Slides from my presentation at the Community Journalism Conference in Cardiff, January 2013

1. Hyperlocal Media &
Community Journalism
– the UK opportunity
Damian Radcliffe
January 2013
Web: damianradcliffe.com
Twitter: @mrdamian76

2. My perspective
• 17 year‟s in commercial, public, regulatory and non-profit media
• Roles in Online, TV, Radio, Technology and Telecoms
And across:
• Research, Policy and Regulation
• Broadcasting and Digital Content
• Digital Inclusion and Adult Learning

3. 2012: what a difference a year makes
5 developments to note

4. 1. A richer research and asset base

5. Use of hyperlocal websites is growing, but this is still an emerging sector
1. A richer research base http://stakeholders.ofcom.org.uk/market-data-
research/market-data/communications-market-
reports/cmr12/market-context/UK-1.98
Source: http://www.pewglobal.org/2012/12/12/social-networking-popular-across-globe/

6. 2. A step change in funding

7. "The idea of local TV is a complete disaster and
3. Local TV edges nearer anybody going into it is completely nuts.
You can't invest enough money to make it look
good, but if it doesn't look any good people think
it is amateurish and don't want to watch it."
Kelvin MacKenzie
• DCMS passed legislation providing new
powers to Ofcom to award local TV and
spectrum licences for Local TV.
• On 10 May 2012, Ofcom invited applications
for the first 21 Local TV licences.
• The bidding round for these first licences
ended on 13 August 2012 and Ofcom
received 57 applications for Local TV content
licences and four applications for the Local
TV multiplex licence.
• Ofcom is now in the process of awarding
licences, and the first Local TV services
expected to be on air by Autumn 2013.
http://www.culture.gov.uk/what_we_do/broadcasting/7235.aspx
Image: http://regmedia.co.uk/2012/05/11/local_tv_map.png
Kelvin via Press Gazette: http://bit.ly/gA4lVk

8. 4. What would Leveson say?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2012/
aug/15/hyperlocal-media-regulators and
http://meejalaw.com/2012/08/13/damian-radcliffe-
hey-regulator-leave-those-hyperlocals-alone/

9. Well, as it happens, not much on this front….
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/nov/29/leveson-report-
http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/whats-a- published-and-brooks-and-coulson-in-court-live-coverage
leveson-asks-the-internet-2012112951244

10. 5. Q: When is hyperlocal not hyperlocal?
A: When it’s outsourced.
Via: http://jcstearns.tumblr.com/post/27168409067/chicago-tribune-suspends-use-of-journatic-as-a
“Over the last two or three years, the Chicago-based content provider has infiltrated
dozens of mid to major newspapers across the country and obtained contracts to
produce so-called "hyperlocal" news content. Those deals often lead to a horde of
firings of editorial staff at those news organizations, as some full-time office-dwellers
cede work to a small army of low-paid freelancers living all around the globe.
Had editors at these newspapers requested a meeting with the individuals producing
this new content, they'd have racked up a staggering amount of frequent flier miles.”
Ryan Smith
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/06/adventures-journatic-new-media-outsourced-hyperlocal-news

11. 2013: maintaining the momentum
5 ideas for moving forward

12. 1. Facebook First
Hyperlocals are typically Digital First by default.
Should consider being Facebook First.
• Where the audience is.
• Rise of social sharing.
• Younger skew.
• Potential audience + revenue (?) growth.
• Conversations already taking place.
“Facebook is where people, by and large, have decided to
go for their first-stop online community activities.
Which begs the question:
Why have a separate site, and try to drag people away
from Facebook? Why not go where they are?”
http://rockvillecentral.com/2011/02/rockville-central-is-moving-join-us.html/

14. 2. Print is Dead. Long live Print.
Superman quits print to go online
Via: http://reformpublicnotices.tumblr.com/

15. The potential for Reverse Publishing is often unrealised.
• Reaches digitally excluded. "Ground > Cloud > Print”
= “the Printernet”
• Skews older - audience more interested in local. US blogger
Michael Josefowicz
• Understood medium by advertisers/funders. http://toughloveforxerox.blogspot
.com/2009/03/new-opportunity-
• Historical record for future generations. for-print-in-printernet.html
• Revenue potential
- e.g. print only advertisers and special commemorative editions.

16. 3. Local Media Networks
Journalism doesn't need reinventing, but resources need reallocating.
Local TV, Community Radio and Hyperlocal publishers are all struggling to find
sustainable business models. Yet they have similar aims, ethics and aspirations.
So, why not work together?
• Shared content • Multi-platform and multi-media
Some potential benefits
potential
• Joint advertising • Collective audience size
• Agreed audience measurement • Impact of shared campaigns
and engagement metrics
• Role in pushing audiences around • Greater likelihood of being able to
local ecosystem and helping them access the BBC £5m p.a. pot for
discover new content / sources. local content.

17. The Superstation
COMMUNITY RADIO
IN THE UK
Speysound
shmuFM
Mearns FM
AM
FM
Sunny Govan R Edinburgh
Dunoon CR Insight R Garrison
Leith FM
Awaz FM Revival R
Celtic Music AM Black Diamond
Bute FM
Pulse CR Brick FM
3TFM
Lionheart R
Spice FM
Alive R NE1 FM
Utopia FM
Bishop FM
Drive 105 Greater London
R Hartlepool
Desi R– Southall
R Teesdale Cross Rhythms Hayes CR - Hayes
Aldergrove & Antrim FM Drystone R Community Voice On FM – Hammersmith
Holywood FM Bang – Stonebridge & Harlesden
Catterick Garrison FM
XLFM NuSound R – Newham
Feile FM Radio Failte
Blast 106 Resonance FM – C London
BFBS Lisburn Diversity
Lisburn City R Voice of Africa - Newham
Indigo FM Westside CR – Southall
Shine FM Down FM
Ballykinler FM Pendle CR Rinse FM – Inner London
Vixen Seaside R Reprezent – S London
Iur BCB JCom Tempo
Preston FM Betar Bangla – Tower Hamlets
West Hull CR
Crescent Phoenix FM Asian Fever Generation Radio – Lambeth
Chorley FM Branch FM Greenwich Kasapah – Greenwich
KCC Live Oldham CR Redroad FM Sine FM Streetlife Radio – Waltham Forest
Greater Manchester & N Cheshire 7 Waves R Penistone TMCR
Salford CR Point FM Gtr Manc. Burngreave CR
Tudno FM R Lindum
All FM – South central & East Manchester & N Ches. Sheffield Live
Flame CCR Boundary Sd Siren FM
Wythenshawe FM Halton FM Moorlands Amber Sd
Tameside CR Cheshire FM Canalside
Takeover Kemet R
Pure R – Stockport Erewash Sd R Dawn Gravity FM
Bolton FM Calon FM
Cross Rhythms R Ikhlas R Faza
Peace FM – Hulme Tulip R
Rossendale Radio Hermitage FM
Ambur R EAVA
North Manchester FM The Eye Future R
WCR TCR FM
Gaydio - Manchester Takeover R
Raaj FM Big City Wayland R
Unity Radio – central Manchester SACDA R Kohinoor FM
Unity FM Demon FM HFM Huntingdon CR Blyth Valley
The „Bridge Switch New Style R
R
Zack fm
Corby R
The Hillz RWS fm
R Plus BigglesFM
Youthcomm R Inspiration FM
IntoBeats Cambridge 105 Ipswich CR
Diverse FM CAM Felixstowe
Gloucester FM Radio LaB
OX4 Leisure FM Colchester Garrison
BRFM (Blaenau Gwent) Inspire R
Stroud FM Saint FM
R Verulam
Swindon 105.5 R Awaaz Vibe
Afan FM GTFM Phoenix FM
Bristol C FM Marlow FM
R Tircoed R Cardiff Asian Star
Ujima FM
1 Ummah
BRFM
Bro R Somer Valley FM Greater London Academy
BGWS
Salisbury Plain Suzy Sunlight CSR
Glastonbury FM Garrison Castledown R Aldershot Garrison
AHBS
Voice Meridian Academy
10Radio
Skyline CR
Unity 101 Uckfield FM Rye
Express FM
Forest FM
Phonic FM The Bay The Park Angel R Havant R Reverb
Hope FM Seahaven
Cross Rhythms Plymouth Angel R IOW
Soundart R
R St Austell Bay
The Source
Radio Scilly

18. 4. We need more research and analysis
• How many sites are there?
• What is the size of the hyperlocal
audience?
• How many people 'work' in the sector?
• Civic impact and value
• Capturing local Facebook traffic
• And local Facebook conversations
• Non-English language case
studies

20. 5. And Big Media needs to play a role
“Citizen journalism is no more a replacement for professional journalism than
teabags are a replacement for water. Both can stand comfortably alone,
but when combined they produce something quite wonderful.”
Clyde H. Bentley, Associate Professor, University of Missouri School of Journalism
http://www.kcnn.org/research/citizen_journalism_back_to_the_future/
Funding, the move to mobile, media law and other training all matters
But where can we see the biggest difference and impact?
• Deep linking
“When minorities and women and
• Credit where credit is due people who have known poverty
and misfortune first-hand are authors
• Payment and Acknowledgements of news, as well as its readers,
the social world represented in the
• Diversity of voices and stories news expands and changes.”
• Promote new talent Sociologist Michael Schudson
http://mashable.com/2011/11/10/citizen-
journalism-democracy/
- Do this and the rest will follow…

21. Thanks for listening
www.damianradcliffe.com
www.slideshare.net/mrdamian
www.twitter.com/mrdamian76
www.linkedin.com/in/damianradcliffe
Image: http://streetfightmag.com/wp-content/uploads/27.jpg