BBC Local Democracy Reporting Service: what's working and what's not?

Jonathan Heawood, executive director, PINF, asking a question from the audience at our Newsrewired conference, May 2024

Credit: Frank Noon / Marten Publishing

This article also appeared on the Public Interest News Foundation website and has been republished here with permission from the author

Last Friday (9 May 2025), the BBC Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) announced the awardees of new contracts to host Local Democracy Reporters (LDRs) for the next two-and-a-half years. 

The LDRS is an initiative set up by the BBC in 2017. It pays for 165 journalism jobs to help report on local democracy issues across the UK, hosted by publishers following a lengthy application process. LDRs have produced 438,000 stories since launch, which are pooled for use for free by partners.

The service has been the subject of intense debate among local, independent news providers in the PINF network. There is a variety of perspectives among indies, both positive and negative, on the contracting process and the implementation of the LDRS. 

At its outset, the vast majority of LDRs were employed by the three largest publishers of local news in the UK: National World, Newsquest and Reach plc. While benefiting from this indirect subsidy, these companies continued to make local journalists redundant, and to close and consolidate local news titles. 

Over time, the BBC – under pressure from PINF and others – has opened up the Service to a growing number of independent local news providers. However, the service falls far short of fully addressing the local news crisis. In last week’s announcement, the BBC awarded 82 per cent of contracts to the big three.

What’s working? 

Many local news providers see the LDRS as a crucial resource. In local news deserts or drylands, where trustworthy local information is very limited, LDRs play a vital role in bolstering the news ecosystem. 

The service has received praise for posting good quality content on a consistent basis. Reporters are embedded in their local communities and have generally created good relationships with independent providers in their local areas.

The LDRs have gained recognition for their diligent reporting, especially when it comes to scrutinising local councils and original coverage of significant local events, filling necessary gaps left by staff cutbacks in traditional media outlets. 

What’s not working? 

Many independent publishers have pointed to examples of misuse of resources, in which LDRs cover non-democratic events like fires, unexploded grenades and restaurant reviews. LDRs themselves backed up this claim at a National Union of Journalists meeting reported by Hold the Front Page in October 2024.

Concerns have been raised about the overall quality of reporting, with significant differences seen across regions. Complaints have been made about inaccuracies and over-reliance on press releases without sufficient independent investigation. 

For example, an LDR might post a 200-word story on food hygiene ratings without following up with the councils or businesses involved. Publishers say that in some areas, LDRs are stretched too thin, and some contract areas are too large to service properly with only one reporter.

There is widespread feeling among indies that the tendering process for contracts unfairly favours larger organisations over smaller, community-focused outlets, particularly in relation to the HR processes required. 

Many local, independent news providers have put in huge amounts of effort to demonstrate exemplary levels of accountable, representative and engaging journalism that is truly in the public interest. However, their small size is counting against them – even though this is precisely the quality that allows them to reach the parts that larger publishers cannot or will not.

Local journalism in the UK is in a fragile place. Big tech greed and declining advertising revenues mean that providers are having to fight to keep independent news alive. However, local independent providers are essential to healthy news ecosystems. They help hold authorities to account, create pride in place and strengthen democracy. They deserve equitable access to the same opportunities as the big three corporate publishers. 

What about the future?

In its March 2025 report ‘Regenerating Local News in the UK’, PINF’s Local News Commission set out a vision of a future in which every local authority district in the UK is served by local news providers that are Accountable, Sustainable, in the Public Interest, Innovative, Representative and Engaging (ASPIRE). 

The commission called on the government and other stakeholders to develop a new settlement between the BBC and local news providers, building on the LDRS to ensure that every local community benefits from engaging and high-quality journalism.

PINF would like to see this recommendation, along with the others in our report, taken up in the Department for Media, Culture and Sport’s forthcoming local media strategy. 

Speaking at the Lowry Theatre in Manchester on 14 May 2025, BBC director-general Tim Davie signalled that the corporation would potentially be aligned with this vision, by expanding the LDRS at the next Charter renewal:

"...to include health authorities, police and crime commissioners, and deeper analysis of the regional mayoralties… the potential to ‘open source’ all local video, news and audio content… and also linking BBC platforms to commercial providers, to help strengthen the depth of local journalism across the UK."

The BBC has an opportunity at the next charter review to build a new relationship with truly local news providers that are rooted in the communities they serve. Public debate will be crucial to the upcoming phase of transformation at the BBC. We welcome all feedback to our thinking so far as we work with local news providers to determine what this new relationship should look like.

Jonathan Heawood is the executive director of the Public Interest News Foundation, the UK's first and only charity helping indie news thrive.

PINF’s advocacy and research is shaped by our network of over 100 local, independent, public interest news providers from all corners of the UK: from Devon to Shetland, Newry to Caerphilly. As an independent charity, PINF is not dependent on the government or the legacy news industry for support. It is funded by generous individual donors, companies, trusts and foundations.

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