Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said in a letter to the News Media Association that his government “recognises the basic principle” that publishers should seek compensation for the use of their content by artificial intelligence companies.
Marking the start of the NMA‘s annual “Journalism Matters” week, the Labour leader said both AI and the media were “central” to the government’s growth goals and he hoped to “rebalance” the relationship between platforms and publishers using the Digital Markets and Consumers Act.
He said: “Both artificial intelligence and the creative industries – which includes news and media – are central to this government’s driving mission on economic growth.
“To strike balance in our industrial policy, we are working closely with both sectors. We recognise the basic principle that publishers should have control over and seek payment for their work, including when thinking about the role of AI.
“Not only is it essential for a vibrant media landscape, in which the sector’s provision of trustworthy information is more vital than ever.”
Starmer’s comments come two weeks after he told an investment summit the UK “needs to run towards” AI, which he described as “a game changer that has massive potential on productivity, and on driving our economy”.
And they come the day after The Observer reported that publishers including the BBC and Mumsnet have voiced worry over a Labour plan to allow AI companies to scrape pages on the internet for content by default, which would mean websites have to actively opt out to prevent their property being digested into AI large language models. (The head of the NMA told The Observer the plans would be “a hammer blow to the creative industries”.)
The prime minister also wrote that journalists should not “ever suffer intimidation”, including from “powerful people using SLAPPs [vexatious lawsuits] to intimidate journalists away from their pursuit of the public interest.
“Such behaviour is intolerable and we will tackle the use of SLAPPs to protect investigative journalism, alongside access to justice. “
After initially promising action on SLAPPs (by Russian oligarchs specifically) during the general election, Labour has since delayed making specific proposals on the issue. A private members’ bill about SLAPPs that was making its way through Parliament was dropped when the election was called, although a new private members’ bill put forward by Conservative Gregory Stafford is on its second reading at time of writing.
Also marking the commencement of Journalism Matters week, NMA chief executive Owen Meredith wrote: “We have the opportunity to harness the potential of AI – but we must do so in a way that supports the sustainability of journalism by upholding our gold standard intellectual property and copyright laws, which are a powerful driver of revenue and growth across many industries.
“The news media industry is not against generative AI, but it cannot be allowed to dismantle existing industries that are so important culturally and financially to the UK.”
Meredith called for the government to “divert a greater proportion of its advertising spend from Big Tech to local media” and to have the forthcoming Digital Market Unit prioritise designating “Google’s ad tech services, Meta’s Facebook and both Google and Apple’s mobile ecosystems” as having strategic market status.
[Read more: Digital Markets Bill passed paving way for publisher ‘level playing field’ with big tech]
Keir Starmer’s letter to the News Media Association in full:
“Journalism is the lifeblood of democracy. Journalists are guardians of democratic values. These simple facts are so woven into the fabric of our society, that we often take them for granted. This year I fought tooth and nail for the honour of serving our country as Prime Minister. And at every step of the way, I was robustly held to account by determined, incisive and irrepressible members of the fourth estate. Neither myself or the now Leader of the Opposition complained about this. Neither of us turned our partisan supporters against the media. We went about our business, just as all our predecessors have, accepting that this is democracy in action. It was ordinary and unremarkable.
“And yet this is not a given. All around the world journalist put themselves at risk in defence of those values. Journalists such as the Ukrainian Victoria Roshchyna, who brought us the horrific story of Mariupol – now dead in Russian custody. Or the hundreds of journalists killed reporting the unimaginable suffering in Gaza. Or the BBC’s Gary O’Donoghue taking cover during the attempted assassination of President Trump, still broadcasting while lying face down on the ground behind his car. An extraordinary image that brought home both the risks and the purpose of journalism. That, through the bravery of journalists, the world sees what it needs to see.
“There are over 900 local and national news titles in the UK. For all the prophecies of doom about the future of news, that represents an extraordinary strength. The British news industry reaches over eighty percent of the population.
“However, this vitality should not blind us to the challenges. And, while thankfully there is no direct threat to press freedoms in our country, we must remain vigilant that the growing power of digital technology does not begin to chip away at them. Particularly as artificial intelligence begins to transform our economy and way of life.
“Both artificial intelligence and the creative industries – which includes news and media – are central to this government’s driving mission on economic growth. To strike balance in our industrial policy, we are working closely with both sectors. We recognise the basic principle that publishers should have control over and seek payment for their work, including when thinking about the role of AI. Not only is it essential for a vibrant media landscape, in which the sector’s provision of trustworthy information is more vital than ever. It is also relevant to our ongoing work to roll out the Digital Markets and Consumers Act as swiftly as possible. This landmark legislation will help rebalance the relationship between platforms and those, such as publishers, who rely on them.
“We also stand with journalists who endure threats just for doing their job. Just because journalists are brave, does not mean they should ever suffer intimidation. This goes for social media. The Online Safety Act will introduce new protections from abuse, as well respecting recognised news publisher content. It goes for journalists around the world, where we will continue to use British soft power and diplomacy to argue for journalistic freedoms. But it also goes for powerful people using SLAPPs to intimidate journalists away from their pursuit of the public interest. Such behaviour is intolerable and we will tackle the use of SLAPPs to protect investigative journalism, alongside access to justice.
“Because this is a government that will always champion press freedoms. We believe in being held to account. I am determined to show that traditional democratic British values are the only way to deliver the change that working people need – that is my political project in a nutshell. And there can be nothing more traditional, democratic or British than a robust free press, fearlessly holding the powerful to account.”
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