Island Echo will play a direct role in a Government pilot designed to boost the use of trusted local news outlets in public sector advertising campaigns.
The initiative forms part of the newly announced Local Media Strategy, unveiled by the Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy this week, which aims to strengthen local journalism and ensure its long-term sustainability.
A key element of the strategy focuses on how Government advertising is distributed, with a commitment to make greater use of local and hyperlocal publishers to deliver public information campaigns more effectively.
As part of this, the Government will work with its media buying agency and the Independent Community News Network (ICNN) – the UK’s trade body for independent local publishers – to pilot the use of hyperlocal news titles.
Island Echo, a member of ICNN, will be among a small number of publishers involved in this work, which will assess the value of local platforms in reaching engaged, community-based audiences.
The pilot will test how effectively hyperlocal outlets can deliver targeted messaging, while also demonstrating the collective reach and influence of independent publishers across the UK.
Earlier this month, Island Echo met with MPs at a parliamentary event in London to highlight both the challenges and opportunities facing the journalism sector, including the need for sustainable funding models and fairer access to advertising revenue.
The Government’s strategy reflects many of those concerns, with a clear commitment to better utilise trusted local media environments for public sector campaigns and to strengthen their position within the wider advertising market.
Lisa Nandy MP, Culture Secretary, has said:
“This strategy will provide unprecedented funding for local media outlets to invest in innovation and infrastructure, harnessing the power of local and national government and giving more young people access to high quality journalism.
“Because local media was and always has been a ladder of opportunity to help new voices break into journalism. This is not a nice to have. It is essential to a cohesive country.”
The wider Local Media Strategy also includes a £12million Local News Fund to support innovation and sustainability across the sector, which may also enhance Island Echo’s offering in the future, alongside increased funding for community radio and initiatives to encourage young people into journalism careers.
The Government has said the strategy marks the beginning of a new approach to supporting local media, recognising its vital role in informing communities, holding decision-makers to account and strengthening democratic engagement.
it seems a little strange that a Labour Government would seek to utilse a local media company that is very obviously (not least from recent reporting in connection with a visit from nigel farage) pro-reform party.
Unfortunately the majority of the public don’t trust msm media as it just seems to be a mouthpiece for government propaganda.
if you want the truth then msm isn’t the place to get it.
not sure its true to claim msm as being a “a mouthpiece for government propaganda”…
lets face it,.. even the BBC, that great bastion of (supposedly) unbiased content, gives massivly dis-proportionate coverage of Farage/Reform… vs the other (mostly considerable larger) parties.