World without local news would be 'utterly terrifying'

The world without local press to hold those in power to account would be “utterly terrifying”, a regional editor has said.

Editor of the Basingstoke Gazette, Katie French, told the World Without News panel that having a local paper in a community or a town acts as a huge deterrent to ensure authorities are held accountable.

The comments followed the publication of industry marketing body Newsworks’ in-depth report into the UK news landscape, released in partnership with the Society of Editors and News Media Association.

Two thirds of people appreciate and value journalism more since the global coronavirus pandemic began and 70% agree that a world without journalism would harm democracy, the report’s headline findings showed.

French told the panel, “During times of crisis or uncertainty people turn towards brands they can trust […] We saw a massive shift of people really appreciating original, trusted sources of news.”

“We’ve had lots of people coming to us with various different rumours and we’ve been able to alleviate their anxieties,” French added as local papers felt the drive towards fact-checked news.

An extra 2.2 million people consumed local news during the pandemic in July compared to January, according to Comscore.

Read the full article on the Society of Editor's website here.