Government announces £12m Local News Fund

The government has announced a Local News Fund of up to £12 million over two years, with funding intended to support local journalism and help restore coverage in areas without a dedicated outlet. Andy Burnham set out the plan as part of the Local Media Action Plan during Journalism Matters Week 2026. Burnham said local newspapers, websites and independent television and radio stations in England and Wales could bid for up to £125,000 this year to invest in areas including technology, multimedia reporting and reaching younger audiences. He said up to £275,000 was also available for projects intended to strengthen the wider industry. In the fund’s second year, Burnham said, £1 million would support efforts to bring local journalism back to places where it had disappeared. Possible approaches include reviving a dormant title, expanding a neighbouring publication or establishing a community-owned outlet. The announcement describes available funding; it does not identify final awards or recipients. Burnham said as many as 37 local authority districts lacked a dedicated local outlet, potentially affecting up to 4.4 million people. He also cited a figure of 95% of adults accessing...