The UK Government has published a Local Media Strategy, billed as the first action plan for local news in a generation. Announced by Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy at the Society of Editors’ Future of News conference on 17 March 2026, the package combines new funding, regulatory review and procurement changes to strengthen trusted local journalism. (gov.uk)
At the centre of the plan is a two‑year Local News Fund of up to £12 million. Alongside this, ministers confirmed a review of how statutory notices are published, a pilot Regional Media Forum in the West of England, a schools campaign to widen entry into journalism, and a commitment to make better use of local and hyperlocal outlets in government advertising. (gov.uk)
The Local News Fund will run a centrally managed, competitive bidding process open to print, online, radio and TV outlets, with a parallel competition for third parties developing shared tools and infrastructure. DCMS will set out application details in the coming weeks, indicating an emphasis on projects that support financial sustainability and digital transition. (gov.uk)
A portion of the fund is earmarked for communities where local news has retreated. Government figures point to as many as 37 local authority districts without a dedicated outlet, affecting an estimated 4.4 million people, with concentrations in more deprived urban areas. Targeted investment is intended to re‑establish provision through expansions, revivals of dormant titles or new community‑owned entrants. (gov.uk)
DCMS signals that eligible bids may include improvements to adtech, apps and website architecture, as well as tools that simplify journalists’ access to public records. The intent is to help publishers reach younger and more diverse audiences while broadening revenue streams and reducing operational costs. (gov.uk)
Support for community radio will be doubled to £1 million per year for the next three years, building resilience across nearly 400 stations and encouraging development in underserved areas. Historic context from the government’s Digital Radio and Audio Review noted that the Community Radio Fund had stood at around £400,000 a year, underlining the step‑change in support. (gov.uk)
Talent and media literacy measures include a North West schools campaign to connect local media employers with pupils, and a commitment to guarantee digital access in all state schools in England to a DfE‑funded ‘Newspapers for Schools’ News Library covering around 150 local and national titles. (gov.uk)
On public information and advertising, the Government will pilot and evaluate the use of hyperlocal titles and champion local media as a trusted channel for central campaigns. The News Media Association welcomed the plan and highlighted industry data that trusted local news environments reach a large majority of UK adults. (gov.uk)
The West of England Regional Media Forum will convene local media with councils, emergency services, health services and the courts to improve access and scrutiny of local decision‑making. DCMS intends to develop a best‑practice framework and encourage adoption elsewhere following the pilot phase. (gov.uk)
DCMS will also consult on the statutory notices regime, responding to longstanding calls to modernise publication requirements while protecting transparency. The department says it will explore greater digitalisation without undermining access for residents or independent scrutiny by journalists. (gov.uk)
Timelines are staggered: further detail on the Local News Fund is due in the coming weeks, with the West of England forum to launch in the coming months and the statutory notices consultation to follow. Today’s announcement sits within wider cross‑government work on social cohesion and trusted information. (gov.uk)
For publishers and editors, the practical implications begin now: assemble investment cases that link technology upgrades to audience growth and public‑interest coverage, prepare evidence on community impact, and scope collaborations that could qualify under the shared‑tools strand. Local authorities and public bodies should continue to comply with current notice requirements while planning for a consultation that will likely demand clearer audience measurement and discoverability in future channels.