Collaborate with other actors

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Local news journalists are putting themselves at the service of their readers to help bring out solutions. Rue89 Strasbourg has thus carried out several field operations in working-class neighborhoods to listen to residents and bring up issues. A recently renovated neighborhood had completely disappeared from all service platforms – based on GPS coordinates – due to a change in street names. Following the publication of the article in the newspaper, the problem was resolved very quickly.


Collaborating with national media is also a way for 99 acres database local media to showcase their expertise. The BBC is collaborating with British local news media. 150 journalists have been recruited from local media “to be local democracy journalists”. They cover news in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and provide content used by 900 local media outlets.

“The BBC pays the salaries of journalists assigned to local newsrooms. This allows us to have good coverage of local politics and exchange good practice. Partner media have access to BBC content, produce local content and we share datasets,” explains Matthew Baraclough, Head of this Local News Partnership.

1,500 articles are produced per week, 99% of which are used by at least two partners. The budget is £8 million, 5 of which is covered by the BBC.

“LNP is a huge contribution to the news ecosystem in England and this organisation is replicable. It is already the case in New Zealand (12 journalists) and Canada (105 journalists),” adds Matthew Baraclough.