Who cares about council tax rises or whether your bins are collected on time? Who pays attention to road conditions or cheers on our local teams in the Gallagher Premiership? Who considers school dinners, the cost of living, community cohesion, or local tensions?
The answer is clear: SomersetLive.
Amid the rapid changes in society, politics, leadership, and how information is shared, SomersetLive has consistently stood by our community. We cover the stories that matter most, delivering factual and verified information that informs, educates, and entertains our readers and digital audiences.
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Our journalists have uncovered important stories—from the realities behind the Golden Retriever Experience to the future of Bath Rugby Stadium, and from exposing costly waste at WECA to celebrating landmark events like Glastonbury Festival. We strive to separate fact from rumor and hold power to account.
Reporting the news is never easy. It demands relevance, adaptability, and often taking risks. We don’t always get it right, but we remain committed to meeting the ever-changing needs of our audience. When news breaks, we ensure fresh updates are delivered promptly—whether in moments of hardship or celebration.
You may ask why we’re sharing this today. The answer: Sunday, September 28 is World News Day, a global initiative where news organizations unite to highlight the importance of trusted, fact-based journalism.
SomersetLive is honored to stand alongside 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, the Irish Mirror, and the Irish Star—to collectively champion the critical role of journalism in a time when trust is increasingly challenged.
Journalism in the UK and worldwide faces unprecedented threats. In 2025 alone, 48 journalists have been killed globally. Over 70 remain missing, and more than 350 are imprisoned for simply doing their jobs. Many have been investigating stories that might otherwise never come to light.
In the UK, journalists face rising harassment, stalking, and threats of violence. At Reach, online threats against our reporters have more than doubled year on year. Meanwhile, government funding for journalism education is being cut, and the dominance of social media and big tech platforms complicates access to reliable information.
This situation is alarming because without committed journalists shedding light on the ‘small stuff’ that affects daily life—your family, neighbors, and community—we risk being overwhelmed by opinion, misinformation, and unreliable “facts.” Without rigorous, verified journalism, institutions and governments would escape scrutiny, and the public would lose an essential voice for change and accountability.
In a world more interconnected than ever, it is crucial that we unite to recognize the value of trusted journalism and protect the integrity of the news we consume.
On this World News Day, join SomersetLive in celebrating the vital role of journalism. Choose truth. Choose facts. Choose journalism.