Keir Starmer: Journalism is ‘lifeblood of democracy’

“Journalism is the lifeblood of democracy. Journalists are guardians of democratic values.”

In an opinion article shared with The Media Leader to coincide with this year’s Journalism Matters week, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer championed the free press even as its business model has been hit by challenges caused by the shift to digital media and development of generative AI.

“There are over 900 local and national news titles in the UK. For all the prophecies of doom about the future of news, that represents an extraordinary strength,” Starmer wrote. “The British news industry reaches over 80% of the population.

“While thankfully there is no direct threat to press freedoms in our country, we must remain vigilant that the growing power of digital technology does not begin to chip away at them. Particularly as artificial intelligence begins to transform our economy and way of life.”

Starmer outlined that both AI and the creative industries — including news and media — are “central to this government’s driving mission on economic growth” and that the Labour government is working to “strike balance in our industrial policy”.

“We recognise the basic principle that publishers should have control over and seek payment for their work, including when thinking about the role of AI,” he continued. “Not only is it essential for a vibrant media landscape, in which the sector’s provision of trustworthy information is more vital than ever. It is also relevant to our ongoing work to roll out the Digital Markets [Competition] and Consumers Act as swiftly as possible.”

Moreover, Starmer pointed to the 2023 Online Safety Act as helping to introduce new protections from abuse that journalists often suffer online and pledged to “tackle the use of SLAPPs [strategic lawsuits against public participation] to protect investigative journalism, alongside access to justice”.

Journalism Matters week is run by the News Media Association (NMA) and seeks to celebrate the importance of journalism. The nationwide campaign runs until Sunday.

In a separate article, NMA CEO Owen Meredith honoured the “extraordinary work” carried out by UK journalists, be it from holding Westminster to account to reporting on wars in Israel, Gaza, and Ukraine.

Are news outlets too dependent on social media? With NMA CEO Owen Meredith

“For this vital component of our democracy to continue, the government must ensure a sustainable environment for our free press through measures such as standing up for press freedom as journalism faces an increasing array of threats, supporting our brilliant local news media which reaches huge audiences in print and digital, and maintaining our robust gold standard copyright regime to ensure content creators control use of their works as AI technology continues to develop,” Meredith wrote.

Addressing concerns around the use of AI, he added that “AI must grow alongside a highly transparent ecosystem that rewards trusted journalism” and that the UK must “establish a framework that protects the integrity of news content and publishers’ ability to invest in the very journalists who are on the ground reporting and news-gathering every day:.

Meredith noted: “This is not just a matter of economic fairness, but also of preserving the quality and diversity of news available to the public.”

He argued that “curbing the dominance of Big Tech” goes hand in hand with protecting the sustainability of journalism, and that the Digital Market Unit’s soon-to-be-approved guidance should designate Google, Meta and Apple’s adtech and mobile ecosystems as top priorities for the newly empowered Competition & Markets Authority under the digital markets act.

Meredith further called on the government to divert a greater proportion of its own advertising expenditure from Big Tech to local media.

Starmer’s full article

“Journalism is the lifeblood of democracy. Journalists are guardians of democratic values. These simple facts are so woven into the fabric of our society that we often take them for granted.

“This year, I fought tooth and nail for the honour of serving our country as prime minister. And, at every step of the way, I was robustly held to account by determined, incisive and irrepressible members of the fourth estate. Neither myself or the now leader of the opposition complained about this. Neither of us turned our partisan supporters against the media. We went about our business, just as all our predecessors have, accepting that this is democracy in action. It was ordinary and unremarkable.

“And yet this is not a given. All around the world, journalists put themselves at risk in defence of those values. Journalists such as the Ukrainian Victoria Roshchyna, who brought us the horrific story of Mariupol — now dead in Russian custody. Or the hundreds of journalists killed reporting the unimaginable suffering in Gaza. Or the BBC’s Gary O’Donoghue taking cover during the attempted assassination of President Trump, still broadcasting while lying face down on the ground behind his car. An extraordinary image that brought home both the risks and the purpose of journalism. That, through the bravery of journalists, the world sees what it needs to see.

“There are over 900 local and national news titles in the UK. For all the prophecies of doom about the future of news, that represents an extraordinary strength. The British news industry reaches over 80% of the population.

“However, this vitality should not blind us to the challenges. And, while thankfully there is no direct threat to press freedoms in our country, we must remain vigilant that the growing power of digital technology does not begin to chip away at them. Particularly as AI begins to transform our economy and way of life.

“Both AI and the creative industries — which includes news and media — are central to this government’s driving mission on economic growth. To strike balance in our industrial policy, we are working closely with both sectors.

“We recognise the basic principle that publishers should have control over and seek payment for their work, including when thinking about the role of AI. Not only is it essential for a vibrant media landscape, in which the sector’s provision of trustworthy information is more vital than ever. It is also relevant to our ongoing work to roll out the Digital Markets and Consumers Act as swiftly as possible.

“This landmark legislation will help rebalance the relationship between platforms and those, such as publishers, who rely on them.

“We also stand with journalists who endure threats just for doing their job. Just because journalists are brave does not mean they should ever suffer intimidation. This goes for social media. The Online Safety Act will introduce new protections from abuse, as well as respecting recognised news publisher content. It goes for journalists around the world, where we will continue to use British soft power and diplomacy to argue for journalistic freedoms.

“But it also goes for powerful people using SLAPPs to intimidate journalists away from their pursuit of the public interest. Such behaviour is intolerable and we will tackle the use of SLAPPs to protect investigative journalism, alongside access to justice.

“Because this is a government that will always champion press freedoms. We believe in being held to account. I am determined to show that traditional democratic British values are the only way to deliver the change that working people need — that is my political project in a nutshell.

“And there can be nothing more traditional, democratic or British than a robust free press, fearlessly holding the powerful to account.”