News Journalism in Wales
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National Assembly for Wales Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee Read all about it Inquiry into News Journalism in Wales May 2018 www.assembly.wales The National Assembly for Wales is the democratically elected body that represents the interests of Wales and its people, makes laws for Wales, agrees Welsh taxes and holds the Welsh Government to account. An electronic copy of this document can be found on the National Assembly website: www.assembly.wales/SeneddCWLC Copies of this document can also be obtained in accessible formats including Braille, large print, audio or hard copy from: Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee National Assembly for Wales Cardiff Bay CF99 1NA Tel: 0300 200 6565 Email: [email protected] Twitter: @SeneddCWLC © National Assembly for Wales Commission Copyright 2018 The text of this document may be reproduced free of charge in any format or medium providing that it is reproduced accurately and not used in a misleading or derogatory context. The material must be acknowledged as copyright of the National Assembly for Wales Commission and the title of the document specified. National Assembly for Wales Culture, Welsh Language and Communications Committee Read all about it Inquiry into News Journalism in Wales May 2018 www.assembly.wales About the Committee The Committee was established on 28 June 2016. Its remit can be found at: www.assembly.wales/SeneddCWLC Committee Chair: Bethan Sayed AM Plaid Cymru South Wales West Current Committee membership: Mick Antoniw AM Suzy Davies AM Welsh Labour Welsh Conservatives Pontypridd South Wales West Siân Gwenllian AM Neil Hamilton AM Plaid Cymru UKIP Wales Arfon Mid and West Wales Rhianon Passmore AM Jenny Rathbone AM Welsh Labour Welsh Labour Islwyn Cardiff Central Jack Sargeant AM Welsh Labour Alyn and Deeside The following Members were also members of the committee during this inquiry: Hannah Blythyn AM Dawn Bowden AM Welsh Labour Welsh Labour Delyn Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Dai Lloyd AM Jeremy Miles AM Plaid Cymru Welsh Labour South Wales West Neath Lee Waters AM Welsh Labour Llanelli Read All About It – Inquiry into News Journalism Contents Chair’s foreword ..................................................................................................... 5 Recommendations ................................................................................................ 7 1. Background ......................................................................................................... 10 2. The impact of the decline of commercial news journalism in Wales ......................................................................................................................... 12 3. Hyperlocal and volunteer journalism ...................................................... 17 4. Financial support for news journalism .................................................. 24 5. Non-financial support for news journalism ......................................... 30 6. Welsh Government activity ........................................................................ 33 7. BBC local democracy plans ......................................................................... 38 8. Welsh language news journalism ............................................................ 42 9. Local television ................................................................................................ 44 Annex – Witnesses and Written Evidence ........................................... 47 Read All About It – Inquiry into News Journalism Chair’s foreword Thomas Jefferson wrote: “were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter”. A free press and media has long been the mark of a free society. Without frank and independent journalism the people may not be fully informed of what is done in their name and Governments, and others with power, will not be held to account for their actions. The decline of commercial news journalism in Wales should therefore concern us all. As in other parts of the world, the circulations of Welsh newspapers have dropped sharply in recent years while online circulation has grown. However, this growth in digital readership has not improved newspaper profitability. Instead, we have seen job-losses, mergers and newspaper closures. Wales is far from alone in seeing a decline in traditional print newspapers. However, the Welsh media is smaller and less diverse than other parts of the UK and so the impact of these changes is affecting us disproportionately. In this report, we set out some of the main issues on which we have taken evidence and make a number of recommendations which we believe can help improve the current situation or nurture possible solutions. We have also considered whether some model of direct support from Government for the provision of commercial journalism should be developed. There are clear difficulties with this, not least to ensure independence and editorial freedom. Despite this, the precarious state of news journalism in Wales is such that serious consideration should now be given to some way of supporting public interest journalism in Wales. Social media companies also need to recognise their responsibilities. The like of Google and Facebook should consider their wider responsibility as corporate citizens in helping support good quality journalism in Wales and elsewhere. 5 Read All About It – Inquiry into News Journalism We recognise that there is no simple solution to how best we address this issue in Wales. However, we are convinced that this is a profound public policy issue, which policy makers at all levels, not least the Welsh Government, need to address as a priority issue. Bethan Sayed AM Chair 6 Read All About It – Inquiry into News Journalism Recommendations Recommendation 1. We recommend that the Welsh Government should formally recognise that supporting public interest journalism in Wales is a strategic priority and fundamental to democracy in Wales. .......................................... Page 11 Recommendation 2. We recommend that the Welsh Government should nurture and encourage the hyperlocal sector as a way of encouraging new entrants to the market and supporting innovative approaches to the provision of local news journalism. ..................................................................................................................................... Page 23 Recommendation 3. We recommend that the Welsh Government should use the £100,000 funding in 2018-19 and 2019-20 for a contestable scheme that is available to both new entrants and to support innovation and sustainability among current operators. ............................................................................................................................ Page 23 Recommendation 4. We recommend that the Welsh Government considers establishing publicly-funded arm’s length news hubs, in light of the lack of market viability of local news provision in many areas of Wales. .................................................. Page 23 Recommendation 5. We recommend that the Welsh Government should carry out a full evaluation of the success of the £100k funding once the first year of funding comes to an end to inform decisions about how the funding should be used in future. ......................................................................................................................................................... Page 23 Recommendation 6. We recommend that the Welsh Government carries out an audit of its spending on advertising statutory notices, on the amount spent by other public bodies in Wales funded by the Welsh Government and on the amount spent by local government. It should then consult widely on whether there are more cost effective ways of publicising statutory notices and on how any savings released can be reinvested in supporting public interest news journalism. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..Page 28 Recommendation 7. We recommend that Google and Facebook consider how they can improve their support for news journalism in Wales ................................... Page 28 Recommendation 8. We recommend that the Welsh Government considers whether part of any funds released through modernising the publication of statutory notices should be used to create a similar body to the Knight Foundation in the USA, which offers seed-corn funding for small start-up news organisations. .......................................................................................................................................................... Page 29 7 Read All About It – Inquiry into News Journalism Recommendation 9. We recommend that the Welsh Government urgently identifies the changes necessary within its competence to enable statutory notices to be published by hyperlocal and online providers and ensures that all future legislation introduced into the Assembly implements these changes where appropriate. Any savings made as a result of lower advertising costs from increased competition should be redirected through targeted funding toward public interest journalism. ........................................................................................................................... Page 29 Recommendation 10. We recommend that the Welsh Government clarifies to local authorities and other relevant statutory bodies in Wales the freedom they have