ensure greater accountability of people in public life and enable 成人论坛 audiences and newspaper readers to get better coverage of what’s really happening in their communities. These are big steps to strengthen local news. We will add 150 journalists reporting for their papers and 成人论坛 audiences alike. 成人论坛 video will reach more people through local newspaper websites. And, together, we will harness the potential of data journalism to improve our reporting of public services and institutions across the country.”
Welcoming the agreement Ashley Highfield, NMA chairman, said: “We believe this will strengthen and enhance local journalism, and the crucial role it has in holding local authorities to account, while maintaining the healthy competition between different news sources which is so important in a democracy. More coverage and content from councils will be more widely distributed ensuring greater accountability and transparency in an ever more devolved Britain.
“As the market leader in local news provision, the local news media industry has long been keen to explore a more positive relationship with the 成人论坛 which would be of real benefit to our readers and licence fee payers. More work is needed to finalise the details but we have now all reached an agreement we believe will enable the 成人论坛 to benefit from local media’s first class local journalism while providing an appropriate framework for use of this content.
“Reaching 40 million people each week, local newspapers in print and digital sit at the heart of communities across the UK, providing an invaluable public service which underpins democracy at a local level.”
Culture Secretary, John Whittingdale MP, said: "Local and regional media plays a vital role in reporting issues that matter to communities and also helps hold local decision-makers to account. Given the challenges the industry is facing, these plans from the 成人论坛 and NMA are welcome. They will need to be implemented carefully and in consultation with industry, but will help make sure our local media thrives for years to come."
The delivery of the proposals, and the broader relationship between the 成人论坛 and its local news partners, will be subject to a joint annual review by the 成人论坛 and the NMA and considered by the new 成人论坛 Board to ensure that the terms of the agreement are being met and that it continues to deliver its intended purpose. The results of this review will be published alongside the 成人论坛’s Annual Report and Accounts.
On the 成人论坛 side, the local newspaper initiatives will managed by the 成人论坛 English Regions HQ and will be based at 成人论坛 Birmingham.
Notes to Editors
*While the journalists will be under the editorial direction and control of their employers, processes will be jointly agreed to ensure the quality of coverage is in line with the 成人论坛’s public service obligations.
The number will rise to 200 journalists, depending on the outcome of a joint review of usage in 2019. If the usage of the journalism on 成人论坛 outlets warrants increasing the numbers from 150 to 200 in 2019, the further 50 journalists could be funded from a number of different sources including net revenues raised by the participating news media groups from advertising against 成人论坛 news bank video content (which may need specific approval from the future regulatory body of the 成人论坛), external funding, or reallocation of 成人论坛 resources spent on the data journalism unit.
The News Media Association is the voice of national, regional and local news media organisations in the UK. It exists to promote the interests of news media publishers to government, regulatory authorities, industry bodies and other organisations whose work affects the industry.
TM