How do I love thee, local news? Let me count the ways...
As part of its #LoveLocalNews campaign, Bureau Local showcases stories from around the country
Local journalism is a crucial source of trusted information in times of crisis, and local reporters are often particularly skilled when it comes to holding elected officials to account. We’ve seen these instincts displayed by many local journalists at the daily Downing Street coronavirus briefings.
The coronavirus pandemic has reminded us just how important local journalism is, whilst also putting it under unprecedented pressure financially. Supporting and fighting for the local news industry has always been central to the Bureau Local’s mission. That’s why we launched our #lovelocalnews campaign to showcase the very best of local journalism and the difference it makes to communities across the UK.
In partnership with the National Union of Journalists, the Independent Community News Network and the Public Interest News Foundation, we asked people to share their favourite articles with us, using the hashtag #lovelocalnews. The many submissions we received highlighted the unique role that quality local journalism fulfills and the huge range of reporting that simply wouldn’t happen without local and hyperlocal publications. We’ve read and shared as many of these as possible, and we’ve also curated some of the most interesting and impactful work, below.
As part of our #lovelocalnews campaign, we also held an online panel event to discuss and share ways for local publications and journalists to support each other through the crisis and beyond. The panel was chaired by Richard Sambrook, former Director of Global News at the BBC, and featured Matty Edwards from the Bristol Cable, Leona O’Neill, journalist and columnist at the Belfast Telegraph and Irish News, and Robyn Vinter, founder and editor of The Overtake and social affairs correspondent at The Yorkshire Post.
The discussion focussed on collaboration, funding, innovation and community engagement, with positive and forward-looking strategies being shared by the panel and the many local journalists who attended. You can watch a replay of the event here.
Bureau Local will continue to add its voice to all those supporting the local news industry, by celebrating the best of local journalism and collaborating with partners across the UK to help protect the wider news infrastructure.
