By Karim El-Bar
LONDON (AA) – Queen Elizabeth on Monday weighed in with a message of support to the British newspaper industry.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has once again demonstrated what an important public service the established news media provides, both nationally and regionally,” she wrote to the News Media Association, the body that represents all major national and local newspaper publishers.
“The efforts of the news media to support communities throughout the United Kingdom during the pandemic have been invaluable – whether through fundraising, encouraging volunteering, or providing a lifeline for the elderly and vulnerable to the outside world.”
She praised traditional media outlets, saying that “having trusted, reliable sources of information, particularly at a time when there are so many sources competing for our attention, is vital.”
Her letter coincided with the launch of the News Media Association’s Journalism Matters campaign, The Guardian daily reported.
The campaign aims to boost public and government support for established media outlets.
Henry Faure Walker, who heads the group, wrote in a separate piece: “For too long, Google and Facebook have had a free pass at using our journalism on their platforms making huge profits, whilst contributing comparatively nothing back into the industry.”
Newspapers were financially struggling before the pandemic, but coronavirus has decimated the advertising market, leading to waves of job losses.