Google and Facebook should help fund local journalism, former Culture Secretary suggests

Google and Facebook should offer financial support to help fund a network of professional court reporters across the UK, the former Culture Secretary has suggested.

Tory MP, John Whittingdale, said the technology giants were making huge profits on the back of regional and national newspapers and so ought to consider giving something back by helping to fund local journalism.

He said one possibility was for them to contribute to the local democracy initiative launched last year, which sees the BBC invest £8 million of licence fee money in order to fund 150 local reporters.

Mr Whittingdale said Google and Facebook had a responsibility to help the struggling regional press because they benefited from the journalism they produced.

He said: “They take content produced by the regional and national press so it is in the interests of Google and Facebook to support local journalism.”

He added: “I have had very preliminary conversations. They do not appear immediately enthusiastic but I am not going to give up.”

Mr Whittingdale also suggested that if they failed to engage, the government should consider using some of the money from the proposed social media levy to help fund grassroots journalism.

He made his comments at a seminar organised by the Society of Editors and held at the offices of the Daily Telegraph, at which leading media figures met with justice experts to discuss the current crisis facing court reporting in the UK.

While it is widely accepted that court reporting is vital to the principle of open justice, financial pressures within the local newspaper industry, mean very few magistrates and crown courts are being adequately covered by journalists.

A recent pilot study carried out by journalism students at the University of the West of England, Bristol, found that of the 220 cases heard at a magistrates’ court in one week, reporters were only present at three of the hearings.

Delivering a keynote address at the seminar, the former Lord Chief Justice, Lord Judge, said the service provided by accurate and professional court reporting was vital in a functioning democracy.

He said: “I regard the presence of the press in courts as a necessary ingredient in the administration of justice.”

He went on: “Justice is not a cloistered virtue, it must be seen to be done, but for that to happen someone must be there to witness it taking place.”

John Whittingdale

Lord Judge said the recent issue around disclosure in rape cases would never have been highlighted if it were not for journalists being in court to report on what was going on.

He said journalists played a vital role in ensuring that the police and prosecutors were doing their jobs properly, adding: “Reporters in criminal courts are holding those involved in the administration of justice to account.”

But Lord Judge said the public also had to understand the importance of the local press and the role it played in society.

He told the seminar: “If we don’t buy our newspapers we can’t expect them to survive on charity and good will.”

As part of the drive to improve court reporting around the country, senior figures from HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) and leading journalists are to set up a working group to consider new initiatives.

They will explore a range of possible options to make court reporting easier and will make recommendations to the HMCTS later this year.

Lord Judge

Susan Acland-Hood, CEO of HMCTS, said: “The reporting of court proceedings has long been an important part of maintaining public confidence in our justice system. So its decline in recent years represents a real concern.

“I want to ensure that HMCTS is doing all we can to promote media coverage of court hearings as part of our commitment to openness and transparency, and I am pleased that media organisations have joined us to consider this issue together. I look forward to receiving its recommendations.”

Ian Murray, executive director of the Society of Editors, said: "The Society of Editors is delighted to be involved in this tremendously important work in ensuring open access to the courts for journalists.

“Nothing can be more important for local communities than to have faith that justice is being delivered fairly on their behalf and that can only be done by reporting court proceedings. The Society is grateful to HMCTS for initiating this procedure.”