Help Sitemap Home Skip Navigation Contact Us Disability Statement

Stay in Scarborough

Minister speaks up for real newspapers - COMMENT ON THIS STORY

Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image
Click on thumbnail to view image

Published Date: 27 March 2009
LOCAL newspapers have won the support of a Government minister on a visit to Scarborough.
In an exclusive interview, Andy Burnham, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said he shared concerns about councils across the country producing their own "newspapers" at public expense.

"This issue is top of my in-tray at the moment," he said yesterday. "There has to be a balance and councils are overstepping that."

North Yorkshire County Council produces a 20-page monthly, the East Riding of Yorkshire Council produces a 32-page monthly and Scarborough Borough Council produces a 12-page quarterly, all designed and produced to mimic newspapers, at risk to local democracy. Mr Burnham said he intended to ask the Local Government Association, which represents 466 authorities, to join in a media summit taking place in London on April 28.

He said: "I want to use the gathering in London to put this issue on the table and to make sure that the Local Government Association is represented to be asked about the issue.

"One part of the package could be for the Local Government Association to develop a guideline."

"On the issue of local councils, it is, firstly, about what they are doing and are they encroaching? And secondly, could councils play an enabling role?

"The council issue is for councils to decide but clearly there are hard questions to be asked about whether it is appropriate for their communication or for their marketing."

He added: "There are 50 or so newspaper titles closing this year.

"It's a crying shame and a loss of local history and a local service.

"I have asked the Society of Editors to submit me a list of ways in which the government could help. Not a subsidy, that is not newspapers work and the government does not have the funds to chuck around anyway, but there might be a package to put together for the local press.

"One issue that has been raised is whether the government can increase ad spend towards papers instead of billboards or bus stops. It's a valid point."

In the interview with Evening News editor Ed Asquith, Mr Burnham added: "We are also looking at the role of the BBC as a public service broadcaster and what role it could perform.

"If the future of papers is developing audio and video, could access to the BBC help? Could the BBC help improve web offerings?"

WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Email: letters@scarboroughevening
news.co.uk
or Write to: Evening News, Aberdeen Walk, Scarborough.
or Text us: Start any comments with SENEDITOR and text to 81800.
(25p charge plus standard national rate. See terms in Public Notices)

Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 27 March 2009 9:06 AM
  • Source: n/a
  • Location: Scarborough
 
Prev
1
2
Next
Last
1

Against Bereaurcracy.,

27/03/2009 09:52:57
Perhaps the councils could form a conglomerate of propaganda rags, The 'BACKSLAPPERS TIMES' has a nice ring to it, at least the title of the rag would be truthful,if not the contents.
2

Thewick,

Scarborough 27/03/2009 10:55:34
Here's a challenge for the North Yorkshire Council's propaganda pamphlet: Demonstrate your value to the community by leading the next issue on the fact that the council is imposing the highest tax increase in the country, and publish a leader condemning it.
3

Souvarine,

27/03/2009 12:45:16
Surely people aren't so stupid that they cannot tell the difference between a piece of back-slapping junk from the council that isn't fit to line the cat's litter tray and a proper newspaper.
The proliferation of council propaganda sheets has very little - if anything - to do with the decline in newspaper sales. Most regional nespapers are in long-term decline because one-time readers now have other electronic ways to get their information.
It's a decline that is self-propelling: a paper loses sales, sacks some staff, has even less in it to read than ever, loses more sales...and so on.
4

English like wot she is meant to be spoke,

27/03/2009 14:04:18
At least the Council don't print the same story on consecutive days!
5

Thewick,

Scarborough 27/03/2009 17:16:46
Well Souvarine, that's a very tempting conclusion, and in a way it's right, but only because the local newspapers themselves have been stupid enough to start giving away their news.

They have a unique product - they spend a large sum every year on collecting news and illustrations, then because they are managed by idiots, they do their best to strangle their paid-for product by making the news public free of charge.

I once heard Johnston Press's former ChieF Executive, Tim Bowdler, proudly tell a conference that he had ordered an "internet first" policy for news.

The principle behind this is that e-advertising will follow, but the fact is that no one has found a way of making the internet operation of local newspapers pay its way, let along make a profit.

The lesson from the States is that local newspapers are cutting back on their internet operations, because they have inflicted severe damage on their own print operations, while gaining no advantage.

Now here's the return to the core issue: Health groups, which in the States of course are private commercial enterprises, are among undertakings that have begun to exploit the new weakness of the traditional local newspapers by launching free sheets covering, first of all their own home areas, then expanding into neighbouring communities.

They published initially advertisements for their own posts, then started canvassing from other commercial and government undertakings. Unlike commercial free sheets in this country, which are rapidly folding, they are thriving because of the advertising base they can supply.

Tim Bowdler has now moved on to wreck the Press Association, but the damage has been done to Johnston Press, which is cutting editorial posts - the one resource that could pull them through with a change of course.

The tale, unfortunately, is being repeated all over the country.
6

Souvarine,

27/03/2009 18:53:50
Re 5:
Good point. The other thing to bear in mind is: Just how local are our local newspapers. In 2006 the SEN ceased printing in the town and began printing at Johnston's new plant in Dinnington - 95 miles away. At the time the journalists union warned that deadlines would have to be brought forward by two hours and said: "We regret this decision, entailing as it does a significant number of job losses, and would question the decision to have the paper printed so far from the paper's distribution area."
But it saved money for Johnston and that's all that matters
7

Hello Vera,

27/03/2009 20:56:28
Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport?

What a waste of taxpayers money!
8

Dennis Curley,

Scarborough 27/03/2009 22:24:41
The 'Scarborough Evening News' title is effectively a misrepresentation of the news it carries. The title goes to press during the early hours of the day of publication, and should therefore be re-named.
'Scarborough Daily News' would be more appropriate, and I see the only course for survival of the printed version in this electronic media age being a REDUCTION in price to perhaps 20p, or even adopt the free sheet model, with the potential for increased advertising income, and increased readership. The newspaper is just not worth its cover price of 42p.
We are entering a potentially deflationary period in the UK, and I believe that for newspapers to survive, they must be prepared to take a cut in profits - not to be too greedy. Greed is not good!!!
9

Thewick,

Scarborough 28/03/2009 03:09:28
I'm afraid that freesheets in this country are closing, Dennis, rather than providing an answer, as the collapse in the advertising market is hitting all publications that don't have a cover price.

To thrive, a local newspaper needs as many as possible of the four traditionally lucrative advertising sectors - property, motors, recruitment and public notices. Property, motor sales and employment, as we know, have contracted, and some local authorities are now publishing their own public notices.
10

English like wot she is meant to be spoke,

28/03/2009 08:31:45
Sound words Thewick. All I can add is that if the SEN is concerned about the fall in its advertising revenue, how come so many of the articles it runs are effectively free adverts?
Prev
1
2
Next
Last

 

Comment on this Story

 

In order to post comments you must Register or Sign In

 
 
RSS Feed of this article's comments
Delivery formats: RSS, Atom, Javascript & Email
 
 


Sister Newspapers:
Press Complaints Commission

This website and its associated newspaper adheres to the Press Complaints Commission’s Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then contact the Editor by clicking here.

If you remain dissatisfied with the response provided then you can contact the PCC by clicking here.