Lord Michael Grade and BBC Media Editor Katie Razzall pictured with Dawn Alford, Chief Executive of the Society.
by Democrat reporter
The Society of Editors has warned that some local journalists are struggling to get access to elected councillors, raising concerns over accountability.
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Media Show on Wednesday, 27 May, alongside Lord Michael Grade and Media Editor Katie Razzall (pictured), Dawn Alford, Chief Executive of the Society, said that while some councils continue to maintain a good relationship with local journalists, some local reporters are facing barriers to access in both small and extreme ways.
West Dunbartonshire is one of these councils where the editor of The Dumbarton Democrat, multi-award-winning Bill Heaney, has been banned from asking questions.
Dawn Alford said: “We are being told that councillors are being told not to talk to journalists or they are being pushed through to the press office and, in some circumstances, those replies are being delayed or completely ignored.
“What that means, generally, is that scrutiny is not happening. Scrutiny is part of democracy, and that does not exist in certain areas.”
A large part of the problem appeared to be “message control”, Alford said, with local councils increasingly wanting to control the narrative centrally at the expense of a relationship between local councillors, local reporters and their local community.
She added: “Councillors should absolutely expect that part of their job is to talk to the media but the problem appears to be about message control.
“Message control is coming more centrally, and this is across all parties. That ignores individuals who have been voted for by a very small community who expect answers and expect scrutiny. Those voters look to their local press for trusted news, and that is still a strong point.
“When you stand for an election, you are asking the voters to trust you, and you are due to be scrutinised across the entire tenure of sitting on the council.
“It is a privilege, and people trust you and have voted for you, so you absolutely should expect to be asked questions.”