Government response to the Committee's report "Breaking News? The Future of UK Journalism"

This is the government's response, published 2 March 2021.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government welcomes the report and agrees on the importance of journalism and the challenges of digital transition, while declining several specific recommendations, such as extending Ofcom's reporting powers and convening a funding forum.

• On media literacy, it accepted the Cairncross recommendation for a strategy, to be "published in spring 2021", but maintains that responsibility "does not lie with Ofsted".
• On court reporting, it says it does "not currently have plans to alter this approach" to recording devices, and will continue to liaise with HMCTS on supporting court reporters.
• On diversity reporting, it "does not propose to amend the statutory framework", citing the need to balance regulatory burden on enterprise.
• On digital markets, it commits to a Digital Markets Unit "from April 2021", will hold a public consultation this year, and will legislate "as soon as parliamentary time allows". On a news bargaining code, "No decisions have yet been taken."

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