Minister calls on people to back a ‘vital service’ and buy a paper
A Government Minister is calling on people to buy a newspaper and is asking the nation’s biggest brands to end ‘ad-blocking’ as the coronavirus outbreak hits the publishing industry.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has asked the public to"addonesmallthing"totheir to-do list and buy a newspaper as the press grapples "with the biggest existential crisis in its history".
The newspaper business has come under increasing strain amid the coronavirus pandemic, while those working in the industry have shown a ‘dogged determination’ to provide ‘a vital public service’.
Mr Dowden has also written to the 100 biggest brands in the UK brands asking them to end "ad-blocking" on online news articles about the pandemic and allow their adverts to appear next to coronavirus news stories.
In the letter he describes quality UK news publishers as the “fourth emergency service”,providinginformationto the public at a time of national crisis, and warns that blocklisting is already having a detrimental impact.
Writing in The Times, he said: "Despite the massive disruption the coronavirus lockdown is causing to the productionanddistributionof news, those working in the industryhaveshownadoggeddetermination to keep the show on the road.
"Right now the news industry is doing a vital public service by giving important information to people as the pandemic unfolds."
He added: "As the country fights our greatest national emergency since the Second World War the press is grapplingwitharguablythebiggest existential crisis in its history.
"National, regional and localnewspapersareunderhuge financial pressure, largely because of plummeting commercial advertising on their printed pages and websites.
"Falling demand for advertising has also been exacerbated by something called keyword blocking, where advertising linked to specific keywords is prevented from being served on papers' web pages. Some major UK brands and parts of the advertising industry are blocking adverts appearingnexttocoronavirusrelated news stories."
Mr Dowden said an irreversible decline in news publishing would have "farreaching implications for democracy in our country", adding: "So today I am asking companiesandtheadvertising industry to act and do all they can to resolve this issue.
"I have written to the 100 biggest brands in the UK to urge them to review their advertising policies and check they are not inappropriately blocking adverts from appearingnexttonewsprovidingavital public service.
"Newspapersareatheartof the British media and essential to its vibrant mix. People acrossthecountryarerisingto the coronavirus challenge and I suggest we all add one small thing to our to-do list: Buy a paper."
It comes after the Governmentturnedtoourlocalnewspapers on Friday to reinforce the vitally important message to stay at home to protect the NHS and to save lives.
We will be carrying these messages over the coming weeks as we know how keen youaretoensurethelockdown is as effective as possible.
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