Are British Christians in danger of losing their best friends in the media?

One of the many casualties of the coronavirus shutdown has been the country’s local and regional newspapers.

As businesses have closed or cut back, they have withdrawn advertising in local titles. Sales have dropped as people in lockdown can’t venture out to get a newspaper.

In response, Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick has called on people to buy a paper to help local, regional and national publications survive the coronavirus shutdown.

Speaking at a Downing Street briefing, he said: “A free country needs a free press and the national, the regional and the local newspapers of our country are under significant financial pressure.”

The thousands of local papers and their associated websites and social media feeds have often been – alongside parish magazines – the best ways for local churches to promote their services, activities, and events to the community around.

Local titles have often given the best coverage to grassroots church projects and been open to publishing regular Christian comment columns.

But now the outlook looks increasingly bleak. Even before the lockdown, local titles were facing major challenges with much advertising revenue going to Facebook, Google and other digital platforms. People are increasingly consuming their news free online, with often the originators of the news receiving little or no payment.

Research shows that people value local news. Objective, professional reporting cannot be replaced by community Facebook or WhatsApp groups. The local and regional media play a vital role in holding elected officials to account, and keeping people informed of decisions being taken in their name. They highlight the work of numerous local charities from food banks to debt counselling services and publicise their fund-raising. They promote voluntary groups that bring people together.

Christians can play their part by paying for their news – online or in print – promoting support for the local media in their church networks and supplying them with news and information.

Article taken from Parish Pump  July 20