Camden Gazette https://camdengazette.co.uk Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:27:27 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 Government’s Prominence Plans Risk Press Freedom, Warns News Media Association https://camdengazette.co.uk/governments-prominence-plans-risk-press-freedom-warns-news-media-association/ Tue, 08 Sep 2026 15:27:27 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/governments-prominence-plans-risk-press-freedom-warns-news-media-association/ The government should back the Competition and Markets Authority to tackle the market power of large technology platforms rather than implementing a prominence regime, which risks undermining media plurality and press freedom, the News Media Association has said. In its response to the Media Green Paper, the NMA welcomes the Government’s recognition of the importance […]]]>

The government should back the Competition and Markets Authority to tackle the market power of large technology platforms rather than implementing a prominence regime, which risks undermining media plurality and press freedom, the News Media Association has said.

In its response to the Media Green Paper, the NMA welcomes the Government’s recognition of the importance of trusted journalism, but a narrow definition of ‘trustworthy’ news risks advantaging a small number of public service broadcasters and publishers at the expense of media plurality. News titles outside the regime could see PSB coverage of stories they originally investigated and broke made prominent instead of the original reporting, potentially disincentivising investment in investigative journalism.

NMA chief executive, Theo Bamber, said: “We support the Government’s ambition to make sure more people consume more high-quality journalism – and that news publishers can produce more of it. Any regime making publishers’ visibility dependent on a government-backed definition of trustworthiness raises questions about press freedom and editorial independence.

“Instead of bringing forward narrow solutions that fail to address the root causes of the problem, the Government should tackle large platforms’ market power – whether it be in search, social media, video, or AI. The Government must back the CMA to deliver remedies through the Digital Markets Unit. This will be faster, more effective, and future-proofed – and comes without the substantial dangers of a prominence regime.”

A broader definition could mitigate these press-freedom concerns, but risks making the regime so broad it becomes ineffective. Nor is greater prominence through regulation guaranteed to increase engagement: audiences may distrust content they perceive as promoted through regulatory intervention rather than their own choices, which risks undermining trust in online news.

The risks are particularly acute for local news. Many local publishers may fall outside the regime altogether, while those included operate across complex and overlapping markets, making consistent monitoring and enforcement difficult. The Government must explain how it would prevent a prominence regime from inadvertently disadvantaging local titles, particularly as the Government’s devolution agenda makes local reporting more important than ever.

The CMA already has the powers to require dominant platforms to improve algorithmic transparency, promote high-quality content, and address the use of news content in AI-generated answers. The Government should now back the CMA in using them effectively.

Notes:

  • This comes ahead of a parliamentary debate today on the Media Green Paper, led by former Culture Secretary Sir John Whittingdale MP.
  • The NMA’s response to the Media Green Paper consultation can be found here.
]]> Chi Onwurah: My Constituents Feel Big Tech Controls Their Lives https://camdengazette.co.uk/chi-onwurah-my-constituents-feel-big-tech-controls-their-lives/ Mon, 07 Sep 2026 20:59:56 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/chi-onwurah-my-constituents-feel-big-tech-controls-their-lives/ The chair of an influential Parliamentary Select Committee has said today her constituents feel that Big Tech controls their lives and that neither government nor the competition authority are big enough to deal with the problem. At the ‘Time to Reset: Unlocking Growth & Sovereignty Through Digital Competition’ event, leading tech policy figures called on […]]]>

The chair of an influential Parliamentary Select Committee has said today her constituents feel that Big Tech controls their lives and that neither government nor the competition authority are big enough to deal with the problem.

At the ‘Time to Reset: Unlocking Growth & Sovereignty Through Digital Competition’ event, leading tech policy figures called on Ministers to give the Competition and Markets Authority the political backing it needs to go further and faster in its work to tackle the entrenched dominance of Big Tech.

Speaking in a panel, Chi Onwurah MP, chair of the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee said: “While the regulators are independent, political will and political leadership matter. I feel strongly that the CMA could do more. There is significant market power which is being exploited to the benefit of entrenched firms and to the disbenefit of my constituents.

“That’s wrong on many levels but particularly because my constituents feel that Big Tech is controlling their lives and that neither the government nor the competition authority are big enough to address that and to deal with that.

“That’s why I’m really pleased we’ve got an AI Minister in the Cabinet now, Kanishka Narayan. We have an opportunity now and a much stronger narrative about the importance of competition.”

“Technology will evolve and we need to ensure that we have competition – competition in cloud, competition in the digital markets – in order to drive that innovation for the benefit of my constituents; economic growth is for their benefit.”

Delivering one of the afternoon’s keynote speeches, Will Hayter, executive director, digital markets, CMA, stressed the importance of healthy competition. He added: “I have often thought that it gets less attention, and frankly less thoughtful attention, than it deserves – particularly when you consider the scale and breadth of the negative impact of ineffective competition. Or the potential benefits from markets that really serve the people of the UK.”

Speakign at the event, former member of the government’s digital competition expert panel, which first proposed the new digital competition regime, Professor Philip Marsden said: “We depend on these platforms, and some come with some serious problems. 

“We depend on the CMA and Will’s Digital Markets Unit. It’s got great power. It’s got great responsibility. It’s got a duty to act; it’s got a duty to act much more proactively.”

Supported by the News Media Association, the event at the Financial Times was attended by more than 100 delegates. It follows last month’s publication of an IPPR report which warns that the market power of a handful of global technology companies is holding back British businesses.

IPPR found that tech-intensive UK firms rank Big Tech’s market power above access to finance or talent as a constraint on growth. More than a third have shelved a product in the past two years because an incumbent already held the space.

One of the thinktank’s headline recommendations is for the UK government to publish an updated strategic steer for the CMA that requests strong action to open up digital markets, references digital sovereignty, and commits explicitly to preserving the CMA’s independence.

This would give the CMA the political backing to reduce barriers to entry for UK challenger companies rather than weakening enforcement to attract a short-term sugar rush of investment from Big Tech firms that extract massive value from the UK.

Notes:

A full running order for the event follows:

Welcome from Matt Rogerson, Financial Times director of global public policy.

Keynote from Will Hayter, executive director, digital markets, CMA. The full speech can be seen on the CMA website here.

Panel 1: The costs of concentrated markets in the AI age – lost growth and technology sovereignty.

  • Chair: Suzi Ring, legal correspondent, Financial Times;
  • Matt Davies, economic and social policy lead, Ada Lovelace Institute;
  • Dylan Sparks, UK director, Reset Tech;
  • Stephen McDonald, head of economics, Which?

Keynote from Neil Lawrence, DeepMind professor of machine learning, University of Cambridge.

Panel 2: A roadmap for more effective digital competition enforcement.

  • Chair: Tom Smith, London managing partner, Geradin Partners;
  • Rosamund Powell, senior research fellow, IPPR;
  • Max Von Thun, director, Open Markets Institute Europe;
  • Alex Rennie, senior public affairs manager, Skyscanner;
  • Chi Onwurah MP, chair of the House of Commons Science, Innovation and Technology Select Committee.

Keynote from Philip Marsden, former member of the government’s digital competition expert panel and deputy chair of the Bank of England’s enforcement decision committee.

Summary and thanks from NMA chief executive Theo Bamber.

(Image: Mark Staniland/FT)

]]> New Audience Measurement Platform Raid Announced For Local News Media https://camdengazette.co.uk/new-audience-measurement-platform-raid-announced-for-local-news-media/ Mon, 07 Sep 2026 11:06:36 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/new-audience-measurement-platform-raid-announced-for-local-news-media/ A new revitalised audience measurement platform for the local news media sector called Regional Audience Intelligence Data (Raid) is due to launch in the coming weeks, enabling media planners to see local more clearly. Developed by the international research agency RAM Penetrace on behalf of local publishers, the new platform will offer a host of […]]]>

A new revitalised audience measurement platform for the local news media sector called Regional Audience Intelligence Data (Raid) is due to launch in the coming weeks, enabling media planners to see local more clearly.

Developed by the international research agency RAM Penetrace on behalf of local publishers, the new platform will offer a host of new benefits including more immediate and accurate total brand audience data, underpinned by a new digital-first methodology.

Other benefits will include a new bespoke user interface and a reduction in modelled readership data.  Like JICREG – which will continue to be available as a legacy system for the time being – Raid will offer users readership insights right down to the postcode level.

Tags deployed by the RAM Platform across local news websites capture the reach, frequency and demographics of the sector’s digital audiences, with additional readership surveys used to capture print readership data, powering Raid’s total brand audience data.

News Media Association chief executive Theo Bamber said: “Local journalism is a trusted source of information for millions of people across the country every day. This reach is a unique opportunity for planners to connect with local communities at scale, through highly trusted environments with loyal followings.

“Raid has been designed for the modern media landscape, bringing users the clarity and flexibility they need to work at pace and make the most of the access to the market that local news publishers provide.”

Further details of the new system – which is being shown to media agencies ahead of a full launch – will be announced shortly.

CEO RAM Penetrace UK Ltd Dianne Newman said: “We are delighted to have been able to work on this exciting new project. We are confident that Raid will offer agencies the required rigour to plan with confidence, as well as the flexibility to grow and adapt as the local news sector evolves.”

]]> NMA Coordinates National SLAPPs Day of Action With UK Anti‑SLAPP Coalition https://camdengazette.co.uk/nma-coordinates-national-slapps-day-of-action-with-uk-anti-slapp-coalition-2/ Wed, 02 Sep 2026 17:10:41 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/nma-coordinates-national-slapps-day-of-action-with-uk-anti-slapp-coalition-2/ Local news organisations across the UK are today taking part in a coordinated Day of Action against abusive legal threats known as SLAPPs, led by the News Media Association in partnership with the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition. The day brings together publishers to highlight the growing use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation to intimidate journalists […]]]>

Local news organisations across the UK are today taking part in a coordinated Day of Action against abusive legal threats known as SLAPPs, led by the News Media Association in partnership with the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition.

The day brings together publishers to highlight the growing use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation to intimidate journalists and suppress reporting in the public interest, and to urge the Government to deliver robust anti-SLAPP legislation.

Publishers are marking the Day of Action through op-eds and letters to MPs, underlining the particular vulnerability of local and regional newsrooms to costly and time-consuming legal intimidation.

The NMA and the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition are calling on the Government to include comprehensive, cross-cutting anti-SLAPP measures in the King’s Speech in May.

Owen Meredith, NMA chief executive, said: “SLAPPs thrive in silence, using the threat of costly and intimidating legal action to shut down journalism in the public interest.

“This SLAPPs Day of Action is a timely opportunity to shine a light on the growing misuse of the legal system and its chilling effect on journalists and newsrooms, particularly at a local level.

“As the Government sets out its priorities in the King’s Speech, there is a clear and urgent need for comprehensive anti-SLAPP legislation to properly safeguard public interest journalism and uphold freedom of expression.”

David Higgerson, chief content officer at Reach plc, said: “SLAPPs are not about seeking justice – they are about silencing journalism. When legal threats are used as a weapon, they chill reporting and deprive the public of information they have a right to know.”

James Mitchinson, editor at The Yorkshire Post, said: “Journalists should not have to weigh the public interest against the threat of financial ruin. Strong, effective anti-SLAPP protections are essential if scrutiny journalism is to survive.”

Jon Gripton, group editorial director, Tindle Newspapers, said: “Freedom of expression and accountable journalism are cornerstones of our democracy. Tackling SLAPPs is about protecting those principles and ensuring they endure.”

Notes to editors

  • Strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) are legal actions used to harass and intimidate those speaking out on matters of public interest.
  • The Day of Action is coordinated by the News Media Association with the UK Anti‑SLAPP Coalition, a network of free‑expression, media freedom and civil society organisations.
]]> News Media Association Responds To Media Green Paper https://camdengazette.co.uk/news-media-association-responds-to-media-green-paper-2/ Wed, 02 Sep 2026 16:09:45 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/news-media-association-responds-to-media-green-paper-2/ Responding to the Media Green Paper, News Media Association chairman Lord Black of Brentwood said: “A strong and healthy democracy depends upon a wide range of voices, including a diverse and plural media, to debate the issues that matter. “The government is right to highlight the growing problem of misinformation online, but the solution must […]]]>

Responding to the Media Green Paper, News Media Association chairman Lord Black of Brentwood said: “A strong and healthy democracy depends upon a wide range of voices, including a diverse and plural media, to debate the issues that matter.

“The government is right to highlight the growing problem of misinformation online, but the solution must ensure that media diversity is protected, maintaining public access to diverse and plural sources of trusted information.”

NMA chief executive Theo Bamber said: ” Trusted journalism is the antidote to the growing problem of misinformation on social platforms, but any prominence regime must support the diverse media environment that we have in the UK – a key part of our democratic framework.

“So, while we support the government’s intentions in wanting to get people to access trusted news, the method they are proposing here risks obscuring the high-quality, agenda-setting journalism produced everyday by the UK’s independent news publishers and narrowing the range of trusted voices available to people across the country.”

Notes:

  • NMA chief executive Theo Bamber is available for interview on the Media Green Paper.  
  • Huge print and digital audiences – some 45.9 million people every month – for our diverse and plural news media show the public recognise the enormous value of having a wide variety of trusted sources of information available in an increasingly challenged online information ecosystem. 
  • Government must not narrow definitions beyond the ‘recognised news publisher’ in the Online Safety Act. Introducing new criteria to decide which organisations, or what kind of news, gets elevated will create ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ and have a negative impact on public trust.
  • The NMA’s full response to the Media Green Paper can be seen here.
]]> News Media Association Responds To Media Green Paper https://camdengazette.co.uk/news-media-association-responds-to-media-green-paper/ Tue, 23 Jun 2026 07:19:40 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/news-media-association-responds-to-media-green-paper/ 23 June 2026 Responding to the Media Green Paper, News Media Association chairman Lord Black of Brentwood said: “A strong and healthy democracy depends upon a wide range of voices, including a diverse and plural media, to debate the issues that matter. “The government is right to highlight the growing problem of misinformation online, but […]]]>

23 June 2026

Responding to the Media Green Paper, News Media Association chairman Lord Black of Brentwood said: “A strong and healthy democracy depends upon a wide range of voices, including a diverse and plural media, to debate the issues that matter.

“The government is right to highlight the growing problem of misinformation online, but the solution must ensure that media diversity is protected, maintaining public access to diverse and plural sources of trusted information.”

NMA chief executive Theo Bamber said: ” Trusted journalism is the antidote to the growing problem of misinformation on social platforms, but any prominence regime must support the diverse media environment that we have in the UK – a key part of our democratic framework.

“So, while we support the government’s intentions in wanting to get people to access trusted news, the method they are proposing here risks obscuring the high-quality, agenda-setting journalism produced everyday by the UK’s independent news publishers and narrowing the range of trusted voices available to people across the country.”

Notes:

  • NMA chief executive Theo Bamber is available for interview on the Media Green Paper.  
  • Huge print and digital audiences – some 45.9 million people every month – for our diverse and plural news media show the public recognise the enormous value of having a wide variety of trusted sources of information available in an increasingly challenged online information ecosystem. 
  • Government must not narrow definitions beyond the ‘recognised news publisher’ in the Online Safety Act. Introducing new criteria to decide which organisations, or what kind of news, gets elevated will create ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ and have a negative impact on public trust.
]]> New Bill Targets Anonymous Bots That Target UK Websites https://camdengazette.co.uk/new-bill-targets-anonymous-bots-that-target-uk-websites/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 15:22:29 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/new-bill-targets-anonymous-bots-that-target-uk-websites/ 17 June 2026 Damian Hinds MP has introduced the Automated Online Software (Access and Transparency) Bill, a Private Member’s Bill backed by the News Media Association, to crack down on the growing threat to digital businesses – including news publishers – from an overwhelming surge in anonymous bots that extract content, data and value from […]]]>

17 June 2026

Damian Hinds MP has introduced the Automated Online Software (Access and Transparency) Bill, a Private Member’s Bill backed by the News Media Association, to crack down on the growing threat to digital businesses – including news publishers – from an overwhelming surge in anonymous bots that extract content, data and value from their websites.

The scale is escalating fast: overall AI bot traffic rose by 300 per cent in 2025, with agentic AI traffic rising by almost 8,000 per cent. Media websites are among the primary targets, along with online retailers and cultural institutions. News publishers have seen significant falls in web traffic as AI chatbots use bots to pull content from their websites in real time without permission, meaning the user never visits a publisher’s website.

Damian Hinds, the Member of Parliament for East Hampshire, today presents a Private Member’s Bill that would require the operators of bots that systematically access and copy content from UK websites to declare their identity and the purpose of their activity. It will move the internet away from the wild west and ensure that website owners can protect their content, consumers and technological infrastructure.

British businesses are having their websites targeted by an overwhelming surge in anonymous bots that extract content, data and value from their websites. Bots are nothing new, but bot traffic has now overtaken human traffic for the first time – and 99 per cent of bot traffic is unwanted or unverifiable by the website owner.

The costs of serving bot traffic are borne by web operators. In a world of exponentially growing bot traffic and harvesting of data and content to build and operate AI models, bot transparency is vital to the health of the online ecosystem. Some responsible operators already recognise and embrace this by identifying the bots they use and the intended purpose of their bot activity. Such transparency imposes little burden on bot operators.

This lack of basic transparency leaves website owners unable to identify bots and block malicious traffic. It prevents them from negotiating a fair price for access to their valuable content and can even force their websites offline altogether.

Yet many bots routinely fail to identify themselves or state their purpose, with many actively disguising themselves as human traffic or providing false information to evade detection and gain access to UK websites without authorisation.

Some companies deploy bots to feed a growing black market of copied web content, estimated at over $1 billion globally. This and other bot traffic not only extracts value with no return to the website owner, but it can also slow or crash a website in a manner similar to a cyber attack.

The Bill will allow website owners to identify who is trying to access their website and why. This will give them the information they need to deter harmful or costly traffic, allow it if beneficial, or even point bot operators to opportunities to pay a fair price for the value of the content.

Damian Hinds, Member of Parliament for East Hampshire, said: “Too many UK businesses are having their websites raided for valuable content, with no visibility on who is extracting the value from their work. But a functioning economy depends on property rights, and being able to trade and be paid. If news outlets can’t secure fair remuneration for their work, through subscription or ad revenue, journalism will become unsustainable – and there’d be nothing left for the bots to scrape from.

“My Bill will do one simple thing: if you run an online bot that accesses a website and takes content and data, you have to say who you are and what you’ll do with what you take. This isn’t heavy-handed regulation, and it doesn’t seek to regulate AI models or dictate behaviour. It just requires basic transparency. It will give British website owners, from online retailers to local newspapers, the tools to see who’s at their door and the ability to strike a fair deal for what they’ve built.”

Theo Bamber, NMA chief executive, said: “For years, news publishers have watched their journalism taken without permission by unidentified bots. This means they don’t know who is accessing their content and then have no say in how it’s used.

“This Bill will change that by giving publishers, and thousands of other businesses, the right to see who’s trying to gain access to their sites and then negotiate any access on their own terms. It introduces a basic online standard that is long overdue in the AI training gold rush. A standard that will be good for creators of trusted journalism, good for British Business and vital in the pursuit of a healthier internet.”

]]> SLAPP Reform Gains Momentum With Bills In Both Lords and Commons https://camdengazette.co.uk/slapp-reform-gains-momentum-with-bills-in-both-lords-and-commons/ Wed, 17 Jun 2026 14:21:28 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/slapp-reform-gains-momentum-with-bills-in-both-lords-and-commons/ 17 June 2026 In response to the introduction of Anti-SLAPP Private Members’ Bills in both the House of Lords, by Baroness Stowell, and in the House of Commons, by John Whittingdale MP, News Media Association general counsel Sayra Tekin has said: “Strategic lawsuits against public participation are a clear abuse of the legal system, used […]]]>

17 June 2026

In response to the introduction of Anti-SLAPP Private Members’ Bills in both the House of Lords, by Baroness Stowell, and in the House of Commons, by John Whittingdale MP, News Media Association general counsel Sayra Tekin has said:

“Strategic lawsuits against public participation are a clear abuse of the legal system, used to intimidate and silence public interest reporting through cost, delay and pressure rather than merit. Baroness Stowell’s Bill takes a practical and effective approach to tackling this problem, striking the right balance between protecting freedom of expression and safeguarding access to justice by enabling courts to deal with abusive claims early while allowing legitimate cases to proceed.

“This is particularly important for local and regional publishers and freelance journalists, who are often the most exposed to these tactics but least able to absorb the financial and legal burden. With Private Members’ Bills progressing in both Houses, we hope the government will now work constructively with Baroness Stowell and John Whittingdale MP to bring forward legislation that reflects these principles and finally delivers effective protections.”

SLAPPs (strategic litigation against public participation) are abusive legal tactics used to intimidate and silence those speaking in the public interest (such as journalists, whistleblowers, victims of abuse and others), often through costly, drawn-out proceedings that deter scrutiny and accountability.

]]> NMA Responds To CMA Conduct Requirement For Google Search https://camdengazette.co.uk/nma-responds-to-cma-conduct-requirement-for-google-search/ Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:54:20 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/nma-responds-to-cma-conduct-requirement-for-google-search/ NMA Responds To CMA Conduct Requirement For Google Search – News Media Association Skip to main content 3 June 2026 Responding to the Competition and Markets Authority’s conduct requirement for Google Search published today, News Media Association chief executive Theo Bamber said: “UK news publishers produce some of the most valuable content in the world, […]]]>




NMA Responds To CMA Conduct Requirement For Google Search – News Media Association

















3 June 2026

Responding to the Competition and Markets Authority’s conduct requirement for Google Search published today, News Media Association chief executive Theo Bamber said: “UK news publishers produce some of the most valuable content in the world, but until now dominant platforms like Google have been allowed to dictate the terms of how that content is used. The legally enforceable Conduct Requirements for Google Search published today are a significant step towards levelling the playing field and building a fair, transparent digital economy where premium content is properly respected and fairly compensated.

“Their success now relies on efficient implementation, robust enforcement and the ability to adapt and strengthen the rules if they are not working properly, in a fastmoving technological environment. It’s the job of the CMA to make this happen, but it needs strong and consistent political support. Only then will we see meaningful progress twards a system of fair and reasonable payment for publisher content which is crucial for the future of high-quality journalism.”


]]> Public Notice Portal Launches New Consultation And Archive Services To Deepen Engagement With Public Notices https://camdengazette.co.uk/public-notice-portal-launches-new-consultation-and-archive-services-to-deepen-engagement-with-public-notices/ Thu, 28 May 2026 08:52:50 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/public-notice-portal-launches-new-consultation-and-archive-services-to-deepen-engagement-with-public-notices/ 28 May 2026 New consultation and archive services for the local news media sector’s Public Notice Portal have been launched following a major phase of development with funding from the Google News Initiative. The new PNP consultation function enables members of the public to have their say by providing feedback on individual public notices, which […]]]>

28 May 2026

New consultation and archive services for the local news media sector’s Public Notice Portal have been launched following a major phase of development with funding from the Google News Initiative.

The new PNP consultation function enables members of the public to have their say by providing feedback on individual public notices, which can be accessed by local authorities through a bespoke PNP account dashboard, designed to boost the consultation process.

The dashboard will also give the local authorities and other businesses the means to add data – maps, images, and other information which may be useful to the public – to consultations, strengthening the process still further.

Conducted over the past 18 months by Reach plc, the development was funded by a six-figure grant from the Google News Initiative and continuing support from local publishers. A fully searchable archive of all the public notices on the PNP has also been created.

Newsquest chief executive Henry Faure Walker said: “We are pleased that the recent Local Media Action Plan from the government explicitly referenced the PNP as a key platform for communities to access public notices, leveraging local publishers’ huge audiences.

“With new funding from the Google News Initiative, we have worked hard over the past 18 months to develop new services for the PNP, which will deepen public engagement with the notices and make consultation easier for local authorities and other organisations.

“All this work depends upon a strong statutory link between public notices and local news media environments. It is vital that this link is maintained and strengthened going forward, for the benefit of local communities.”

To promote the new PNP consultation and archive services to local communities, a major advertising campaign funded by local publishers launches today in local news titles across the UK.

Hayley Cochrane, Director of News Partnerships for Google UK and Northern Europe, said: “We are very pleased to support the development of new features for the PNP, which will strengthen local democratic engagement

“PNP is a fantastic example of innovation from the local news sector, which is finding new ways to serve audiences with local news and information. The Google News Initiative is very pleased to support this important work.”

The PNP is an online database for all public notices which appear in printed local newspapers. It harnesses local news media’s massive online audiences – 42 million people every month in print and digital – to deepen engagement with public notices.

News Media Association chief executive Theo Bamber said: “Local news media serve communities by protecting the public’s right to know. These titles ensure that vital information about local decisions remains transparent, visible, and open to scrutiny by professional journalists and the public alike.

“The new features on the PNP make the workings of local government more accessible than ever, upholding critical elements of the UK’s social and democratic fabric at a time when this kind of transparency is under threat.”

The number of PNP registered users – who have signed up for alerts about particular types of planning notices, notices relating to a specific geographic area, or to search the site directly – has nearly doubled over the past year and now stands at 43,000.

In addition to creating the PNP, the local news media sector has also boosted public notices by adopting new guidelines to better publicise public notices, including regular editorial coverage in print and digital, and clear signposting in paper.

]]>