PRESS RELEASE

February 1st

The right to know

Inverclyde MSPs Duncan McNeil and Trish Godman has called on the Scottish Government to drop a plan to take public information notices out of newspapers.

The MSPs have backed a campaign against proposals to allow local councils to put public notices online rather than compel them to advertise in local media.

They met with Pete Murray, of the National Union of Journalists, and Donald Martin, President of the UK Society of Editors, in the Scottish Parliament this week to show their support support for the campaign.

They were able to highlight the Greenock Telegraph as an example of a local newspaper that plays a valuable role in serving the community.

Both were among the MSPs who voted in favour of a non-binding motion that called on the Scottish Government to drop the misguided plans and was carried by the Scottish Parliament.

Mr McNeil said: “Local newspapers are vital to local democracy and I was able to highlight the Greenock Telegraph as a strong example of the vital role the media play in a local community.

“This plan will seriously undermine that role and take away a vital source of income to our newspapers at a time when they face a number of challenges that threaten their very survival.

“It will also deny people without the internet access to public information they have the right to know about it.

“Now that the parliament has shown its strong opposition to these plans, the Scottish Government should listen and drop these misguided and damaging plans.”

Trish Godman MSP said: "I am appalled that the Government continues to plough ahead with its deeply flawed consultation.

"The consultation is being run online, further disadvantaging and disenfranchising many people in the local community who do not have access to the internet.

"Although the media is constantly changing, studies suggest that internet uptake is not so widespread. A recent Ofcom study found that only 4% of people get their news from the internet.

"The public and politicians need a vibrant and dynamic printed press, not disenfranchised voters."

ENDS