Some quantitative evidence on local newspapers and council reporting from Ed Walker (former Uclan student and hyperlocal blogger), as part of a Help Me Investigate project. He looked at a Johnston Press title, the Lancashire Evening Post, which covers Preston and other parts of Lancashire.
“I found that there were 35 pages devoted to news on 23/11, 25/11 and 27/11 and of these 6.25 pages were given over to ‘council reporting’.
“Like others I’ve been finding there is little reporting of council meetings, more stories are created from council press releases and then a few quotes from councillors. It’s also not clear when these councillors were saying these quotes, although the councillors title and ward are always attached.”
Related: Headlines and Deadlines: Public service reporting, court coverage and charging online