What will £12m England-focused journalism fund mean for Wales?

Emily Price

Questions have been raised about the impact an England-focused local journalism funding pot worth millions will have on Wales.

This week, the Press Association (PA) reported that the UK Government had unveiled a £12m fund to support local news outlets in a bid to tackle “news deserts”.

UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said local media outlets in print, online, radio or TV would be able to bid for grants to support their financial sustainability and transition to digital business models over the next two years.

The scheme would include a pilot in the west of England for improving reporting on public services.

Nation.Cymru noted that the PA’s news article gave no explanation as to what the announcement would mean for Wales.

Broadcasting and media policy are currently reserved matters meaning the power to pass laws, set regulations, and determine funding models rests with the UK Government in Westminster.

However, the Welsh Government uses creative sector funding to support local, public-interest news coverage to address a perceived information deficit.

It’s widely thought that media content for Wales is inadequate and that insufficient local journalism has left Welsh voters less informed on devolved issues like health and education.

We sent the Press Association’s story to the Welsh Government and asked what Westminster’s announcement would mean for Wales and if minister’s in Cardiff Bay would receive a cut of the cash.

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We welcome efforts to strengthen local journalism, however, it is essential any UK-level strategy reflects Wales’s devolved competence.

“We are already taking action to support journalism, including following recommendations in the 2023 Wales Public Interest Journalism Working Group report ‘Of and For Wales: Towards a Sustainable Future for Public Interest Journalism’.

“This year alone, we have awarded more than £350,000 through Creative Wales to help sustain Wales’s journalism sector and this includes around £210,000 via our Public Interest Journalism Fund.

“We are currently looking into the specifics of this new Local News Fund and what impact it could have in Wales.”

Plaid Cymru warned that the scheme could jeopardise Wales’ media landscape.

‘Vitality’

The party’s Westminster culture, media and sport spokesperson, Ann Davies, said: “Our media industries are key economic players in Wales, generating £5bn in 2023, and employing over 100,000 people.

“The vitality of this sector in Wales must not be jeopardised by an England-focused Local Media Strategy – and cannot overstep Welsh Government’s devolved competencies and investments.

“The Labour UK Government should instead consider Plaid Cymru’s vision for media in Wales – including our commitment to begin establishing a Broadcasting and Communications Authority for Wales in our first 100 days if we form the next Welsh Government.

“It is only Plaid Cymru that will ensure the communities of Wales are at the heart of our own media in Wales.”

We asked the UK Government’s Wales Office for some clarity on the funding stream and whether Wales would receive any cash.

A spokesperson said they didn’t have any details on the scheme.

We then contacted the UK Government’s department for culture, media and sport and asked the same questions.

A spokesperson said: “We are planning to engage with the devolved governments across all aspects of the Local Media Action Plan over the coming months.

“We want to make sure that our ambitions for a healthy and plural local media benefit communities and citizens as broadly across the UK as possible, while also respecting devolved competencies.”