Councils across London and the UK are increasingly publishing their own newspapers and magazines, which are threatening the survival of traditional local newspapers. These council publications look like newspapers, are frequently published, distribute high circulation numbers, carry advertising, and include non-council news and listings. Case studies show local newspapers experiencing declining sales and revenues as councils undermine them through lower advertising rates and increased competition. The local press industry wants councils to scale back publications to be less frequent, not pick up distribution, only include council news, and not take third party advertising in order to co-exist.

1. is the..
public sector destroying local newspapers?
the threat of council publications
Media You Can Trust

2. Introduction

3. London
The battle ground…
• Most have their own publication
• They look like local newspapers
• Half publish fortnightly or monthly
• 90% take advertising
• 54% take non-council news

4. Case Studies
East End Life
– Weekly publication, 75,000 distribution.
• East London Advertiser dropped from 20k to 7.5k
• The News Barking and Dagenham – fortnightly, 90k distribution, costs £500k pa
• Archant - £250k loss of council advertising. Rates of Barking Post undercut.
Hammersmith and Fulham News
– Fortnightly, 75k. Carries 12-pages props, gardening, crossword.
• Chronicle – sales drop to 1.5k and falling
• Soon H&F will be only local paper in area
Lambeth Life
– fortnightly, distribution 132k (London’s highest)
• South London Press – 25pc reduction in public notice revenue
• Greenwich Time – weekly, carries TV listings and sport

5. Regional
Less threat but growing…
• 94% councils produce magazine or newspaper
• 64% carry advertising
• 85% have news

6. Case studies
• Birmingham City Council ‘Forward’
– fortnightly, distribution 390,000
• Your Cornwall
– Cornwall Council. Scrapped after costing £693k per annum
• Doncaster News
– 129k distribution. Scrapped by mayor on first day of office

7. On “my patch..”
Kent TV (Kent County Council)
Launched: 2007
Costs: £1.8m to date
• News feed from rival media firm
• Pledged to cover cost from advertising
• Offers free listings service to users
• Uploading facility available
• All cabinet members interviewed but no
opposition
• Iceland cash crisis: ‘All positive’
• Independent board chaired by chief
executive.

8. On “my patch..”
• Medway Matters Medway Council
– Medway Council, bi monthly
• circ. 112,000
• Here & Now
– Tonbridge & Malling Council
• quarterly
• Maidstone Matters

9. What the industry wants
• OFT review into impact of council newspapers on local press
• Less frequency
• No pick ups
• No non-council news
• No non-council listings
• No third party advertising

10. So..
Are council newspapers destroying local press?
IN SOME AREAS.. YES

11. So..
Can they co-exist?
YES