A daily newspaper has recruited 150 bloggers for an online platform featuring stories written by community reporters which are then used in two weekly newspapers that it publishes.
The Liverpool Echo launched Liverpool Communities as an umbrella to its 41 hyperlocal sites launched in September which cover areas such as Merseyside, Aintree, Old Swan and Edge Hill.
Stories and content from the hyperlocal websites are used in The Star which is inserted into the Echo on Tuesdays, and Merseymart which covers the south.
The newspaper has recruited 150 local bloggers who will contribute to the websites in addition to the 40 community reporters, including local politicians and police officials, currently providing content.
Communities editor Jo Kelly said: “The feedback from readers has been absolutely fantastic.
“There is an immense hunger for hyperlocal community news; people want to know what is going on right on their doorstep.
“We hope that going forward they will be able to take real ownership of their websites and printed publications.”
Twelve more hyperlocal websites are expected to launch in the coming months as traffic grows across the network.
Content from the websites is promoted through social networking sites and contributors can upload their photos via Flickr.
Other contributors to the websites include the fire service and local community groups.
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Something for nothing. Why do those involved fall for it? Start your own hyper-local sites and at least you have the potential to make some money
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Fire your journos; persuade the gullible bloggers to seek their 15 minutes of fame, and then get your “Communities Editor” to tell everyone how wonderful it is.
Little wonder that paying readers are deserting the regional press in their droves.
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Hyperlocal… more like HyperHypercritical!
For ‘communities editor’ Joe Kelly to try and claim ‘There is an immense hunger for hyperlocal community news; people want to know what is going on right on their doorstep.’ is unbelievable tosh.
This from the employee of a company which has just shut down two local newspapers – the Maghull Star and the Bootle Times. So if there is such ‘immense hunger’ for hyperlocal community news and there are people wanting to know what is going on right on their doorstep’ then, great, let’s close the very local papers that were supposed to be doing just that.
Hyperlocal? What is that anyway – perhaps the next logical step for the Echo is go Superhyperlocal and gets reports of what time people are having their tea. Should make fascinating reading.
Community reporting is nothing new. Papers have always relied on local people to furnish them with news from their area – in other words ‘parish pump’ but it is and never will be any substitute for real journos doing their job and unravelling what the real issues are in any community.
As for ‘Platforms’ – get me the next train out of here!
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