Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between John Whittingdale and Alex Burghart

Thursday 8th December 2022 Commons Chamber

[Sir John Whittingdale (Maldon) (Con)]

5. What recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Government information campaigns in local media.

[The Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office (Alex Burghart)]

The Government monitor the effectiveness of our communication campaigns. We recognise the enormous trust that the public have in local media and the important role that local media therefore play in spreading our messages. As just one example, a recent press partnership on access to NHS services used local media to inform the public about where to seek medical advice. Some 67% of readers said that they trusted the articles, highlighting local print’s importance to communities.

[Sir John Whittingdale]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right about the power of local media in getting vital health messages across, but will he look at ensuring that, as well as local print media, local online-only publishers such as Nub News are included in future campaigns?

[Alex Burghart]

I completely agree with my right hon. Friend, who knows a great deal about the subject. “All in, all together” harnessed the power of local media and was particularly effective in reaching specific audiences to spread vital information. As he will appreciate, sometimes we want a more targeted approach to get better cost-effectiveness. I should also say that we use OmniGOV, and any local outlet—online or otherwise—that wishes to be on the list can apply by contacting OmniGOV directly.