Early day motion tabled by primary sponsor John McDonnell (Labour), on Wednesday, 12 February 2014, in the House of Commons. It is signed by 19 members in total.

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NEWSQUEST NEWSPAPERS AND LOCAL JOURNALISM

That this House deeply regrets that Newsquest Media Group intends to transfer the design and sub-editing for the Northern Echo (Darlington), Telegraph and Argus (Bradford) and the Press (York) to Newport, Wales; notes that the US-based owner Gannett paid £922 million for Newsquest in 1999, taking on the company's debt, leading to cutbacks and lack of investment in the local newspaper titles; further notes that the current plans represent de-skilling of the workforce and entail serious risks in the reduction of quality due to the loss of local knowledge and the vital connection with the local community; resolves to support members of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) taking action to defend local journalism; and calls on the Government to convene urgent discussions with the NUJ and publishers to discuss how to encourage investment, decent pay and conditions essential for a thriving local press and also to develop an effective strategy for protecting local jobs and quality journalism.

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Secondary information

Type

Early day motion

Reference

1088 

Session

2013-14

Other sponsors

Dennis Skinner

Kelvin Hopkins

Austin Mitchell

Jeremy Corbyn

Bob Russell

Subjects

Press Media

Link

View this Early day motion on www.parliament.uk