Just as regional democracy has been given a boost in the North East and elsewhere in England on one front through the government’s plans to extend and deepen devolution, it has suffered a setback on another with news of the closure of the online newspaper The QT.
Regionalism journalism
The QT was launched last year as, to use its own words, “a new online media platform for the North East with a mission to deliver quality regional journalism. Independent and politically neutral, we will offer issue-led campaigning news, features and commentary that is free from political spin, media bias and social media toxicity.
“Looking at the world through a North East lens, The QT will provide a clean, uninterrupted and even pleasurable reading experience. Obtrusive ads, pop-ups and clickbait headlines have no place here. It’s just quality storytelling from quality journalists. A campaigning champion for the region, expect carefully curated content designed to engage, inspire, inform, concern, amuse, amaze, and entertain. “
The QT’s team of professional, experienced regional journalists covered a wide range of topics including political news, business, culture and social life. But it has lasted just 24 weekly editions, unable to attract sufficient subscribers at £7.99 a month to make it a going concern.
Decline of print newspapers
The QT, like North East Bylines, was part of the response by serious regional journalists, professional and voluntary, to the decline of print newspapers in the face of the rise of social media, not just in the UK but in many parts of the world.
The QT’s editor, Brian Aitken, told North East Bylines: “I don’t like what I see when I look at the regional media landscape and I fear for the future of campaigning local journalism that holds power to account.
“The QT’s business model should not be seen as a failure just because we have stopped publishing after six months with a scaled-back structure. The market research showed that there are enough people in the region willing to pay a couple of quid a week for quality, trusted journalism; we just didn’t reach enough of them in time.”
In a new book* on what has gone wrong in Britain in recent years, Sam Freedman traces part of the nation’s problem to regional media decline. He reports that revenue from classified advertising has collapsed by 96% in the past 20 years and the number of local journalists by two-thirds in just over a decade. Even the biggest and best regional papers rarely sell more than 5,000 copies. Freedman writes:
“We have been left with a host of cluttered and unreadable websites full of clickbait about daytime TV and lottery numbers put there in the desperate hope of producing an income stream.”
William Hague, former Conservative Party leader, cited by Freedman, has written: “In most of Britain, local news is hollowed out and on the verge of extinction.”
Holding metro mayors and devolved authorities to account
In the King’s Speech this week the government announced an English devolution bill to give new powers to metro mayors and combined authorities like those in the North East and Tees Valley to support local growth plans that will bring economic benefit to communities. Mayors like Kim McGuiness (North East) and Ben Houchen (Tees Valley) were among those who met the Prime Minister in Downing Street earlier this month to discuss drawing up local strategies for economic growth.
Given the indifferent success of the ten-year strategic economic plans under local economic partnerships (now absorbed into mayoral combined authorities) which have just time-expired, and the controversy around mayoral governance, particularly in Tees Valley, a vigilant regional media will be needed to match the newly empowered regional government.
Remaining media including North East Bylines will continue to scrutinise the devolved authorities, but the closure of The QT will diminish their collective capacity to do so. The respected Local Democracy Reporting Service also makes a valuable contribution but is dependent for funding on the BBC as part of its Charter commitment and there are only 165 staff throughout the UK.
The future of journalism
There is no going back to the old days for journalism, Freedman admits. As recently as 2018 more than half of people still used newspapers either in print or online as an important source of news. By 2023 this had fallen to 39%, and just over 30% for people under 35. Nevertheless, he believes there are things the government could do to help, including diverting more of its own large advertising budget to high-quality local media.
Aitken said in a message to subscribers today: “In simple, stark terms, we have run out of money to pay our quality storytellers to write any more stories for you.” He said subscriber numbers were heading in the right direction but not quickly enough. He added:
“I would argue that we have been A new voice for the North East and have delivered on our promise to provide independent quality journalism that is worth paying for. The feedback we have been receiving would support that.
“With greater devolution on the agenda and a new government showing its commitment to change, I would also argue that an influential regional voice like ours is more important than ever. The trouble is I can’t argue with a balance sheet.”
*Failed State: Why Nothing Works and How We Fix It. By Sam Freedman. Published by Macmillan.
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