A FREE and fearless press is society’s single best defence against fake news – but action is needed to ensure quality local journalism can survive and thrive in the digital environment, the News Media Association (NMA) has said.

In its submission to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee’s inquiry into fake news, the NMA calls for an urgent investigation into the impact of Google, Facebook and a digital advertising supply chain described by the world’s largest advertiser Procter & Gamble as “murky at best, fraudulent at worst”.

“News media publishers are by far the biggest investors in original news content, accounting for 58 per cent of the total UK investment,” said NMA chairman Ashley Highfield.

“But the digital supply chain rewards the distributors of content, not the originators. Government and regulators cannot ignore forever the impact of the Google-Facebook duopoly on our media landscape.”

The term “fake news” has been seized on by politicians and anti-press lobby groups in the UK and abroad with an agenda to silence the press and shut down debate on important issues, posing a greater threat to freedom of speech, an informed electorate and democracy than fake news itself.

“The Committee’s inquiry is a timely opportunity to concentrate minds on the immense value to society and democracy of genuine news,” Mr Highfield said. “But it is also necessary to ensure the very people the press holds to account - those in authority - don't cry 'fake news' when they simply disagree with a story or don't like a headline.”

Michael Purton, the editor of the Stroud News & Journal, Wilts & Glos Standard and Gazette Series, said: “While the government inquiry seeks to combat ‘fake news’, I’d like to reassure our readers that our newspapers have no bias. I’m proud to say that our editorial decisions are never influenced by politicians or businesses – we simply report the news as it happens.”