Who cares about council tax rises, bin collections, road conditions, or celebrating the best of Somerset? Who pays attention to school dinners, the cost of living, community cohesion, or even local sports victories like those in the Gallagher Premiership? The answer is SomersetLive.
Despite the many changes in politics, leadership, and the way information is shared, SomersetLive has remained a steadfast source of news that matters locally. Our dedicated journalists work tirelessly to provide factual, verified information that informs, educates, and entertains our readers and online audience.
From breaking hard-hitting investigations to highlighting community successes, SomersetLive has covered a wide range of stories. We have exposed disturbing truths behind places such as the Golden Retriever Experience, reported on the future of Bath Rugby Stadium, and examined the effects of major housing developments. We have celebrated cultural landmarks including the Glastonbury Festival and held those in power accountable by reporting on wasteful expenditures like those seen in WECA.
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Delivering such journalism is challenging. It requires relevance, adaptability, and a willingness to take risks. We acknowledge we don’t always get it right, but we strive to meet the evolving needs of our audience. When news breaks, we’re there to provide timely and accurate updates.
Why underline all of this today? Because Sunday, September 28 is World News Day—a day when news organizations worldwide unite to highlight the vital importance of trusted, fact-based journalism.
SomersetLive joins sister publications across the UK, Ireland, and the USA—including the Mirror, Express, Manchester Evening News, Daily Record, Liverpool Echo, Birmingham Mail, Wales Online, Belfast Live, Irish Mirror, and Irish Star—in spotlighting the essential role journalists play in society, especially in an era when trust can be hard to come by.
Journalism in 2025 faces unprecedented threats. Globally, 48 journalists have been killed this year, over 70 remain missing, and more than 350 are imprisoned for their work. Many were reporting on stories that might otherwise never see the light of day. In the UK, journalists increasingly face threats, violence, stalking, and harassment. At our own Reach titles, online threats have more than doubled year on year.
Meanwhile, funding cuts to journalism courses and the challenges posed by social media platforms and big tech threaten the future of reliable news. If these silencing efforts succeed, the world risks drowning in opinion, conjecture, and misinformation disguised as fact.
Without trusted journalism, the small but essential stories about your community and family would go unreported. Governments and institutions would escape scrutiny. The power of journalism to drive change would vanish. And crucially, the “big” stories you rely on would become impossible to trust.
In an interconnected world shaped by digital technology, it is more important than ever to stand together to value and protect the integrity of trustworthy journalism.
This World News Day, join SomersetLive in celebrating journalism that matters. Choose Truth. Choose Facts. Choose Journalism.