Pressing for answers (From The Northern Echo)

Pressing for answers

2:23pm Thursday 27th May 2010 in

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Further to my blog of May 21, newspaper industry leaders are now seeking talks with the Government over the best way to curb anti-competitive council publications.

The Newspaper Society has asked for a meeting with Communites Secretary Eric Pickles to flesh out the details of the coalition Government's pledge to introduce tougher rules to stop unfair competition by local authority newspapers.

In last week's blog (and this week's From The Editor's Chair column), I asked what those rules would be.

The NS is now seeking answers to the same question as a matter of urgency.

NS communications director Lynne Anderson said: "We hope that all local authorities will be encouraged to use the local media, which remains the best-read and most trusted source of local news and information, rather than undermining it by setting up rival publications and websites aimed at controlling media coverage of council activities and diverting advertising away from local papers and their websites."

Hear, hear...