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direct and indirect, in the form of tax breaks. In some countries such subsidies also apply to online media. But too oſten such subsidies are low. In one major Belgian newspaper the subsidy amounts to around 2 per cent of running costs. More and more crowdfunding campaigns, foundations and fund-raising groups are also helping journalists to fill the news gap created by newspaper cuts or closures. Krautreporter successfully financed dozens of small-scale media projects. In 2014 it succeeded in raising 1 million euros in just six weeks for 28 journalists to produce an ad-free online magazine. In Belgium Fondspourlejournalisme.be and Fonds Pascal Decroos, supported by the Belgian journalists’ union, provide financial aid to journalists or publications seeking to cover areas which are under-reported or where there is a lack of investment to allow the subject to be covered and there are more and more digital platforms – such as Singler in Germany or decorrespondent.nl which enable journalists to sell individual articles. From freemium to metered payment, pay-per-view, paying per article and cross-media subscription packages to endowments, sponsorship or donations raising funds for specific projects atempts to protect local news are widespread. At the forefront of this debate around


the world are journalists’ unions. And just as the crisis hit first and hardest in the US so unions there have been in the vanguard of campaigning to protect local newspapers and reinforce the importance of local news. Te News Guild’s #newsmaters campaign is a key example. On 6 May across more than a dozen newspapers owned by Digital First Media, trade unionists stood up for journalism, all wearing their NewsMaters t-shirts. Te campaign is about protecting jobs yes, but as part of a campaign to protect quality journalism, ensure the accountability of local schools, health providers, courts and councils.


Such campaigns are also about


changing the debate – about whether news is simply a commodity to be bought or sold or a public good. If local news media do provide a public good, they deserve special treatment by governments. We don’t need more austerity but an economic stimulus package for journalism including public subsidy for public service journalism. Tere are those who argue any public subsidy for journalism undermines media freedom. Such arguments hold no weight. Our founders never thought that freedom of the press would only


for the public good, for the benefit of our communities – not private businesses and shareholders – clear and enforceable conditions need to be applied – reinvestment quotas, caps on directors’ pay, guaranteed levels of originally produced content and so on. Tere are exciting opportunities to embed a public service ethos in local media across new platforms. In many countries unions are leading


calls for greater research into new models for local journalism – levies, tax breaks and other measures to fund


So we need action to save, build and sustain local journalism. Any action should encourage a variety of voices, a greater plurality, maximised through a combination of different models


belong to those who could afford a press. Tey would have been horrified at the idea that if rich people determine there is not sufficient commercial value in news that communities should be deprived of quality information and quality journalism. So we need action to save, build and sustain local journalism. Any action should encourage a variety of voices, a greater plurality, maximised through a combination of different models – commercial ownership, public ownership, mutual ownership, staff ownership, co-operative ownership, for profit and not-for-profit. To ensure any public money is used


community media. Tere are many potential sources of funding – including one-off or annual charges for those digital intermediaries – such as google, facebook, twiter and yahoo – who benefit from republishing local news. In 2013 Google agreed to give the


French government 60 million Euros to fund digital publishing innovation. Te commitment to help news transition from print to digital came aſter a dispute about whether Google should pay to display news content in its search results.


Among other ideas US academic Robert McChesney proposed a “Citizenship News Voucher” scheme under which each adult receives a voucher once a year, which they can donate to any public service news or information service of their choice. We are not short of ideas – we are


short of the political will to implement them. Journalists need to reinforce the message that journalism and local news maters – that without the right equipment, training, resources and staffing the historical mission of journalism is increasingly compromised. Corporate ownership of the media with its legal duty to maximize profits has failed local news. It’s time for change.


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