Just a quick post with some excerpts from the main party manifestos that are directly relevant to hyperlocal media. It is a little invidious to extract just the media bits – the hyperlocal stuff has to be seen in the wider context of approach to communities. If I have missed any bits elsewhere in the hundreds of pages please let me know and I shall amend. I expect that some of this will come up at TAL10.
We are committed to maintaining plurality in regional news provision. We will fund three regional news programme pilots from the digital switchover under-spend in the current licence-fee period.
Page 7:6
Our plans to decentralise power will only work properly if there is a strong, independent and vibrant local media to hold local authorities to account. We will sweep away the rules that stop local newspapers owning other local media platforms and create a new network of local television stations. And we will tighten the rules on taxpayer-funded publicity spending by town halls.
Page 76
A strong and diverse media, free from government interference and pressure is essential to a free and democratic society. We will: support a diverse regional and local media. We will help to maintain independent local sources of news and information by enabling partnerships between TV, radio and newspaper companies to reduce costs, and by limiting publicly-subsidised competition for paid advertising from local council free-sheets.
Page 46
Views welcome in the comments without descending into party political bile or mud slinging – you can find plenty of that elsewhere on the web.
How’s this for a cracking lifestyle “Who We Are” piece from a Sheffield UKIP #GE2010 candidate? http://nwsheffield.org/2010/04/24/who-we-are-dr-nigel-james/