Hyperlocal matters at the Digital Editors’ Network

Hyperlocal issues came up at the last Digital Editors’ Network with talks from PA, MSN Local and myself looking at different aspects of local news and information.

• Tony Johnston from the Press Association gave an in-depth presentation to explain the proposed Public Service Reporting proposal. Most reports on this have concentrated on the potentially massive cost of £18m it would require to roll this out across the country. There’s good reports on this by PaidContent and Journalism.co.uk. I was struck by the potential a scheme like this could offer to hyperlocal site operators. 1. By making material freely available to all (instead of by subscription to newspaper clients), bloggers and independent news sites would have the same verifiable source material as all of the other media outlets so adding the capacity that sites with small staff are crying out for. 2. If it was rolled out across the country then hyperlocal site operators could bid for the tenders and so create a revenue stream for their work as previously unpaid council reporters.
• I felt a wave of unease moving across some of the audience during Alastair Bruce’s presentation about, Microsoft’s local website. As it was reported earlier in the summer, Microsoft is hoping to form partnerships with local newspapers and other news providers to offer its users hyperlocal news within its MSNlocal environments. The fact the site carries property listings in a far more user-friendly, attractive and deeply content rich way than many local newspaper websites looks like it will be a source of disquiet to regional editors. But maybe the stylish way data is visualised – heat maps for crime stats for instance – could be welcomed as providing a stimulus for more creative treatments by newspapers in the future.
• I gave an update on the ongoing research I’ve been doing tracking developments in the hyperlocal sphere with a quick run through of some of the industry moves made in this area over the summer as well as a canter through some hyperlocal and collaborative initiatives which have caught my eye. The full slideshow is available here and, to explain the images, below is a list what struck me about those blogs and sites which led to me including them in the talk.

They Work for You.
Good example of the sort of sites and tools which help people carry out their own investigations or inquiries and track activity of interest to them and/or their networks or communities.
Politics Cymru.
If a service isn’t available – start it. The three Dewis are producing regular vodcasts and blog posts to provide independent news service from the Welsh assembly.
Ventnor Blog.
Husband and wife team use skype to provide coverage of their local council – something they have been doing for a remarkable four years.
Pits ‘n’ Pots.
Also putting the local council under scrutiny and allowing some of the voices not previously heard to have a platform in Stoke on Trent.
Help Me Investigate.
Another example of a site which provides the tools and means for people to undertake their own investigations by collaborating with others.
The Culture Vulture.
A new take on the tired old listings format. With its innovative use of Twitter and by sourcing the sort of unusual experiences its users value, the Yorkshire blog is working hard on the social.
People’s Voice Media.
Providing support and training to empower community reporters across the north west and work towards to establishment of social media centres.
East Salford Direct.
The CNN of East Salford taking hyperlocal to television.