Thursday 23 April 2009

Why the regional media matters: A case study

As has been well-documented, the regional media is going through terrible times as the recession accelerates the decline of an industry that already had long term structural problems. This has largely been met with a shrug of the shoulders by the majority outside media circles - of course it has that's why readership figures are so low. If people valued their local newspapers they'd buy them.

Optimists say that when the existing regional media dies it will be replaced by new entrants to the market. I hope so - and this story from the Yorkshire Post illustrates why. Rob Waugh is one of the most talented journalists in the regional press and here he has raised serious questions about the spending practices at Leeds Met University. In the absence of a local journalist plugging away at this story this would probably have slipped under the radar. As it is, its now on the BBC website.

Quality local journalism matters. Let's hope someone finds a way to pay for it.

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