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Hyperlocal network expands into three more towns after new hires

nickhudsonA network of hyperlocal news sites is expanding into three more areas after hiring four more journalists.

As previously reported on HTFP, Nub News is aiming to recruit up to 200 journalists in a bid to launch up to 700 news aggregation sites across the UK.

Founder Karl Hancock has now announced the launch of three new Nub News sites in addition to the network’s existing 59 outlets.

The new sites will cover Congleton, in Cheshire, Atherstone, in Warwickshire and Shotley Peninsula, in Suffolk, while Nub News will also be increasing its coverage of Grantham, in Lincolnshire.

The four new journalists have been recruited following a recruitment advertisement on HoldtheFrontPage.

Among them is Nick Hudson – himself a former HTFP reporter as well as a much-travelled former editor – who will be taking charge of atherstone.nub.news in his home county of Warwickshire.

Said Nick, pictured: “The town-in-your-pocket Nub News is giving back local news and views to where it belongs – and should never have left – in the community, and is allowing me to return to my journalistic and home roots.”

He said coverage of the Atherstone Ball Game has already gone down well with the local community with an audience reach of nearly 10,000.

Another experienced journalist joining the network is Derek Davis, who had already founded his own hyperlocal platform, Shotley Peninsula News, following 25 years in local, regional and national journalism.

He said: “My beliefs chime with Nub News’ core journalistic principles and I am keen to help spread this revolution through evolution in Suffolk.”

Also joining Nub News is Tom Avery who will be the regional editor for congleton.nub.news.

Currently the Alsager reporter for independent weekly the Congleton Chronicle, Tom has worked in the Congleton area for three years.

And Darren Greenwood will join the existing Lincolnshire team at the beginning of March to cover Grantham and the surrounding area.

He has 30 years of experience and knows the area well having worked for the Grantham Journal, Stamford Mercury, Bourne Local and the Rutland times.

Karl said all four journalists were hired as a result of the job advert on HTFP.

Said Karl: “HTFP has been incredibly useful to us. I have received over 100 CVs and interviewed over 70 journalists since January.

“My main message to those applying for jobs with Nub News is to do the research beforehand on the town (s) you’d like to cover and, importantly, why they would be suitable for Nub News.

“Ideal towns would be those situated near to our existing towns and/or those small or mid-sized towns where there has been closure or consolidation in the local press.”

4 comments

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  • March 2, 2020 at 9:22 am
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    Great news for the people of Cheshire, Warwick and particularly Suffolk where real opportunities exist , as they do in Norfolk,for a truly hyper local news service which puts local community news ahead of all things digital.
    Grass roots independent community publishing is the future of hyper local regional news in the uk so operations such as Nub News should be encouraged and supported.
    Good wishes to Karl and everyone involved
    …just don’t get too large and please keep it truly independent

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  • March 2, 2020 at 12:03 pm
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    Good news indeed. But then anyone can create a hyper-local news site and, indeed, many have.

    Without wanting to spoil the party giving stuff away for free is the easy part. The big news will be when Mr Hancock has cracked advertising.

    Because he will very quickly eat his way through his investors’ money – and unlike Big News he doesn’t have a network of traditional local newspapers to use as a cash cow.

    Employing journalists is always to be cheered but, as the late great publisher Felix Dennis noted: Overhead walks on two legs.

    If he hasn’t started bringing in money by September (to at least slow down the rate he will inevitably burning his way through) he will run into problems by the start of next year.

    Also, who is his digital news strategist? Like football managers everyone thinks they can edit a local newspaper better then the incumbent (and to fair many would be right!) but there is a skill in getting the growth and mix that are needed to appeal to advertisers.

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  • March 2, 2020 at 12:35 pm
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    Whether it’s online news or a weekly newspaper, whoever’s best serves their local community with back to basic local news at town,village,borough and community level captures the audience/market and that in turn will always attract the advertisers.This is happening all over where local people are walking away from once established newspapers in favour of the provider who’s producing the news they want to read about and with that audience comes the paying advertisers keen to reach those people.

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  • March 2, 2020 at 4:27 pm
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    @Phillip I‘m sure you are right and as long as the product doesn’t simply regurgitate poorly produced press releases than it will fly.

    But how do they advertise? Has there been any research into what local businesses are willing to pay? We’ve heard a lot about the journalists but not the salespeople. Will local ad reps be taken on? Or are the journalists to do that as well?

    And what’s the break even point? And will there be enough advertising? Let’s face it, you could be the greatest local newspaper/website in the world but the estate agents are never coming back.

    I’ve been looking at some hyperlocals and they are very entertaining and well produced but they ain’t newspapers.

    Let’s not put wishful thinking before the hard facts. Yes, it would be great if it succeeds but there is a long hard road.

    So far the industry has relied on the build-it-and-they-will-come model. And when they arrived… what? We know that the web advertising is worth less than print… I just hope someone has done their sums.

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