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<p>Local and regional news coverage provides a vital service - providing information
about local public affairs, holding local decision-makers to account, and providing
a forum for community discussion.</p><p>Public service broadcasters, including the
BBC, and national and local commercial radio stations, have requirements to produce
regional and local news. The BBC’s Royal Charter requires the BBC to represent, reflect
and serve audiences, taking into account the needs of diverse communities of all the
UK nations and regions. Under the new regulatory system introduced by the Government
in 2017, the BBC Board must ensure the BBC complies with its Charter duties, and Ofcom
was established as the BBC regulator to ensure the BBC is robustly held to account.</p><p>The
Government’s manifesto also recognises the indispensable role of the local and regional
press, committing to “support local and regional newspapers, as vital pillars of communities
and local democracy”. It has been an absolute priority to ensure we do all we can
as a Government to support local news outlets during the Covid-19 crisis as well as
supporting commercial and community radio. This included taking the decision to bring
forward the commencement of zero-rating of VAT on e-newspapers to May 2020 and working
with Arqiva, the UK’s TV and radio transmission provider, to provide six months discount
charges which has benefited local commercial radio stations .</p><p>The Government
also took steps to ensure local media could operate during the Covid 19 lockdown period.
Journalists and other key media ancillary staff were designated as ‘key workers’ for
the purposes of access to childcare and educational places. The Government also issued
guidance to local authorities on the importance of newspaper delivery; took steps
to ensure the use of ‘keyword blocklisting’ technology is not inadvertently damaging
news publishers’ online advertising revenues for Covid-19 related stories by ad-blocking
coronavirus-related terms; and implemented a significant public information campaign,
using local and national press and commercial radio extend the reach of these campaigns.</p><p><strong><p><p><br></strong></p>
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