The British government has allocated an amount of £12 million to support digital innovation in local journalism. The fund aims to help regional newsrooms stay in operation and transform their business models at a time when the country faces a real threat of so-called “news deserts” – areas not covered by any relevant independent media outlet focused exclusively on a given locality.
According to a recent survey by the Public Interest News Foundation, there are 37 news deserts in the United Kingdom. The definition of these places is based on the absence of a local media outlet dedicated solely to a specific administrative area. The situation in places like Worthing highlights a paradox of contemporary journalism: although nationally relevant events occur in these towns, they face the risk of losing systematic coverage of local issues.
However, representatives of large regional publishers question the data on news deserts. According to them, the risk is overestimated due to the data modeling methodology. One anonymous source from media groups' management stated:
“Current data on news deserts overstates the problem. We should more clearly define what a news desert is and what it isn't, although the risk of their formation without government intervention remains real.”
The discussion about the future of the local press focuses mainly on technological adaptation. At a recent Newsrewired conference, Nic Newman from the Reuters Institute emphasized that the key to maintaining reader loyalty could be expanding formats, especially video and podcasts, which help attract younger generations. The Times newspaper is pursuing a similar path with its new data team, as is The Economist weekly, which relies on AI and streaming.
While the £12 million investment is welcome assistance, experts disagree on whether it is a sufficient impetus for long-term stability or merely a temporary deferral of the decline of traditional newspapers. Critics point out that without systemic change and a clear definition of public interest in journalism, this fund may only be “a drop in the ocean” of problems that local media face.