Breaking the News. Nesta’s great innovation robbery
Falling circulations and publisher revenues, ongoing closures of local newspapers coupled with the rise of ‘fake news’ and Brexit, led to the UK government asking Dame Frances Cairncross to undertake a review into the sustainability of high-quality journalism in the UK.
One recommendation made by the resulting report was to launch a new fund focussed on innovations to the supply of public-interest news. In 2020 NESTA was appointed to manage this fund, called The Future News Fund.
In an investigation by The Future Shapers, it seems that much more went on than what meets the eye as questionable fund allocation, conflict of interest and the self-serving of various member’s interests bubbled to the surface.
Before publishing this investigative piece, TFS shared it with the UK’s House of Lords parliamentary communication and digital committee, as well as with Nesta and up to the date of publication, no comments were received.
The outcome of our investigation was entitled: Breaking the News. Nesta’s great innovation robbery. It was subsequently published on the TFS website here on 18 May, 2021.
Following the publication of the story, another attempt was made to get responses from especially the UK’s House of Lords parliamentary communication and digital committee, as well as Nesta. Also, as the offence was essentially committed on the news publisher community several national and specialist newspapers were copied on the story for comment as well.
At the time of publishing, no additional comments were received.
TFS commits to fully disclose and publish all responses received in relation to the publication of this story and will update this page with the relevant information as and when appropriate.
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