UK local outlets mark World News Day amid threats to local journalism

Local news outlets across the UK are marking World News Day on Sunday, September 28, by urging readers to value trusted, fact based journalism and warning that local reporting is under threat from violence, online abuse, funding cuts and the distortions of social media. Regional titles said they will join sister publications in the UK, Ireland and the United States to highlight the role local journalism plays in everyday life, from council tax and bin collections to school dinners, road safety and community events.

Editors and reporters from numerous local outlets pointed to a string of threats to press freedom this year as the rationale for the campaign. They cited global figures for 2025 that show 48 journalists killed, more than 70 missing and over 350 detained for their work. They also said journalists in the UK have faced rising levels of stalking, harassment and violent threats, and that at one national publisher online threats aimed at staff have more than doubled year on year. The outlets urged that cuts to government funding for journalism courses and the influence of social media platforms and big tech companies are compounding the problem.