The recent focus on the press by the Leveson Inquiry has shone a light into the shadowy corners of newspaper activities.

But while there has been criticism levelled at the way some national news organisations have behaved, Lord Leveson in his report was quick to separate these incidents from the work of local newspapers such as the Telegraph & Argus.

There are 1,100 local and regional newspapers with 1,600 websites in the UK. In print, local papers are read by 31 million people a week and 62 million unique users visit local newspaper websites every month. Web traffic to our websites has grown rapidly in recent years, increasing by a third in the last two years alone.

Demand for local news and information has never been higher, with more people accessing it than ever before through printed local newspapers, their sister websites, smartphones and tablets. What these millions of people have in common is that they place extremely high value upon the trusted local news and information provided by local papers. They trust their local paper to report accurately and fairly on the issues that matter most to their lives.

Reporting on important events isn’t always as easy as it might appear. Often, ‘news’ is information that a person, public body or private business doesn’t want you to read about. Something may have gone very seriously wrong, with consequences for, or an impact upon, the wider community.

But getting to the truth isn’t always easy and is certainly not something that should be taken for granted. Sometimes, those involved in an important news event will seek to influence the way events are reported and try to ensure that they come out in a positive light.

Our job is to cut through the smokescreens and get to the true facts of the matter. It can involve asking hard questions of people who may do almost anything to avoid giving a full and frank answer.

This is what press freedom truly means – our right to responsibly seek out the true facts on your behalf and present them in a fair, accurate and balanced way. Defending press freedom is about defending our basic rights as citizens.

Over the course of this week we will be discussing how the Telegraph & Argus has positively impacted on our local community, be it through campaigns or digging out the truth.

But here’s what others have to say about press freedom: The Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, Lord Judge: “Regional and local newspapers are an invaluable asset to their communities. Plainly, they provide regional and local news. But that is only the start.

“They hold those who exercise power within communities to account. They comment, cast light on, and where appropriate criticise the activities of local government.

“And they strengthen communities in other ways. They cause information to be disseminated and shared. They allow local successes to be celebrated. They promote open justice by reporting proceedings within local courts.

“As I have said on previous occasions, it would be devastating if the local and regional press were to die, to be replaced by some sort of handout from the local authority, extolling everything done by the authority and silent about its errors.

“We can and must do without propaganda sheets, paid for by the public, which provide self-serving ‘official’ spin.

“This means that in the public interest local and regional media must survive.”

Boris Johnson, Mayor of London: “The fact that local newspapers remain at the heart of communities is testimony to the energy and enthusiasm their journalists bring to the stories they tell – shining a light on what really matters to people.

“The way we ingest news is changing fast, but I truly believe there remains an important place for well-informed local journalism that speaks about the issues and concerns of the local community and gives people an important voice to share how they feel about this great country we live in.”

Lorraine Kelly, television presenter: “A local paper should always provide insight into the workings of local government and hold those in power to account whenever needed.

“The paper should provide open and healthy debate, and always maintain that trust with their readers. They also have a big part to play in promoting and helping local charities and organisations.”

In tomorrow’s T&A, find out how we have used Freedom of Information requests to dig out the stories that matter to you.