Keep local news

A warning that the continuing closure of local newspapers threatens local government democracy came from Unite delegate and Cambridge city councillor, Nigel Gawthrope on September 10.

Nigel told delegates, “The decline of local newspapers is an employment and industrial issue in my print sector, but it is a question of democracy and transparency for wider society.

“We still have the Cambridge News and thankfully it is still supported by the local community.

“But many local newspapers have closed and many have drastically downsized; print jobs have been lost as titles have become history and circulation has fallen.”

Nigel also expressed concern that the decline of local newspapers meant that only those from relatively wealthy backgrounds could take up journalism as a career, which itself, distorted how journalism is presented nationally.

The TUC’s concern comes against a backdrop of 140 newspapers closing since March 2011 and a quarter of local government areas are not covered by a daily regional newspaper.