Doherty: A strong and independent local media is essential for our community

Regina Doherty, Minister for Employment & Social Protection and Meath East TD.

IF you are reading this article right now, congratulations. Not only are you obviously engaging with the Meath Chronicle but you are also actively supporting a vital source of truth, accountability and community awareness in Meath.

I was fortunate last week to attend an information event hosted by News Brands Ireland and Local Ireland (see piece below) about the importance of news journalism and the challenges facing national and local newspapers.
With recent job losses and closures, I can appreciate why journalists would have concerns about the direction their industry is going. However, we should all be concerned about the future of news.
Why have newspapers struggled in recent years?

Well, the rise of social media and the dominance of the internet have provided traditional media with an existential threat. However, I believe that the withering of traditional news channels also threatens public debate and shared or objective standards.

For example, where it was once envisaged that the web would be a gateway for information, it now seems to be a channel for affirmation. The information superhighway has turned into an affirmation echo chamber. Now, many seek out only that information which confirms their views and everybody seems to have a right to their own facts. Is that a bad thing? I think you only have to look at the polarised debate about Brexit across the water to see what happens when shared or objective truths are discarded and subjective tribalism takes hold. You reach the point where the truth gets lost or ignored - indeed, during the Brexit referendum campaign, a Minister exclaimed that we need to stop listening to experts!

The American Senator, Daniel Patrick Moynihan once said "everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts." Newspapers and objective journalism help to establish what those facts are. They don’t just tell us what we want to hear but sometimes what we don’t want to know and always what we need to be aware of.
This leads on to another key issue the decline of newspapers will create – a shrinking of accountability.

Deputy Thomas Byrne, Linda O'Reilly, Editor Anglo Celt, Minister Helen McEntee and Ann Marie Lenihan, CEO Newsbrands

In large swathes of America, local newspapers have closed or scaled back significantly. This means that very often local council meetings, court hearings or political decision-making goes largely uncovered or not scrutinised. It makes you realise how fortunate we are to have the Chronicle still covering Meath Co Council and our local courts.

Now, you may wonder why a politician like me would be arguing for strong accountability or scrutiny. Indeed, I’ve borne the criticism of many a Meath Chronicle article or editorial – not least recently on the subject of the public services card. However, I welcome such criticism

A newspaper has the skills and resources to identify what is important locally and to discover the facts necessary for debate, engagement and reform. We all benefit – public and politicians alike – from the light that our media can objectively shine on relevant local issues.

Finally, I believe that our regional newspapers provide a valuable function in fostering and promoting a strong local community.
So, for example, in last week’s Chronicle we had comprehensive coverage of our brave ladies football team; we learned about the local girl guide leaders who completed their Explorer Belt challenges; we heard the views of the new principal of St Michael’s in Navan; we heard about Blue Lobsters turning up in Ashbourne; and even had a controversy whether Ashbourne was in Dublin or Meath (it’s in Meath….Meath East to be precise!).

Gavan Becton, Editor Meath Chronicle, Minister Regina Doherty and Deputy Shane Cassells.

All of this appeared along with the latest council developments, court reports and business news.
Regional media capture local life in all its colours. Believe me, as a local politician, if I want to know what’s going on – from Kells down to Ratoath and all in-between - I switch to the Chronicle or LMFM as a matter of course.

They say you don’t really miss something until it is gone. I hope we never reach that stage in terms of Meath’s local journalism. News Brands Ireland and Local Ireland have presented a number of initiatives that the State can get behind to sustain local independent journalism and I am more than happy to voice my support for them.
In the meantime, we can all play our part in supporting independent media by picking up a local paper every week. Whatever their cover price, their community worth is invaluable.
 

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Over 30 representatives from Ireland’s local and national publishing news publishing industry, including CEOs, editors and journalists gathered in unity to speak with members of the Oireachtas about the challenges facing independent journalism in Ireland. 
Over 50 Oireachtás members attended the event.
Organised by Local Ireland and Newsbrands Ireland, the representative bodies for the local and national news publishing industries, the event highlighted practical steps the government could take to ensure a sustainable future for journalism in Ireland. These include;
- Reduce VAT on print and digital newspapers to 5% in Budget 2020. Ultimately reduce VAT on printed newspapers to 0% as is the case in Britain and other EU countries.
- Complete the long overdue review of the Defamation Act. The laws, as they currently are, have a chilling effect on democracy and a free press.
- Extend the brief of the Minister for  Communications to include all media and not just the broadcast sector.
Speaking at the event, David Ryan, President of Local Ireland, said; “Our titles are newspapers of record in their communities. Imagine a community without a local paper, no local government reporting, no health, education, court, sports covering, leaving a huge democratic deficit. The measures we are proposing will go some way towards ensuring a sustainable future for my members, but the time for action is now.”