Lords Communications Committee to quiz Ministers in final session of Future of News inquiry

The session will see the Committee question the Ministers on a range of issues including the appropriate role of government is supporting a thriving news media landscape, the government’s position on copywrite issues raised by generative AI, the work of public service broadcasters, and balancing efforts to tackle disinformation while protecting free speech.

The evidence session will start at 2:30pm on Tuesday 15 October in the House of Lords. The full witness details are:

• Stephanie Peacock MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Sport, Media, Civil Society and Youth) at Department for Culture, Media and Sport
• Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Future Digital Economy and Online Safety at Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
• Robert Specterman-Green, Director, Media and International at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
• Sam Cannicott, Deputy Director for AI Capability at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology

Questions the session will cover include:

• The new Government’s position on support for news providers, including local news.
• The growing power of online intermediaries determining access to news.
• The Government’s view on copyright protection and developments in generative AI.
• Tackling disinformation while protecting freedom of speech.
• The performance of Public Service Broadcasters, and Ofcom’s approach to new challenger broadcasters.
• The Government’s plans for the future of the BBC.
• The Government’s position on SLAPPs and protecting journalists from aggressive ‘lawfare’