SINCE becoming MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale 15 years ago, and before that as an MSP and councillor, I have been very much aware of the valuable work carried out by the local print media.
Local newspapers add much to community life by keeping readers fully informed of what's going on and, significantly, by providing accurate -- well checked -- information, which is even more important in these difficult times.
Their columns pull communities together by highlighting issues of concern, diligently recording events and championing good causes whilst promoting transparency in politics, local government and diverse public and private sector organisations.
But coronavirus, on top of years of falling advertising revenues due to online competition, has been threatening the very future of titles across the country.
I've been discussing these serious concerns with some leading figures in the local newspaper industry and I back them in their quest for more meaningful support from both Scottish and UK Governments.
They believe a 100 per cent rates holiday on local news media offices to be essential and are urging the Scottish Government and local authorities to also target more public information advertising to local newspapers.
For example, Ministers are spending considerable sums on public health messages, but much of that is online to companies who are ultimately based overseas.
There are perhaps lessons to learn from Denmark where an investment scheme has been introduced to support media organisations to help them through the current coronavirus crisis and hopefully continue to serve communities for generations to come.
A similar initiative by the Scottish Government could be replicated for around £25 million with a trusted media loan scheme another idea which has been floated.
They could help preserve a key part of our open democracy and an industry which, despite many cutbacks in recent years, still employs around 4000 people in Scotland.
In a contribution I made to a recent News Media Association campaign, I stated: "Local newspapers are rightly high on my shopping list and are a great guide to local life, highlighting what our fellow citizens, of all ages, are doing.
"The excellent local journalism being produced during the current coronavirus crisis is typical of this valuable ongoing contribution."