The publisher of a series of hyperlocal monthly newspapers has revealed plans to open its 11th edition and expand beyond the city it serves.
Bristol-based series The Voice currently hand-distributes more than 90,000 copies to various areas of the city, having been set up by former Bristol Post assistant editor Richard Coulter and advertising manager Emma Cooper in 2011.
Since the initial edition, Filton Voice, was founded, the Local Voice Network has expanded across the city.
In addition to Emma and Richard producing their own publications in Filton, Bishopston, Henleaze/Westbury and Keynsham, they have since signed up three publishers who are now producing two titles each.
Former Bristol Post production manager Gary Brindle heads up the Voice operation in Downend and Fishpond, sports commentator and journalist Richard Drew publishes in Yate and Chipping Sodbury, as well as Frome Valley.
Former Western Daily Press sub-editor Paul Breeden has set up two titles in South Bristol – with the most recently-launched edition for the suburbs of Bedminster, Southville and Ashton pictured below.
An 11th edition is set to be launched soon, although the publisher has yet to disclose which area of Bristol it will cover.
Richard is now “eyeing up” other cities in which to found a new series of magazines.
He said: “Our mission is to deliver a high quality, informative and relevant news service for distinct communities, typically with 10,000 to 15,000 residents.
“We do have an online presence but our experience is that for a sustainable business model, local print advertising still has the most potential. In years to come, who knows there may be a different way of doing it and we will be well placed to respond but we are not seeing any slowdown … if anything, it’s the opposite.
“The key for us is that our magazines are free and they are hand delivered to every household. “Across the country there are successful hyperlocal magazines but in the mad rush to work out the digital conundrum, print remains profitable.”
Stories in the freesheets are written by journalists and the advertising/editorial ratio is 50:50.
Richard added: “The last 10 years have not been easy for journalists but we are trying to prove that, in the hyperlocal sector, journalists can make a living while working in the career of their choice.
“Our model would allow a journalist to dip a toe in the water while having a portfolio of jobs or work on the magazines exclusively.
“I do not say that our model is the only one, but journalists need to get real about digital and if there is no revenue, then it is not a realistic business proposition.”
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“I do not say that our model is the only one, but journalists need to get real about digital and if there is no revenue, then it is not a realistic business proposition.”
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Good Lord, another tale that overturns the conventional wisdom.
JP, Trinity Mirror and co, please note.
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“We do have an online presence but our experience is that for a sustainable business model, local print advertising still has the most potential.” Well, well, well, is the digital worm turning? And is this a success story I see before me? If so, the big thing literally lacking is a corporation like TM or Newsquest diverting revenue earned to greedy shareholders, useless middle managers whose only function and talent seems to be spouting jargon, and uber-rewarded senior executives (we know not what for). The Voice of reason is speaking – I’m listening.
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It’s interesting in the context of the story this week about the website which was seemingly successful but could attract no revenue. Maybe print is the answer but it needs to be done in a certain way?
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Well done to Richard and Emma – they are proving that all is not gloom and doom for the printed word.
This is entirely my own experience. Nearly six years ago, I took redundancy from the Blackpool Gazette to set up my own business, Home Handbook based around Preston, and I have never looked back.
My product is very different to the Voices – picture/word portraits of local businesses in well-organised annual directories – but it has much in common (and I have seen copies of their newspapers).
We have quality products, we are experienced journalists in touch with our own communities and we have found that print, done well, still works. Free distribution can reach the whole of a local community – which the internet cannot.
People read our products because they are interesting, professionally done and relevant. We have low overheads, we do not need to make huge profits for shareholders and we have job security,
I guess that like me, Richard and Emma took a huge gamble, work very hard and make a better living than they did in newspapers.
Other journalists should try this – it beats slaving away under great stress with a constant fear of your job being axed by remote managers who currently have no answers to the industry’s troubles.
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Seems a new thread is appearing this week which is one of digital doesn’t pay and an acceptance that maybe hyper
local is the way forward as real alternatives to ad grabber free weeklies that continue to be pushed out by the bigger regional players yet incur huge costs and out of proportion staffing levels to do so, time for the press barons to look at what’s profitable , what isn’t both in terms of product and personnel and cut their cloth accordingly.
Trouble is so many titles are losing money on a day to day week to week basis that if they’re not careful there would only be a handful of publications left, but us that a bad thing? In any other industry only those products that are viable are contributed with, those that aren’t are scrapped.
However it must be a very confusing time for the many yes men wjo populate middle management positions in the regionals and who don’t know who to agree with; those who say print is dead long live digital or those who say digital doesn’t pay long live print.
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Yes, I also think there is much haste in ditching the printed word. In the eighties I launched with a partner a rural free bugle that ran monthly for 20 years until it was sold to a big group which eventually closed it!A good strong advertising team is obviously the way ahead but success only comes if the publication is journalist led. Good local copy that is too often ignored by the established weeklies, and regular features by a variety of the readership, such as a local chef or cook, farmer, gardener or shopkeeper helped to maintain a community link and a loyal following.Even now, many years since it ceased publication I am often told by former advertisers and readers how it is missed!
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@Adam, East: My heart bleeds for those confused yes-men.
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