Sustainability of local journalism

Media that Matters, Issue #4: your fortnightly digest of the very best content from independent media publications up and down the UK.

Welcome to the fourth issue of the IMA’s newsletter, Media that Matters! 

Over the last two weeks, we’ve been busy working on our Online Safety Bill campaign and a #Justice4Workers collaboration project between IMA members.

Coming up… Do you wanna join in creating content and/or a strategy for a #Justice4Workers week that IMA members are working on for the last week of Feb? Join the WhatsApp group to find out more. 

This newsletter is a little shorter than usual, as I’m still catching up with work after annual leave. We resume normal service in the next issue!

- Reece

The big news: Sustainability of local journalism

The Digital, Culture Media and Sport Committee has published its report on the Sustainability of Local Journalism.  The Independent Media Association’s submission was cited in several places in the report.

One of the report’s key recommendations is that:

“…we are concerned that some of the approaches of the largest publishers appear to be compromising the quality the local journalism produced by their titles. We are also concerned that the largest publishers take a disproportionate share of the support available for local journalism, to the detriment of smaller publishers and those entering the market. This may be stifling much needed innovation that could benefit the sector as a whole. We recommend that the Government conducts an audit of public money that supports the local news sector. This should be followed by an analysis of whether this money can be more fairly distributed and better used to promote innovation…”

 IMA response:

“The IMA welcome the Committee’s recognition of the fact that the largest local news publishers, like Reach and Newsquest, are disproportionate beneficiaries of Government support despite the fact that they are outside any independent system of regulation and their business approaches – in the words of the Committee – appear to be compromising the quality of local journalism produced by their titles.

“The Government must listen to this important report, and ensure that future funding support for the industry is targeted at independent and regulated news titles which have high standards and produce quality, credible journalism.”

Our recent favourites

• "The UK used its bases in Cyprus, which it retained after the island achieved independence in 1960, as key NATO assets despite Cyprus’s declared non-alignment between East and West, it can be revealed." - Declassified UK

• "Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan's book does not shy away from vital connections between Islamophobia and the forces of global capitalism, writes Farzana Khan" - Red Pepper Magazine

• "Nightmare Magic by David Alnwick nestles itself somewhere between a one-man play, a magic show and piece of well-imagined storytelling. Paul Szabo reviews the horror-inspired event." - Now Then

• "Gisella Ligios reports from Rojava on the threat of food and water insecurity, and its impact on farming livelihoods." - New Internationalist

• "The cost of living crisis, long NHS waiting lists, and high energy prices leaving people unable to afford to keep warm and cook hot meals, are combining to harm the nation’s health and wellbeing, according to Government data." - Byline Times

Awards and cash for independent newsrooms

• Netflix Documentary Talent Fund. Win £20-40,000 to create a new documentary for Netflix’s social channels. Closes 16 February.

• Photographers Without Borders Storyteller Grant. The program will select five photography projects with a strong call to action for land and/or water protection. A US$5,000 grant. Closes 21 February.

• Professional Developmental Grants for Environmental Journalism. Supports activities and services for environmental journalists by funding project ideas and facilitating training and education.  Grants of up to 85k EUR. Closes 23 February.

• IJ4EU’s Investigation Support scheme. Grants of €5,000 to €50,000 for investigative projects with a public interest topic of cross-border relevance. Closes 23 February.

• European Local Cross-Border Journalism Fund. Do you have appealing, engaging stories from your own city that you want to share with the world? Closes March 16, 2023.

Media Democracy Festival

Every year, the Media Democracy Festival brings together academics, activists and decision-makers to understand what’s going on in the media landscape, build connections and strengthen the movement for a transformed media.

Featuring keynote speaker Zarah Sultana MP, alongside contributions from leading media experts and campaigners, trade union representatives and social justice activists, this year’s Media Democracy Festival is set to be an uplifting, thought-provoking and urgent gathering.

Whether you’re a hardened media reform advocate or a curious media consumer, join us to learn how we can reshape the media to work for people, not profit. Our media is broken. Be part of the movement to fix it.

The IMA will be hosting its AGM at the Media Democracy Festival. Members and observers are welcome to attend.

Online Safety Bill

The ​IMA​, along with Hacked Off, are ​campaigning around the recognised news publisher exemption proposed in the Online Safety Bill, which is currently before the House.​ Essentially:​

➡️ The Online Safety Bill would require social media platforms to regulate themselves, with an exemption for content posted by "recognised news publishers" but it excludes many independent, regulated news publishers and allows unregulated and potentially harmful publishers to benefit from the exemption.

➡️ In this Bill​,​ “news publishers” are defined by having a UK address and a team of staff or contributors. Not every indie publication will have these.

➡️ We want to ensure all independently regulated media, including Impress-regulated publications, are protected and have access to the exemption, and that harmful publishers do not.

📢  We need three anecdotes from IMA members, particularly if you don’t have a UK address or staff, or didn’t have access to these resources when you first started. Email community@ima.press if you’re interested. These will be published on our website.

Additionally, mark your calendars for campaign day on the 28th February and be ​ready to write about the issue on that day. We can share some reporting advice ahead of time. Thank you for your support.

Our to-do list

In an effort to be transparent and accountable to both its members and the public, the IMA publishes a brief to-do list in this newsletter. This list allows the IMA to show the efforts it’s taking and the progress it’s making towards its objectives. In the coming two weeks, Thomas and I will be focusing on the following tasks:

1. Running the Online Safety Bill campaign push in February

2. Preparing #Justice4Workers week

3. Setting up a call with Beabee, the membership platform The Bristol Cable uses, to promote their work to IMA members

4. Contacting prospective new members

5. Preparing reports on AI and its effects on journalism

6. Unveiling a plan for trade union engagement and fundraising

7. Working on coalition building with NEON

8. Reporting on opportunities for co-operative IMA members with federations like Radical Routes and Workers.Coop.