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Councils will hear within two weeks if their newspapers are a threat to the regional media industry. A decision by the culture secretary is now expected to be announced on potential threats to competition, with publication of the Digital Britain report in the middle of this month. It follows months of lobbying by regional press owners and a media summit, which heard evidence from the LGA.Media barons had claimed that council newspapers carrying advertising represented a threat to their businesses. Councils look also set to be given a role in the provision of regional news when ITV winds down its coverage. A fund of up to £100m is set to be announced to cover costs. Media minister, Lord Carter, is also expected to reveal details on how the Government will roll out access to broadband, which will be crucial to driving regional and rural regeneration. It came as Portsmouth City Council found itself embroiled in a row over its in-house magazine. The council received complaints after its magazine, Flagship – which is distributed to 90,000 homes – was found to contain political fliers. Royal Mail sends out the magazine, and it is part of the contract that leaflets or fliers should not be inserted into it. But some residents found fliers for Liberatas, the Green Party and even the BNP stuffed into their copies. The council's chief executive, David Williams, said: ‘Any leaflets or fliers should not be there. Whether the material is a flier for pizzas or a political leaflet, there is a danger that people might assume the council has chosen to specifically endorse whatever the flier or advert is about. We are furious about this.'

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WHITEHALL

D-day verdict to rule on council newspapers

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