BBC Study: Local Newspapers Remain Top Source for Local News and Information

A study conducted by the BBC and the NS reveals that local and regional newspapers “overwhelmingly” remain the top source for local news and information on and offline.

Conducted by Tim Bishop, head of regional and local programmes at BBC East, the study looked at the overlap between stories published in the local press in Northamptonshire and BBC news services in the area.

The study found that two daily newspapers in Northamptonshire each publish more than four times as many stories as the BBC local radio station. Online, newspapers are also the volume provider with the two daily papers publishing 435 news stories and the BBC delivering 73.

Looking at sources of news content, the study found that only 12 per cent of local newspaper stories originated from press releases compared with 22 per cent for BBC Local Radio.

The study also noted the additional benefits of social media. On his blog, Tim wrote: “Beginning to transform all of this is the sheer amount of material on various forms of social media.

“The Northampton Chronicle's Daniel Owens writes a cracking column about how news works. He's clear what a difference social media is making, charting five to six stories a week which are picked up from social networking sites, available to all online users.”

The study found that the BBC carried 20 of the two daily papers’ 44 front-page leads published over the month the study was conducted over.  

Tim added: “What did we find? Local newspapers remain overwhelmingly the major publisher of local news and information.”

“In the end somewhere is local to all of us. For the overwhelming majority it's a better place, too often hidden behind the national headlines.

“These are really strong content rich local papers, facing a multitude of threats to their revenue and therefore to their robust local journalism. But where you live is also a better place because of the strength and diversity of the local media. Without it we are all the poorer.”

For the study, the NS was represented by the Northampton Chronicle.  

• BBC research confirms that local press does vast majority of frontline reporting (Press Gazette)