Challenges and opportunities for UK local media: Insights from academic research

The local media sector in the UK is navigating a period of substantial change: newsrooms are shrinking (Ponsford, 2024), revenues are plummeting (Lu, 2024), and audiences are disengaging (Newman et al., 2024). Amidst these changes, a long tail of smaller, independent media producers have stepped in to address underrepresented topics, niches, or local areas (Anderson, 2007), however they face significant revenue challenges threatening their long-term sustainability (Cook et al., 2024).

Despite its imperfections, local media remains essential to fostering informed and connected communities by providing essential information, shaping public opinion, and preserving local identity (Nielsen, 2015). In this context of disruption and adaptation, evidence-based strategies have never been more necessary. However, we argue that a significant gap exists between the wealth of academic research available and its practical application within the UK local media industry. This report explores the challenges facing UK local media through the lens of academic research, designed to bridge the gap between scholarly inquiry and industry practice. It synthesises insights from a comprehensive literature review of British and international academic sources from the Scopus database to inform media organisations, policymakers, and citizens about the industry's current state, challenges, and ongoing relevance.