House of Lords announces ambitious inquiry into the Future of UK News Media
Inquiry comes as more than 50 countries prepare for 2024 elections
Confidence in news has experienced a prolonged decrease, dropping from 51% in 2015 to 33% in 2023
The House of Lords communications and digital committee has announced the initiation of the "Future of News in the UK: Impartiality, Trust, and Technology" inquiry in response to the evolving landscape of news dissemination.
Chaired by Conservative peer Baroness Stowell, the inquiry is poised to explore and address critical issues, ranging from the impact of new technologies to concerns about impartiality.
Our collective confidence in mainstream news has experienced a prolonged decrease, as per the committee's findings, dropping from 51% in 2015 to 33% in 2023. People are accessing news less often and demonstrating waning interest, although whether this is due to a lack of confidence in reporting or the seemingly relentless carnival of horror that is geopolitics in 2024 is debatable.
The inquiry comes at a critical juncture, coinciding with the world's largest-ever election year, where over 2 billion voters are set to participate across 50 countries. Many people have expressed concern about the potential for misinformation and disinformation disseminated via social media to distort democratic procresses.
Recognising the indispensable role of a healthy news ecosystem in a democratic society, the committee aims to address both longstanding and emerging challenges faced by the UK's news media.
It is inviting written evidence on various fronts, including the effects of technology platforms, online news aggregators, and generative AI tools on the news landscape.
Additionally, the inquiry will delve into how impartial reporting has transformed over the years and how news organisations combat the proliferation of disinformation.
The inquiry will explore the repercussions of changes driven by external factors and internal dynamics within news organisations. The ultimate goal is to safeguard a trusted information environment supported by a financially sustainable news system.
With a deadline set for 12 February 2024, the committee will also gather insights into what steps the government should take to address these challenges and whether the existing regulatory framework is sufficient.
"News providers are facing a challenging future: new technologies, disruption to business models, declining trust and growing concerns around impartiality all add up to a highly complex and difficult problem," Baroness Stowell said. She stressed the need for traditional news providers to rebuild audience trust and support while embracing diverse perspectives, asserting that the solution to these challenges goes beyond mere regulatory adjustments.
"The news industry must address this challenge carefully if all audiences are to have confidence: it is not something that can be solved simply by introducing more or different regulation," she said.
"Our inquiry will hear from a wide range of views as we investigate these complex and vital matters. I would encourage anyone with an interest or knowledge of these issues to submit evidence via our website."