Review fails to focus on BBC threat

A GOVERNMENT review into the sustainability of local newspapers will not examine claims made by Theresa May that the BBC is “destroying” them.

Matt Hancock, the Culture Secretary, set out the terms of reference of its review but failed to mention the BBC.

This is despite Mrs May warning five years ago that its dominant internet position was “destroying local newspapers”.

As Home Secretary, Mrs May had attacked the BBC’S “ability to subsidise the provision of internet news using the licence fee”.

She had asked: “If the BBC can, as they do, provide all the locally significant news, what is left to motivate local readers to buy a paper?”

A Government source said: “The review is looking at the threat to the press and will consider the wider news market, including the BBC.”