MPs criticise newspaper publishers

Where's that David Cameron when he's really needed?

I'm sure his friends in the Newspaper Society will get him to come and rough up the nasty oiks who have had a go at them:

Austin Mitchell, Labour MP for Great Grimsby, said: "I think what’s overdone is the companies' loss of profitability.

"When you look at the figures, Trinity Mirror had an operating profit [margin] of 19 per cent, Johnston Press 29 per cent.

"Compare that with Tesco - six per cent. Why are they out to make such huge profits out of the media?"

Bob Russell, Liberal Democrat MP for Colchester, said: "Newspaper conglomerates have been allowed to build up massive profits over the years.

"They have not invested properly, yet they still want to cream off as much profit as they can. The government must act."

(as reported in Press Gazette)

The best that any of Dave's acolytes could do was ask for special treatment:

Ed Vaizey, Conservative MP for Wantage and Didcot, and shadow culture minister, said the industry decline was clear.

"One major regional news group has seen its advertising decline by 55 per cent in the fourth quarter," he said.

"We all buy our local newspapers assiduously, and we can all see the physical manifestation of what we're talking about. The papers are thinner and the coverage is sketchier."

Vaizey added that the government should "sweep away" legislation that stopped local newspaper groups merging.

No sign of the BBC's big foot here?

Another newspaper closes - BBC not to blame

Well, more evidence that the newspaper industry does not need the BBC's "great big foot" to stamp all over it as it is so good at the job itself.

From Press Gazette

David, David we need you again ...

It seems that Sky News is taking up where the BBC left off, considering an increase in its local news coverage (according to Press Gazette, who heard it in the Lords).

In the interests of justice and fairness, one can only hope that David Cameron will be summoned by the great and good of the Newspaper Society to tell Sky to keep its great big boots off the lawns of local newspapers.

Jut remind me again, who owns Sky?

Long break, new idea

There have been so many acts of self-sabotage performed by the local newspaper industry, none of them being attributable to the BBC's great big foot, that I cannot begin to think about cataloging them.

So, before I start again, take a look at a piece by Richard Addis, from his Shakeup Media blog. Some of the ideas seem to correspond with thoughts expressed on my magazine-oriented blog (Magblog), notably: "Create one single national website for local news."

No more local news from local newspapers

Well, David Cameron's speech warning the BBC to keep its "big foot" out of local news looks more perceptive by the day as local newspapers continue to shed jobs and close down wholesale without appearing to offer anything by way of replacement, online or not.

The latest development is:

Eleven Newsquest newspapers to close

leading the NUJ to accuse the publisher of abandoning communities altogether.

In addition, Trinity Mirror in Wales are about to announce swingeing cuts, including getting rid of all but one training officer and possibly a raft of subs.

Trinity Mirror, Telegraph, cut jobs to improve the quality of journalism

I cannot believe how much material local newspapers are providing for this blog.

In the interests of countering the BBC's plans for local news services with really good content of its own, Trinity Mirror is cutting lots of jobs at local papers.

And the nationals don't want to be left out either, with the Telegraph leading the way.

Not the BBC's Great Big Foot - again

More examples of the newspaper industry looking after the interests of its readers and employees, none of which have anything to do with the BBC's "great big foot" (pace David Cameron, leader of her majesty's opposition):

Jobs go at the Northern Echo
A pair of Dipity timelines
And a nice round up from Hold The Front Page

Sadly, the BBC Trust caves in yet again ...
Ofcom is glad ...
The Newspaper Society is glad
But Paid Content thinks giving the idea up is a bad idea