Government backs local journalism with £6 million funding while careers campaign reaches thousands of youngsters
The UK Government is allocating £6 million to 50 local news providers to sustain trusted journalism and support digital innovation, alongside a careers campaign reaching thousands of young people.
The government has awarded grants of up to £125,000 to 50 local news organisations through the £6 million Local News Fund, aiming to bolster sustainability and growth during Journalism Matters Week. Funds will support community outreach, digital tools, and new multimedia services to engage younger audiences and diversify income streams. The grants cover print, online, TV, and radio outlets across England and Wales, ensuring regional representation. Additional grants of up to £275,000 were allocated to seven organisations to develop sector-wide infrastructure and shared resources.
The Local News Fund is part of the government’s ‘Amplify: The Local Media Action Plan’, which seeks to strengthen local journalism’s role in holding power to account and combating misinformation. The initiative also includes a six-month careers campaign, ‘Inspiring the Future’, jointly funded with the News Media Association, targeting schools in deprived areas of the North West. The campaign connects local media professionals with schools to inspire careers in journalism, with plans for national rollout pending evaluation and funding.
A refreshed National Action Plan on journalist safety will be agreed during Journalism Matters Week by the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, reaffirming the government’s commitment to protecting news gathering. The plan involves collaboration between government, journalism, policing, prosecution services, and civil society to address obstacles to news gathering. The government acknowledges the talent and capacity in local news but notes the need for further funding to address news deserts and sustain innovation.
The National Union of Journalists welcomed the funding as a positive step but emphasised ongoing concerns about job security and industry stability. The union highlighted the high volume of bids as evidence of sector demand and called for additional investment to address long-term challenges. It also noted projects involving responsible AI use in newsrooms, with plans to monitor their impact in consultation with members.