UK: Are Local Papers Becoming Old News?

Britain’s local newspapers are in decline. Back in 2005, the UK had 1,318 active local newspapers and since then, the number has dropped to 1,120. 2015 proved the most startling year in recent memory with 33 local/regional papers closing and just 19 launching.

Are local papers across Britain standing on the precipice and staring into the abyss? The same old story repeated itself in 2016 with more local newspapers closing than opening, though it wasn’t quite as bad as 2015. However, the numbers make the situation perfectly clear. If the trend continues, the UK’s regional press could be facing extinction in the long term.