Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright admits he doesn’t read newspapers
2 min read
The Cabinet minister responsible for media and culture has admitted he does not read newspapers or have a paid subscription to any news outlets.
Speaking at the Society of Editors annual conference in Manchester, Jeremy Wright also struggled to name a female commentator during a question and answer session.
The Culture Secretary told attendees that he preferred to get his news through television and radio bulletins and have the day's news stories and political comment pieces summarised for him.
Mr Wright said he “generally reads a summary of newspapers and certain comment pieces”, citing the Times' Danny Finkelstein and Matthew Paris as among his favourites.
After being repeatedly pressed to name a female columnist, Mr Wright said he was “not going to get into pub quiz questions”, but eventually named Allison Pearson of the Telegraph.
Mr Wright was also asked about the likelihood of government cash being used to support journalism in the future, but replied that any decision would have to wait until the Cairncross review into the British newspaper industry had concluded.
He said: “I’m confident that the review will show that there are ways for quality journalism to go from strength to strength…
“Our press has a level of trust and freedom that is rightly envied across the world, but a free and trusted press must also be a sustainable press."
Reacting to his comments this morning, a Downing Street spokesman said the Prime Minister “does read newspapers” and that there is a “healthy supply” of them in her private office.
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