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Councils will find out next month if their bid to enter local media markets contravenes competition rules. Media minister, Lord Carter, will use publication of the long-awaited Digital Britain report to reveal the Government's vision for the UK's media – and whether council publications present a threat to the newspaper business. In a bid to appease newspaper owners, Lord Carter is expected to announce a relaxation of media ownership rules and up to £100m of cash to fund regional news consortia to provide content when ITV halts local broadcasting. Details were revealed after a Westminster summit, hosted by culture secretary, Andy Burnham, which heard complaints from newspaper owners that councils were taking their revenue. The Office of Fair Trading is set to deliver its advice to Mr Burnham and Lord Carter shortly. But LGA culture spokesman, Cllr Chris White, revealed research from 200 councils showing most publications were not weekly and had little impact on media markets. Edward Welsh, LGA programme director of media and campaigns, said: ‘The research we presented will end the red herring that councils are a threat. It will be pretty hard to argue against it.' It came as East Lindsey DC announced a partnership with the Target Newspaper Group, part of Northcliffe Group, to provide training to young journalists to help them obtain industry qualifications. Council chief executive Nigel Howells said: ‘By proactively engaging with our local press and supporting the work that they are doing, it is beneficial to both the council and the newspaper. ‘Journalists with first-hand experience of how a council is run are more likely to understand the issues presented to them when writing articles about government on a day-to-day basis.'

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WHITEHALL

Councils await local newspaper decision

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