Community / Call for greater support for independent and community-based media
Members of The Scottish Beacon network highlighted the role of community-owned journalism in strengthening local democracy during a community sector event at the Scottish Parliament at the end of last month. Unfortunately Shetland News was unable to attend.
COMMUNITY media organisations from across Scotland, including Shetland News, are calling for greater recognition and support for the role they play in strengthening local democracy, writes Rhiannon Davies of the Greater Govanhill magazine.
On Friday 27 February, members of The Scottish Beacon – Scotland’s collaborative network of independent community news organisations of which Shetland News is a founding member – were invited to attend Local People Leading, organised by the Scottish Community Alliance.
The event brought community organisations from across the country to the Scottish Parliament to discuss what Scotland’s new community wealth building legislation will mean in practice.
The landmark legislation places a legal duty on councils, health boards and other public bodies to keep wealth circulating locally rather than flowing to distant investors.
Public agencies will be required to work with communities on action plans focused on local procurement, jobs, social enterprises and community ownership of land and assets.
For many community media organisations, this principle already sits at the heart of their work: producing journalism rooted in place, supporting local economies and ensuring communities can tell their own stories.
Community wealth building in action
During the event, a film created by Greater Community Media was shown in the parliamentary chamber, highlighting real examples of community wealth building in action.
The film featured organisations including Glenfarg Community Transport, Tiree Community Development Trust, Tarras Valley Nature Reserve, The Nevis Centre, Mayfield and Easthouses Development Trust, and Greater Govanhill.
It also highlighted the role community media can play in enabling communities to reclaim their narratives and access trusted local information.
Community media strengthening communities
Later in the day, members of The Scottish Beacon network led a workshop titled How Community Media Can Strengthen Community Cohesion.
The session brought together community publishers from across Scotland to share experiences of how independent local journalism helps communities stay informed, connected and engaged with local decision-making.
Representatives from several Beacon publications contributed to the discussion, including The Clydesider, Midlothian View, Orkney News, Currie & Balerno News, Crail Matters and Fios Community News.
Despite the growing reach and trust of community media, participants highlighted the significant challenges many organisations face in sustaining their work.
Question raised with MSPs
In the closing session, attendees were able to put questions directly to a cross-party panel of MSPs – Lorna Slater (Scottish Greens), Mercedes Villalba (Scottish Labour), Jamie Halcro Johnston (Scottish Conservatives) and Christine Grahame (Scottish National Party).
Amanda Eleftheriades-Sherry of Clydeside Creative asked why a portion of Scottish Government and local authority advertising budgets could not be directed towards independent community media rather than primarily going to large corporate publishers.
Similar policies have been introduced elsewhere, including in New York City, where a policy sets out that 50 per cent of local government advertising spending is directed specifically to community media – bringing £72 million into the local media ecosystem over the past five years.
Amanda noted that such a policy would not require additional public spending, but simply a conscious decision to keep more wealth within communities.
Many community publications, she noted, have strong and trusted local readerships but struggle to access public sector advertising.
Responding to the question, Lorna Slater said there was no clear reason why public bodies should not make greater use of community media.
“Local media is absolutely the most trusted,” she said. “I don’t think there’s any reason why public bodies shouldn’t use it – it’s probably just that they’ve always used the same contracts and the same outlets.”
She encouraged community media organisations to raise the issue with their MSPs and suggested it could form the basis of a wider campaign.
“That’s a really clear ask with clear community benefit. It would benefit public bodies as well because we know the readership of local papers is strong.”
Across Scotland, community media organisations are increasingly recognised as an important part of the local information ecosystem, providing trusted reporting rooted in the communities they serve.
However, many operate with very limited resources while continuing to reach large and engaged audiences.
Members of The Scottish Beacon are now calling for greater support for independent community media, including:
- A portion of Scottish Government and local authority advertising budgets to be dedicated to community media outlets – similar to this policy from New York City where 50 per cent of ad spend goes to community media – ensuring that public spending supports trusted local journalism and remains within local communities;
- The creation of a public fund to support independent local media, similar to the £210k fund introduced in Wales to help sustain local journalism and strengthen the local news ecosystem;
- A funded placement scheme for journalists – particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds – that is accessible to independent community publishers, helping diversify the media sector, create new jobs and supporting smaller outlets to grow. This is similar to the Local Journalism Initiative and Changing Narratives fund in Canada.
Supporters say these measures would help strengthen local democracy, improve access to trusted local information, and ensure community media can continue serving communities across Scotland.
Become a member of Shetland News
Shetland News is asking its readers to consider paying for membership to get additional perks:
- Removal of third-party ads;
- Bookmark posts to read later;
- Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
- Hide membership messages;
- Comments open for discussion.
If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.
Already a member? Sign in to hide this message.
