£6m Local News Fund backs 50 newsrooms as mayor praises reporters who hold power to account

Fifty local news organisations are to share £6 million from the government's Local News Fund, announced during Journalism Matters Week, as the regional mayor, Richard Parker, praised local reporters for holding people like him to account.

Local print and online outlets and independent local TV and radio stations will receive grants of up to £125,000, while seven other organisations, including software developers and major industry players, will get up to £275,000 each to build tools the whole sector can use.

What the money is for

The grants will be spent on community outreach projects, digital tools, apps and new multimedia services to help newsrooms reach new and younger audiences and build more sustainable income. The government says the money has been distributed evenly across England and Wales, with support for local journalism in every region.

Media Minister Ian Murray said: "For decades our local media has remained among the most trusted sources of news. But as the media landscape has become more complex, many outlets have been forced to reduce their numbers or even close. I am determined not to leave local journalism to collapse."

Polly Curtis, Co-Chair of the Local News Fund Steering Board, said: "There are too many news deserts in this country and this fund is starting to make a difference." She encouraged outlets to apply to the next round in 2027.

Inspiring future reporters

The fund is part of the government's Local Media Action Plan. Another strand, the Inspiring the Future careers campaign, has reached more than 11,000 students in more than 100 schools, connecting them with working journalists. The pilot focused on the North West, and the government says it will look to roll it out nationally, subject to evaluation and funding.

"Vital" to holding power to account

Speaking during Journalism Matters Week, the regional mayor said the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which places BBC-funded reporters in local newsrooms to cover councils and public bodies, plays a vital role in holding those in power to account. Birmingham Live reported that he said good journalism should challenge him and make him better at his job.

The service was set up in 2018 and now funds 165 reporters across the UK, helping to fill a gap in the reporting of local democracy. Its reporters cover Birmingham City Council meetings, planning decisions and budgets, which might otherwise go unreported.

Why it matters

With more decisions being devolved from Westminster to mayors and councils, the government and the News Media Association both argue that local scrutiny matters more than ever. Theo Bamber, chief executive of the News Media Association, said: "As power is devolved out of Westminster, the role of local news media holding power to account will become even more important."

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