Source · Select Committees · Culture, Media and Sport Committee
Recommendation 2
2
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 35
The LDRS has had a positive impact on local journalism by enabling important local news...
Conclusion
The LDRS has had a positive impact on local journalism by enabling important local news stories to get coverage where otherwise they might not. But more could be done to expand the service across different media platforms and to give access to a wider range of news providers. The BBC must also ensure that partner news providers use Local Democracy Reporters for their intended purposes. The LDRS should be protected under forthcoming Charter negotiations, and we encourage the BBC to explore ways to widen the scope of the service.
Government Response Summary
The government welcomes the BBC's commitment to support the LDRS until at least 2027 and would support efforts by the BBC to grow the scheme, but operational decisions are for the BBC to make.
Paragraph Reference:
35
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The government welcomes the BBC’s commitment to continue to support the LDRS until at least 2027, and we have made clear our support for the scheme in our conversations with the BBC. The LDRS is independently run by the BBC and, while the government would support any further efforts by the BBC to grow the scheme, operational decisions such as these are for the BBC to make.