The Independent Community News Network (ICNN) has told the government to ensure hyperlocal publishers are considered as recipients for a £2m fund aimed at supporting local public interest journalism.
After welcoming the launch of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sports’ plan to support high-quality journalism, the ICNN has warned that there must not be “too narrow a focus on who is eligible” for financial support.
ICNN’s members include Rochdale Online, South Leeds Life and Wythenshawe Reporter among others.
As outlined by the DCMS, the ‘Future News Fund’ will be used to assist a number of different initiatives that allow publishers to test or expand new ways of providing sustainable public interest news.
The government hopes that new business models and greater use of data can be adopted across the industry as a result.
The fund was set up after recommendations were made in the Cairncross Review into the future of news provision in the UK.
Responding to the announcement, ICNN director Emma Meese (pictured) told HoldTheFrontPage: “This is a welcome development and we will be actively working to ensure that this fund is accessible to members of ICNN.
“ICNN has already been recognised by the Welsh Government as a mark of quality. Access to the Independent Community Journalism Fund requires that publications be members of ICNN.
“The Future News Fund must take care not to have too narrow a focus on who is eligible. Smaller organisations producing high quality independent public interest news must be considered alongside traditional publishers of news.”
A similar warning against making the fund’s eligibility criteria too narrow was also made by the Society of Editors, who also questioned who will decide the definition of public interest journalism.
Nesta will administer the project which will run from this autumn until the end of the financial year.
