BANK of England governor Mervyn King is among a group of leading personalities to have given messages of support for the local and regional media as part of Local Newspaper Week.

The campaign, which ends tomorrow and has been run under the theme of “Your Voice”, aims to highlight the important role of the local and regional media not only within communities but in the wider national life of the country – with coverage of the recent General Election and the country’s ongoing financial problems as key examples.

In a message endorsing the campaign, Mr King writes about the Bank of England’s reliance on regional newspapers to inform the wider public and enable the bank’s to reach beyond its City location.

He says that the “dependence on regional newspapers for our shared aim of informing the wider public means the bank’s continued support for local media is assured.”

He adds: “We at the bank are acutely aware that the crisis that originated in the financial sector has affected people outside it.

“The news media, and regional newspapers in particular, play an essential role in enabling the bank to reach beyond its City location.”

David Fordham, president of industry body the Newspaper Society, who in advance of the campaign completed a 10-week tour of regional and local publishing centres to raise money for charity, said: “The local paper – in print or online – plays a vital role in any lively local community.

“It is a trusted source of news, a familiar guiding hand and the bedrock of local democracy. Ultimately, it is Your Voice.”