Camden Gazette https://camdengazette.co.uk Wed, 03 Jun 2026 06:54:20 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 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.

]]> Political Journalists Face Growing Deluge Of Spin And Misinformation https://camdengazette.co.uk/political-journalists-face-growing-deluge-of-spin-and-misinformation/ Fri, 15 May 2026 13:53:29 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/political-journalists-face-growing-deluge-of-spin-and-misinformation/ 15 May 2026 Political journalists face a growing deluge of spin and misinformation which is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate to find the truth, leading political editors have said. Speaking at a Fleet Street Quarter Festival of Words panel event sponsored by the News Media Association yesterday, four political editors reflected on the turmoil currently […]]]>

15 May 2026

Political journalists face a growing deluge of spin and misinformation which is becoming increasingly difficult to navigate to find the truth, leading political editors have said.

Speaking at a Fleet Street Quarter Festival of Words panel event sponsored by the News Media Association yesterday, four political editors reflected on the turmoil currently engulfing government and the challenges of political reporting today.

Talking about misinformation on social media, political editor of the i Caroline Wheeler said media outlets would investigate leads on social media but would often discover that they were not true.

“Journalists spend an increasing amount of time debunking or looking into the things that are written on social media that are not true,” Caroline said.

“Our job has become even harder because of that as well as the fact that we also have to navigate the world of spin which has got much louder because there are more avenues for people to spin those stories.”

“It’s our job to try and chart a way through that – to try and work out what the most accurate information is and what the actual picture is.”

The panel ‘Political Journalism In An Unstable World’ in St Bride’s Church yesterday was chaired by Festival of Words director Damian Collins and attended by around 100 people.

Government is facing “massive public anger” over its failure to deliver on key policy promises, the scandal surrounding Peter Mandelson, and challenges around its communications, the audience heard.

Jessica Elgot, The Guardian deputy political editor, said the government communications “grid” was a “totally busted concept.” “Actually you need to be spending a lot more time building up wider knowledge of each thing that you are doing, each success that you are having, preferably without having massive scandals that overshadow them,” she added.

Jason Groves, Daily Mail political editor, said his title had less access than under previous governments but this had not inhibited the Mail’s ability to report.

“We are further on the outside now but, if you are doing your job properly, you can do it anyway.” Jason added. “You’ve still got other people you can talk to who know what’s going on.”

Jack Elsom, The Sun political editor, said a key challenge facing political journalists was reaching people on Instagram and TikTok where Reform UK and the Green Party had successfully engaged supporters.

“At the moment Reform, Greens – to a lesser extent other parties who don’t occupy those spaces as much – can sell their message to a massive audience unchallenged in a 10 second clip so for journalists to use that platform and try to sell our stories on these platforms is going to be a real issue in the coming years,” Jack said.

]]> King’s Speech Fails To Deliver Promised Anti-SLAPP Protections https://camdengazette.co.uk/kings-speech-fails-to-deliver-promised-anti-slapp-protections/ Wed, 13 May 2026 15:51:17 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/kings-speech-fails-to-deliver-promised-anti-slapp-protections/ 13 May 2026 In response to the King’s Speech today, Sayra Tekin, general counsel, News Media Association, has said: “We are disappointed that the government has not used the King’s Speech to take forward its longstanding and widely supported commitment to legislate against SLAPPs. A suitable legislative vehicle must now be identified as a matter […]]]>

13 May 2026

In response to the King’s Speech today, Sayra Tekin, general counsel, News Media Association, has said:

“We are disappointed that the government has not used the King’s Speech to take forward its longstanding and widely supported commitment to legislate against SLAPPs. A suitable legislative vehicle must now be identified as a matter of priority.

“The government is right to support effective and timely CMA decision-making, but not at the expense of the regulator’s independence. It must also reaffirm support for robust and rapid implementation of the Digital Markets Unit regime. 

“For the government’s competition objectives to be effective, its proposed ‘Growth Duty’ for regulators must promote long-term, sustainable growth for UK businesses, not short-term gains for dominant platforms. Any legislation for AI sandboxes must safeguard the UK’s gold standard copyright framework and the value of trusted journalism.”

]]> 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/ Wed, 15 Apr 2026 00:03:03 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/nma-coordinates-national-slapps-day-of-action-with-uk-anti-slapp-coalition/ 15 April 2026 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 […]]]>

15 April 2026

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.
]]> NMA Appoints Theo Bamber As Next Chief Executive https://camdengazette.co.uk/nma-appoints-theo-bamber-as-next-chief-executive/ Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:53:07 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/nma-appoints-theo-bamber-as-next-chief-executive/ 13 April 2026 The News Media Association, the voice of the UK’s local and national news media industry, has announced the appointment of Theo Bamber as its next chief executive. Theo is currently chief policy and public affairs officer at the Music Publishers’ Association, with a wealth of experience working in agencies to support a […]]]>

13 April 2026

The News Media Association, the voice of the UK’s local and national news media industry, has announced the appointment of Theo Bamber as its next chief executive.

Theo is currently chief policy and public affairs officer at the Music Publishers’ Association, with a wealth of experience working in agencies to support a range of clients, including many in the creative sectors.

Theo will succeed Owen Meredith, the current chief executive, who is joining dmg media in May.

NMA chairman Lord Black of Brentwood said: “We are delighted that Theo will be joining us as the NMA’s CEO, as the news industry focusses on the long-term sustainability of frontline news gathering and reporting. As AI continues to disrupt how users discover information and makes generation and dissemination of misleading content ever easier, news brands deliver readers with trusted news and information, a vital antidote to mis and disinformation. Theo has an outstanding track record in political and government affairs and brings a wealth of experience to lead the NMA’s advocacy as this critical time.

“I pay enormous tribute to Owen Meredith for his exemplary leadership of the NMA over five tumultuous years for our industry. He has led the Association with the greatest skill, energy and vision at a time of rapid change – not least in the legislative environment in which we operate.

“He has transformed the NMA’s communications and its profile within Westminster, built formidable relationships with stakeholders – not least with the Make It Fair campaign – and successfully navigated landmark legislation, including the Online Safety Act, the Digital Markets Act and the Media Act. I am delighted he is staying within the industry. We wish him well and look forward to continuing to work with him.”

Theo Bamber said: “The UK’s news media is the heartbeat of our democracy, but its vital role is too often taken for granted. The NMA’s next chapter is about turning recent, hard-won legislative progress into long-term commercial security and sustainability for the entire industry.

“I am privileged to be leading the NMA at such a pivotal time— championing our free and diverse press, promoting professional journalism and its role in holding power to account, and protecting the value created in newsrooms across the country.”

Theo will join the NMA on 18 May.

]]> News Media Association Responds to Government Statement on AI and Copyright https://camdengazette.co.uk/news-media-association-responds-to-government-statement-on-ai-and-copyright/ Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:02:05 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/news-media-association-responds-to-government-statement-on-ai-and-copyright/ News Media Association Responds to Government Statement on AI and Copyright – News Media Association Skip to main content 18 March 2026 Responding to the statement made today on AI and copyright by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall MP, News Media Association chief executive, Owen Meredith, has said: “We […]]]>




News Media Association Responds to Government Statement on AI and Copyright – News Media Association

















18 March 2026

Responding to the statement made today on AI and copyright by the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Liz Kendall MP, News Media Association chief executive, Owen Meredith, has said:

“We are pleased that the government has listened to concerns and taken the unworkable opt-out copyright exception off the table, recognising that giving away our goldmine of creative content is not the way to drive UK growth. By the same logic, the government must now swiftly dismiss other exceptions that could be even more harmful, particularly an exception for ‘science and research’ or ‘commercial research’.

“AI firms should now focus on meaningful engagement with news publishers to secure licenses to access their rich breadth of content, and the government must make clear that this is what they expect. Scaling a dynamic licensing market will support the government’s ambition for the UK to have the fastest AI adoption in the G7, with the presence of high-quality news content being crucial to building trust in AI models”.


]]> Big Tech ‘Fantasy Economics’ Fails To Demonstrate Weakening UK Copyright Law Will Lead to Growth https://camdengazette.co.uk/big-tech-fantasy-economics-fails-to-demonstrate-weakening-uk-copyright-law-will-lead-to-growth/ Tue, 10 Mar 2026 06:02:00 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/big-tech-fantasy-economics-fails-to-demonstrate-weakening-uk-copyright-law-will-lead-to-growth/ 10 March 2026 Claims by big tech firms and their allies that weakening UK copyright law would boost AI growth and the economy are not supported by their own evidence, according to a new review by Oliver & Ohlbaum. Their analysis examines three economic modelling reports from Microsoft/Public First, the Computer & Communications Industry Association […]]]>

10 March 2026

Claims by big tech firms and their allies that weakening UK copyright law would boost AI growth and the economy are not supported by their own evidence, according to a new review by Oliver & Ohlbaum.

Their analysis examines three economic modelling reports from Microsoft/Public First, the Computer & Communications Industry Association and the Centre for British Progress, and finds that none of the studies actually demonstrates that introducing a broad copyright exception for AI training would deliver net economic growth for the UK. Also absent is any evidence that degrading copyright would give the UK a competitive advantage internationally.

All three reports wrongly assume that copyright is the main constraint on AI growth, while ignoring more significant barriers such as skills shortages, compute capacity, infrastructure, energy and land. None explains why copyright should be decisive for UK competitiveness, particularly when compared with these factors.

Crucially, none of the studies assesses the impact on the UK’s creative and media sectors, despite creative industries being one of the government’s priority growth sectors and contributing around £146bn in GVA. As a result, the headline growth figures fail to show whether the proposals would benefit the UK overall or simply redistribute value away from rightsholders to US tech firms.

The analysis – commissioned by the News Media Association, Publishers Association, and Publishers’ Licensing Services – also finds that all three studies ignore the rapidly growing market for licensing content for AI training and grounding, and assume – without evidence – that licensing cannot scale. In reality, licensing deals already exist and new collective solutions are being developed. And, as the analysis sets out, licensing supports the transparency and auditability of inputs to AI model, which can support trust and adoption across the economy.

Under the government’s Green Book, regulatory intervention requires evidence of market failure. None of the studies demonstrates such a failure, and none comes close to meeting the government’s standards for economic appraisal. They fail to assess losses in other sectors, impacts on consumers or regions, or the overall net effect on UK investment and GDP.

Owen Meredith, NMA chief executive, said: “O&O’s rigorous analysis exposes Big Tech’s claims that degrading copyright will deliver growth for what they are: fantasy economics. The modelling they rely on ignores the real constraints on AI deployment in the UK and completely fails to account for the catastrophic consequences that weakening copyright would have for our world‑leading creative and media sectors.

“Most astonishingly, these studies simply pretend that licensing is not happening – when in reality a licensing market for AI training and grounding is already emerging and is capable of scaling to meet demand. With clarity and confidence from government in a robust copyright regime, the UK can build a genuinely pro‑growth AI economy in which both AI developers and creators prosper. We do not need to tear down copyright to get there – we just need certainty so we can get on with it.”

Tom West, chief executive of Publishers’ Licensing Services, said: “What this analysis makes clear is that the economic case for weakening copyright has not been demonstrated. The reports reviewed rely on assumptions that overlook both the scale of the UK’s creative industries and the licensing solutions already emerging to support AI development.”

“Licensing is a proven and adaptable framework that enables innovation while ensuring publishers and authors are properly remunerated for the use of their work. We are working with our partners to develop new collective licensing solutions to give AI developers clear, practical routes to access published content lawfully. With the right policy certainty, the UK can support both a thriving AI sector and strong creative industries.”

Dan Conway, chief executive of the Publishers Association, said: “O&O’s independent review provides a comprehensive takedown of the flawed and misleading arguments employed by the tech lobby.

“As the review identifies, not one of the three reports proves that copyright is a barrier to growth, nor considers the impact a copyright exception would have on the UK’s leading knowledge and creative industries. The value of the UK’s established AI licensing market is ignored completely. This is despite proof that publishers have been licensing high-quality content to support AI innovation and scientific progress for years.

“Calls for a commercial TDM exception in the name of AI growth are – yet again – a flimsy excuse for the wholesale transfer of value from UK companies to US big tech for free. The government needs to stick to its guns and back UK business, including publishing and the wider creative industries, through upholding copyright and standing firm against an increasingly egregious tech lobby.”

]]> NMA Welcomes Lords Select Committee Report On AI And Copyright https://camdengazette.co.uk/nma-welcomes-lords-select-committee-report-on-ai-and-copyright/ Fri, 06 Mar 2026 09:47:13 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/nma-welcomes-lords-select-committee-report-on-ai-and-copyright/ NMA Welcomes Lords Select Committee Report On AI And Copyright – News Media Association Skip to main content 6 March 2026 Welcoming the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee report on AI and copyright published today, News Media Association chief executive Owen Meredith said: “More than a year after the Government floated unworkable opt […]]]>




NMA Welcomes Lords Select Committee Report On AI And Copyright – News Media Association

















6 March 2026

Welcoming the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee report on AI and copyright published today, News Media Association chief executive Owen Meredith said: “More than a year after the Government floated unworkable opt out proposals – now rightly abandoned – jurisdictions around the globe have moved decisively to protect their sovereign data assets.

“At the same time, AI companies have recognised a simple truth: access to new, high quality journalism is indispensable to training and grounding their models, and have begun to licence trusted journalistic content.

“This Report is right to conclude that the Government must decisively rule out any copyright exception, including for so called ‘commercial research’. Prolonged Government-generated uncertainty has been exploited by AI firms and has chilled the licensing market for UK content. There is one swift, simple step the Government can take to unlock growth in UK intellectual property: publicly rule out changes to copyright law and allow the market to scale at pace.”


]]> NMA Questions Whether Tech Giants’ App Store Commitments ‘Worth Paper They Are Printed On’ https://camdengazette.co.uk/nma-questions-whether-tech-giants-app-store-commitments-worth-paper-they-are-printed-on/ Tue, 10 Feb 2026 14:38:27 +0000 https://camdengazette.co.uk/nma-questions-whether-tech-giants-app-store-commitments-worth-paper-they-are-printed-on/ 10 February 2026 Responding the Competition and Markets Authority’s announcement that it is seeking views on commitments from Apple and Google to deliver improvements to the way UK developers publish apps and how they access Apple’s tools, News Media Association chief executive Owen Meredith said: “It is very disappointing that the Competition Markets Authority has […]]]>

10 February 2026

Responding the Competition and Markets Authority’s announcement that it is seeking views on commitments from Apple and Google to deliver improvements to the way UK developers publish apps and how they access Apple’s tools, News Media Association chief executive Owen Meredith said: “It is very disappointing that the Competition Markets Authority has chosen not to use the toolkit created for them by Parliament, with cross-party support, under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act. Given the highly dubious track record of these tech giants, we would question whether these voluntary commitments are really worth the paper they are printed on.

“Although the thrust of the commitments from Apple and Google are welcome, the failure to propose robust, legally enforceable conduct requirements – which would kick in if the firms fail to comply – will inevitably further delay the urgently needed improvements for app developers and consumers.

“Government must give the CMA its unequivocal support and the resources it needs to go much further and faster to deliver the regime as Parliament intended. The regulator must now accelerate its work on other interventions and conduct requirements – especially on steering – to ensure a fair, competitive, and healthy mobile ecosystem supporting domestic growth and British consumers. Further delays risk undermining the will of Parliament the intent of the new regime.”

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