NCTJ welcomes government response to House of Lords report backing more support for journalism training

The NCTJ has welcomed the Government’s commitment to engage with the charity to support the training needs of local news, an industry it describes as ‘vital’.  

The commitment was made in the Government’s response to the House of Lords Communications and Digital Committee Future of News report. Published in November, the report included a call on the Government to work with the NCTJ and seek partnership funding for journalism training schemes in the local news sector.  

In its response to the report, the Government has committed to engaging with the NCTJ to ensure that they are “supporting the training needs for local journalism”. Additionally, they confirmed that their upcoming Local Media Strategy will be central to achieving their vision of a “thriving sector that can continue to play an invaluable role by reporting issues that matter to communities”.  

Joanne Forbes, NCTJ chief executive, said: “It is encouraging that the Government is not just aware of the challenges facing the sustainability of local journalism but is promising to do something meaningful about it through its Local Media Strategy. Government support for training pathways into journalism – including apprenticeships – will be essential to address this challenge head on and we are pleased the government is engaging with us on this matter.  

“Addressing diversity in the sector is another priority. The Future of News report recognised the success of the Community News Project (CNP) in fulfilling the need to attract diverse talent into journalism. We are calling on the Government to join our mission to ensure projects like the CNP can continue and that the journalism sector receives the same robust backing that has long benefited other areas of the creative industries”.  

The Government response comes as the NCTJ works with local news publishers to recruit six new reporters for the next phase of the CNP, after establishing the Community Reporting Fund with £450,000 of its reserves. Since 2019, the CNP has provided training and employment opportunities to more than 280 people, 75 per cent of who met one or more diversity criteria set at the project’s outset. 

This fund, which the NCTJ is seeking to grow in partnership with external partners, supports the future of local news by employing additional trainees and making training more accessible.