MPs to hail importance of newspapers in Parliament

Jan 13 2010 by William Green, The Journal

“They remind me of (Soviet state newspaper) Pravda and papers I knew from my times in East Germany as a BBC correspondent. If the only information you’re getting is misleading propaganda put out by politicians from one particular party, I think that’s very dangerous.

Local papers are “part of the lifeblood of our democracy”, according to the Culture Secretary.

But despite his comments, newspaper industry chiefs are still worried. The Newspaper Society has welcomed news that a legal obligation on councils to publish planning notices in local newspapers will remain in force, but fear councils are side-stepping it by setting up their own publications.

It says the Government must acknowledge the contradictory nature of its own advertising strategies in revising the Local Authority Publicity Code.

Government is the UK’s biggest advertiser, repeatedly emphasising local newspapers democratic role, high readership and editorial effectiveness – but been withdrawing advertising systematically.

The Newspaper Society says it has no problem with traditional council publications, but wants action taken about those that have expanded into other areas.

It has proposed strict guidelines to ensure council publications are quarterly or less frequent, do not take advertising or statutory notices and focus on information about council services.

Councils should also be encouraged to use local media, not compete with – for example webcasting town hall meetings on newspaper websites.