John Whittingdale corrected a written answer on Media: Public Health

19 May 2020 · Commons written answer · Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Scott Mann (Conservative, North Cornwall) asked written question 45333 on 11 May 2020. Mr John Whittingdale answered on 19 May 2020 for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Mr John Whittingdale corrected the answer on 19 May 2020. The corrected text no longer gives the figures 49 million, 600. Altogether 281 words differ between the two versions.

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential merits of arranging with the Independent Community News Network and the Publish Interest News Foundation for a portion of public health campaign spending to be disbursed across the independent media sector.

Original and corrected answer

Struck through: original only. Bold: correction only.

Original	Corrected
~~I met~~ with the Independent Community News Network and the Public Interest News Foundation ~~on 6 May~~ to ~~discuss Government support for~~ the independent news publishing sector in light of the impacts of Covid-19. This meeting included a discussion on the effects of the Covid-19 outbreak on the independent news media sector, the Government's public information awareness campaign, and ~~the ways in which the independent sector may be used to reach underserved audiences. I~~ continue to engage with them via regular biweekly press sector meetings All titles utilised in the ~~public health campaign~~ have been ~~selected by the Government's media planning~~ and ~~buying agency, OmniGOV. As with any media planning approach, titles are selected on their ability~~ to ~~engage with audiences at~~ a national, regional and local level and to ensure value for money, reach and targeting efficacy. The current partnership brings together over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to reach 49 million people a month. The vast majority of ~~titles are local papers and additional titles have been selected in order to further reach priority audiences including BAME and older men.~~	The government recognises the vital role of independent newspapers in supporting communities by ensuring the provision of reliable, high-quality information throughout the current pandemic. Safeguarding the UK’s news media so that they are able to continue to provide this is a key priority for the government and we are in regular dialogue with a range of stakeholders, including publishers, the Independent Community News Network and the Public Interest News Foundation to ensure that our response to the challenges they are facing is as effective and wide reaching as it can be. The government will continue to consider all possible options in the interests of promoting and sustaining high-quality news journalism. Never have the activities of journalists been more popular and critical; providing quality news to all, including those self-isolating, and binding communities together, a fundamental function of our modern day democracy.

Original

Corrected

~~I met~~ with the Independent Community News Network and the Public Interest News Foundation ~~on 6 May~~ to ~~discuss Government support for~~ the independent news publishing sector in light of the impacts of Covid-19. This meeting included a discussion on the effects of the Covid-19 outbreak on the independent news media sector, the Government's public information awareness campaign, and ~~the ways in which the independent sector may be used to reach underserved audiences. I~~ continue to engage with them via regular biweekly press sector meetings
All titles utilised in the ~~public health campaign~~ have been ~~selected by the Government's media planning~~ and ~~buying agency, OmniGOV. As with any media planning approach, titles are selected on their ability~~ to ~~engage with audiences at~~ a national, regional and local level and to ensure value for money, reach and targeting efficacy. The current partnership brings together over 600 national, regional and local titles across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to reach 49 million people a month. The vast majority of ~~titles are local papers and additional titles have been selected in order to further reach priority audiences including BAME and older men.~~

The government recognises the vital role of independent newspapers in supporting communities by ensuring the provision of reliable, high-quality information throughout the current pandemic. Safeguarding the UK’s news media so that they are able to continue to provide this is a key priority for the government and we are in regular dialogue with a range of stakeholders, including publishers, the Independent Community News Network and the Public Interest News Foundation to ensure that our response to the challenges they are facing is as effective and wide reaching as it can be.
The government will continue to consider all possible options in the interests of promoting and sustaining high-quality news journalism. Never have the activities of journalists been more popular and critical; providing quality news to all, including those self-isolating, and binding communities together, a fundamental function of our modern day democracy.

The question and answer on the Parliament website.

Receipt

Read from	https://questions-statements-api.parliament.uk/api/writtenquestions/questions/1194269?expandMember=true
Date read	15 October 2026
SHA-256	`fd64b38cc3811baacf71c4250123e541bd8a63a0909d0af733d25e99d89ec687`