Innovate Local. A new program for spreading actionable ideas.
ONE PRACTICE AT A TIME.
PRESENTED BY WAN-IFRA.
Next webinar Oct 2 @ 15.00–15.40 CET
Creating powerful local content: How DC Thomson use data journalism to track the vitality of city centres
This case is an excellent example of how newsrooms can produce data to underpin valuable local journalism. Scottish city centres have been hard hit by the pandemic, high fuel costs and online shopping – something which the data journalism team at DC Thomson wanted to cover in a comprehensive way. The work involves painstaking and continuous on-the-ground mapping of local high streets to produce structured data. This is then published as interactive high street trackers alongside engaging stories about the people and businesses involved. The initiative won the team the Best Data Visualisation award at the WAN-IFRA Digital Media Awards Europe 2024.
Presented by Lesley-Anne Kelly, Head of Data Journalism
Our latest case!
Achieving sustainability: Implementing a revised business strategy for a growing newsroom – a methodology
A visit to Bergen, Norway proved a pivotal moment for senior management at Austrian local media group Russmedia, one of most progressive local news companies in the German speaking world. What the leaders found in Norway was a fresh approach for both reader and advertising revenue to support its local newsroom. In this webinar we learn about the strategy itself, its deployment as well as insights and challenges along the way.
Life after Print and Breaking Data themes at first ever Innovate Local in person event at #WNMC
During our 90 minute session at the World News Media Congress in Copenhagen, we heard three cases on from local publishers on two different topics.
Life after print
The Big step in digital transformation is stopping print – and do it with a vision! La Presse in Montreal started that process in 2013 with the launch of a tablet version and completed it in 2018 when the presses were permanently turned off. François Cardinal (top right) told us that a key success factor was choosing and sticking to the strategy, preparing readers for it and executing to plan. Read full case.
Breaking data
Markus Rask Jensen described how Amedia in Norway "turns data into gold" by producing and distributing hyperlocally relevant stories. "Location is king – hyperlocal is better than just local." Full case
Gabriel Kahn of Crosstown in Los Angeles described what they do: "With a newsroom of two part-time journalists, we deliver 114 unique newsletters each week – one for each neighborhood in LA." Full case.
Recent cases
Creating powerful local journalism: How Borås Tidning’s investigative team builds community connections while driving conversions and supporting the brand
Attracting local advertisers: How Amedia is reviving traditional recruitment and real estate advertising, delighting readers with local opportunities
Driving conversions: How arts has boosted subscription sales at Hamburger Abendblatt
Expanding hyperlocal coverage: Growing local newsletter portfolio with automation
Freeing up newsroom time: How Amedia’s AI sandbox will allow reporters to do more
Attracting local advertisers: How an innovative ad product creates value for readers and local businesses at Bonnier News Local
Reaching young readers: How Stavanger Aftenblad covers junior football like it’s the Champions League
Local media for the 21st century
The first global program for local media
Innovate Local is the only truly global program for local media professionals.
It’s built on WAN-IFRA’s mission to support a free and independent press.
We’re building a global hub for knowledge sharing and networking around the future of sustainable local journalism.
And we invite you to be part of it.
Tired of waiting for the silver bullet for local news?
Innovate Local is where you want to be.
Through this program we'll share the best ideas, drawing on our global network of local publishers.
Simply join, listen, hopefully be inspired and feel free to copy the idea!
The program is about exploring how local media can become indispensable to local people and businesses by:
– Leveraging data and AI
– Deploying user needs models
– Drawing on new formats for storytelling
and the journalism product
– Developing relevant advertising products
– Developing additional revenue streams
- Two compact webinars a month.
- Regular schedule.
- One publisher case each time, looking at one solution.
- Recordings and resources will be collected here.
What is Innovate Local about?
We're keeping it simple.
Innovate Local is open to everyone and free for WAN-IFRA members.
Who is the program aimed at?
Innovate Local is for anyone working in a news media company operating in its own geographical community – anyone involved in the business of journalism close to home.
What do you get when you join the program?
You get access to two case webinars a month (live and on demand) with documentation. We're also building a community of local publishers exchanging ideas and experiences on a dedicated Slack channel, moderated by our experts.
Not a WAN-IFRA member? Learn about the benefits of being one.
A WAN-IFRA membership costs €800/year for an individual. Corporate memberships start at €1,600.
Non-members get a 3 month free trial to try Innovate Local, register here. After that the program costs €2,800 a year for six seats.
Interested in becoming an Innovate Local Tech Partner?
“We very much welcome a program with focus specifically on the challenges and opportunities of local journalism. We’re always on the lookout for new ideas and inspiration, and we look forward to the chance of sharing our own learnings with peers around the world."
Markus Rask Jensen, Chief News Officer, Amedia, Norway
Our tech partners
Some of the topics we cover in the case webinars
• Product development around community interests like local sports
• Serving local readers relevant stories through geo segmentation
• Ad packages for local advertisers in jobs, real estate, family related services like funeral services
• Using AI and automation to surface, sort and present more public data
• Nurturing and growing reader groups through newsletters
• Using new story-telling techniques to bring in young readers
• Local impact journalism
• New products like events and B2B
• Branding, marketing and community outreach.
• Working on inclusivity in order to reflect all local communities
• Programmatic advertising and self-service for the local SME segment.
• Print distribution development