Written Question·Department for Culture, Media and Sport·UIN 66508

Journalism

Tabled: 9 July 2025
Answered: 17 July 2025

Question

Mr Angus MacDonald

Liberal DemocratInverness, Skye and West Ross-shire

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps her Department is taking to help support pathways into professional journalism.

Answer

Stephanie Peacock

A free, sustainable, and diverse media landscape is the best way to maintain a shared understanding of facts, and we are committed to supporting the invaluable role which journalism plays in the fabric of our society. Trustworthy journalism plays a vital role in countering the effects of mis- and disinformation, and local journalism in particular plays a crucial role in fostering civic engagement, with evidence showing a positive and significant correlation between daily circulation of local newspapers and local election turnout.

It is important therefore to maintain a healthy and diverse pipeline of talent into the industry through the provision of journalism education opportunities. With this in mind, we are exploring through the DCMS Local Media Strategy whether more can be done to promote journalism as a career amongst young people, including through the DCMS-funded Creative Careers Programme which is intended to promote careers in the creative industries among young people and recently added the National Council for the Training of Journalists to its steering group.