Speaking at a local media summit held by the Conservatives today (30 April), Hunt said there needs to be "a strong business model" for local media because there are hundreds of thousands of advertisers who want to advertise at a local level and the Government needs to look at "how legislation and the law can facilitate that".
Hunt said the Conservatives agree with the regional media industry that the OFT needs to look at the competition and merger rules and what "constitutes significant parts of the UK", and whether it is appropriate for the Competition Commission to be involved in mergers at a local level.
Although the media industry is going through structural change, Hunt said there are things that can be done "in terms of public policy" and media organisations must look at new business models that offer a "cross-media solution".
Separately, at a local media summit in Westminster on Tuesday, convened by the Government and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, MPs said they disagreed with local government using taxes to pay for council publications.
However, Stephen Greenhalgh, leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, which produces a fortnightly free paper for residents, said he "shouldn't have to apologise" for having a free local paper that is produced at no cost to 76,000 households.
Greenhalgh said there are "no local papers" to save in parts of inner London, so it is wrong to regulate councils out of serving the community.
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