Issued by: Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

50 local news providers awarded grants of up to £125,000 to support long-term sustainability and growth this Journalism Matters Week

• The ‘Inspiring the Future’ campaign, which encourages children to consider careers in journalism, has reached more than 11,000 students and engaged with more than 100 schools

• This all forms part of the Government’s Local Media Action Plan, backing the vital role of local media in communities across the country

Fifty organisations are set to benefit from the government’s £6 million Local News Fund, helping to ensure people can continue to benefit from trusted, high-quality local journalism.

With audiences moving online and consuming their news through an increasingly diverse range of sources, the role of local journalism has never been more important, especially as the Government seeks to devolve power to a local level , given its integral role in holding power to account and tackling mis- and disinformation online.

Central to the Government’s ‘Amplify: The Local Media Action Plan’ [https://tinyurl.com/mw3n3f8x], the Local News Fund aims to strengthen communities and social cohesion, rebuild social trust, and support local growth by supporting local journalism.

The majority of funding has been awarded to local print and online news outlets and independent local TV and radio stations, who received grants of up to £125,000. The money will be used to invest in community outreach projects, digital tools, apps and new multimedia services that can help these organisations reach new and younger audiences while developing more sustainable sources of income. These grants have been evenly distributed across England and Wales, providing funding support for local journalism in every region.

The remainder of the Fund has been awarded to seven organisations, including software developers and major industry players, to develop infrastructure that can benefit the sector as a whole, with grants of up to £275,000 awarded.

Media Minister Ian Murray said:

"For decades our local media has remained among the most trusted sources of news. But as the media landscape has become more complex, many outlets have been forced to reduce their numbers or even close. I am determined not to leave local journalism to collapse. This government knows it is critical to communities and fosters a self-confident nation that everyone feels part of.

"Through the Local News Fund we are taking action to help newsrooms innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high-quality, trustworthy news that Britain’s towns and villages deserve and rely on."

Another key measure in the Local Media Action Plan is the ‘Inspiring the Future’ careers campaign, joint-funded by the News Media Association (NMA), which connects local media employers and journalists with schools to inspire the next generation of reporters. This initial six-month campaign focused on the North West, targeting schools in more deprived areas, with 79% having above national average free school meal eligibility, and the Government will seek to roll it out nationally subject to evaluation and funding.

Theo Bamber, Chief Executive, News Media Association, said:

"Alongside DCMS and Education and Employers, we are very pleased to have supported the ‘Inspiring the Future’ pilot connecting local media professionals with the next generation of talent.

"As power is devolved out of Westminster, the role of local news media holding power to account will become even more important. This initiative will support that by helping young people understand our industry, the benefits of a career in local media, and the vital role it plays in local communities across the country."

This Journalism Matters Week, an annual campaign run by the NMA that showcases the industry as a key part of the UK’s national infrastructure, the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists will meet to agree on a refreshed National Action Plan, reaffirming this Government’s commitment to journalist safety and tackling obstacles to news gathering which is another pillar of the Local Media Action Plan. Bringing together representatives from government, journalism, policing, prosecution services and civil society, the aim of the National Action Plan is to set out how the safety of journalists can be protected in the UK.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Quotes in support of the Local News Fund:

Polly Curtis, Co-Chair of the Local News Fund Steering Board, said:

"This fund showed there is incredible talent and capacity across the country to revitalise local news when communities are so desperately in need of trusted sources of information. The solutions are out there and this fund could go even further in the future to help journalists across communities to become ever more sustainable.

"We want to thank everyone who applied and encourage applications to the next round in 2027. There are too many news deserts in this country and this fund is starting to make a difference."

Jeremy Clifford, Co-Chair of the Local News Fund Steering Board, said:

"We were delighted with the volume of bids that came in from publishers and tech developers for the local news fund which underlined the critical importance of this initiative in helping the industry to design and implement changes that will support sustainability. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit their ideas.

"However, the volume and quality of the bids presented a major headache for the Steering Board - how to make the limited funding reach as far as possible. I am confident the awards made by the DCMS will go a long way in helping to shape the future for so many publishers. My personal hope is that we will see a lot of collaboration and sharing of knowledge to benefit the wider news industry.

"Unfortunately, given the limited funds, it also meant we had to turn down many worthwhile and quality bids. I would urge the DCMS to source more funding in 2027 so those publishers who did submit bids can reapply and re-enter their plans - so many of which merit funding."

Laura Davison, NUJ general secretary, said:

"The NUJ warmly welcomes the government taking active steps to support local journalism. The union has long campaigned for government grants to preserve the sector so it is positive to see funding for a range of outlets to support jobs, greater local coverage and public interest journalism. We note that other projects focus on ‘responsible’ uses of AI in newsrooms, and the union will monitor the use and impact of these grants in consultation with members.

"While we’re excited to see what difference the funding makes, many of our members remain deeply worried about their livelihoods and the state of the industry. The level of interest in the Fund demonstrates just how much the sector has been crying out for support. We hope to see further government investment to really turn the tide."

Joanne Forbes, NCTJ chief executive, said:

"Local journalism matters enormously. It holds power to account and tells stories that would otherwise go untold. AI could make a real difference to newsrooms already struggling with limited resources, but we must protect the quality and trust that good journalism depends on.

"We’re grateful to DCMS and the Local News Fund steering board for backing this project. It will bring publishers and journalists together to develop practical guidance and training to help newsrooms make the most of AI, from the biggest to the smallest."

More information on the winning projects: [https://tinyurl.com/8ze3854c]

On the Local News Fund:

• Applicants were assessed by a Local News Fund Steering Board, composed of independent industry experts, and were required to demonstrate an established track record of providing local news in England or Wales.

• The Local News Fund is competitive, with all bids assessed according to technical and strategic criteria set out in the Fund advert and application form. A technical assessment of bids was conducted by the Government Grants Managed Service, and a strategic assessment conducted by the Local News Fund Steering Board composed of independent industry experts to guide final decisions on awards by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. Bids were assessed according to factors including their overall quality, deliverability and likely impact over the short and long term.

• Bidders also had to meet eligibility criteria, by demonstrating a sustained track record in the provision of local journalism over at least the past 12 months, and by demonstrating that their content is editorially accountable.

• Next year, £1 million from the Fund will be dedicated to tackling local ‘news deserts’, areas that have no dedicated local print, online, TV or radio outlet, in collaboration with key community stakeholders and the Fund’s Steering Board. Up to a further £5 million will also be made available next year to continue supporting financial sustainability and innovation in the sector.

On the Local News Fund Steering Board:

• The government appointed the members of a Local News Fund Steering Board [https://tinyurl.com/459amj9n] on 15 June following a fair and open recruitment process. The purpose of the steering board is to play an advisory role in providing independent expertise and objective advice to the government in the decision-making process for distribution of funding under the Local News Fund.

• This includes a role in setting the bidding and eligibility criteria for the Local News Fund. In convening this board, the government aims to benefit from a wide range of experience of the local media sector and related industries. This will help to ensure value for money in the distribution of funding and that the best bids are selected for Local News Fund grants, for the benefit of local media and the communities that they serve.

• The steering board comprises eight members, including two co-chairs. The DCMS Senior Responsible Owner for the Fund also attends meetings. The Board may also agree to invite others to attend on an ad hoc basis to provide specialist knowledge if and when required. The membership is:

• Jeremy Clifford (co-chair): Executive Media Consultant, Chrysalis Transformations - previously at JPI Media and Archant

• Polly Curtis (co-chair): Chief Executive at Demos - previous experience at the Guardian, Huffpost UK, Tortoise Media and PA Media

• George Adelman: Managing Director and Head of Philanthropic Partnerships, FT Strategies

• John Baron: editor and cofounder of the West Leeds Dispatch; Advisory Board Member of the Independent Community News Network

• Agnes Gulyas: Professor of Media and Communications, Canterbury Christ Church University

• Jaldeep Katwala: Director, Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity, Birmingham City University; - previously Network Manager for the Public Interest News Foundation and Non Executive Director of the Bristol Cable

• Owen Meredith: Managing Director of Public Policy, DMGT - previously CEO of the News Media Association

• Lorna Willis: CEO of Techskills - previously CEO at Archant Community Media

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