Journalism is facing existential challenges, the internet has eaten away at traditional funding models and the shift away from print to online media makes it extremely challenging for small, local independent journalism to make ends meet. This is exacerbated by a financial environment which has been challenging for the last 5 years and looks unlikely to change soon.

As a councillor I have worked with and supported HIhub.   At council level I have argued for local journalists and community groups to have better access to the council’s communications team. The council seem to be focussed on national news, TV and radio journalism and the big local players.   I began campaigning for a change in approach within the council last year, this has been hindered by a communications team which has had a change in leadership and currently does not have a communications director.

If local journalism is to thrive we need to reset the models, listen to what local news outlets tell us they need and challenge councils and other organisations to properly support smaller outlets.  The primary way than can do this is by providing the same level of access to stories, press releases and commentary they grant to larger outlets.  Regularly Hihub is the first to publish a story we see later in other news outlets. As my first steps if re-elected I will invite the new Communications Director to meet with the Hihub team and if the invitation is not accepted I will escalate my concerns to the Council’s Chief Executive.

As a local politician of course being scrutinised and held to account can feel uncomfortable but the alternative is a void where scrutiny and accountability are absent.  I know how dangerous that is, so whilst I may not always like the attention it is far better than the alternative; freedom to act without consequence.  We see across the globe a right wing media in thrall to populism, bullied by governments making ever larger power grabs,  supporting chaos and a new world order that is deeply troubling.  We can make a difference locally by understanding the role independent journalism plays in holding power to account and supporting the press during difficult times.