Poynter. » Hyperlocal

In EveryBlock’s legacy, the promise and limits of hyperlocal success

Jeff Sonderman — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 16:07:55 +0000

Hyperlocal news and community discussion site EveryBlock closed Thursday, as NBC News announced it struggled to become profitable and was not a “strategic fit.”

The closing was a surprise to everyone outside the company, and many people immediately began … Read more

The hard truths of hyperlocal journalism reveal themselves in Journatic trouble

Jeff Sonderman — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 11:32:22 +0000

It’s become clear that Journatic has some problems: Using incorrect or fictional bylines, plus plagiarism and fabrication of news.

But what if it didn’t?

Could Journatic’s model of cost-efficient outsourced journalism offer a viable future for hyperlocal news? If … Read more

How hyperlocal sites handle ‘micro-news’ in their communities

Anna Tarkov — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 15:09:08 +0000

We’ve become familiar with the way Journatic — and the news organizations that outsource to it — are gathering and publishing local “micro-news” like school lunch menus, death notices, high school sports scores and real estate transactions. But we wondered: … Read more

Chicago Tribune discovers plagiarism, suspends work with Journatic

Julie Moos — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 02:11:58 +0000

Vouchification | Chicago Tribune | Williamsburg Yorktown Daily | Illinois Times | Gazebo News
One of Journatic’s editorial leaders, Mike Fourcher, announced Saturday morning that he has resigned from the outsourcing company because he and the company’s founders “fundamentally disagree … Read more

Hyperlocal news sites mature as founders of Baristanet, Dallas South News move on

Tracie Powell — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 20:03:54 +0000

In as many months, two pioneers of hyper-local news websites have decided to leave those sites for jobs in the public sector. Debbie Galant, who launched Baristanet.com eight years ago, announced earlier this week that she’s accepted a job at … Read more

Departure of Baristanet founder doesn’t portend changes, says editor

Steve Myers — Mon, 09 Jul 2012 21:43:52 +0000

With founder Debbie Galant taking a new job at Montclair State University, where she’ll join “an ambitious effort to nurture digital and hyperlocal journalism in New Jersey,” Baristanet co-owner Liz George now has a busier summer ahead of her.… Read more

Schachter: ‘Hyperlocal is not what the New York Times’ business is about’

Steve Myers — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 21:13:38 +0000

Capital New York | Nieman Journalism Lab
Capital New York’s Joe Pompeo reports that The New York Times will end “The Local,” its two hyperlocal collaborations with New York University and CUNY, and the schools will take over the two … Read more

The rise and fall of Windy Citizen

Andrew Beaujon — Mon, 18 Jun 2012 18:46:03 +0000

Windy Citizen
Brad Flora is closing down Windy Citizen for a couple of reasons, “but the main one is that for some time now it has cost more to keep up than it’s been generating revenue-wise,” Flora writes in a … Read more

Why some hyperlocal sites struggle to attract audiences, generate revenue

Andrew Chavez — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 20:31:40 +0000

Reports about the death of hyperlocal have been greatly exaggerated.

That was the takeaway from a panel of entrepreneurs and observers of hyperlocal and local news sites at a South by Southwest Interactive panel Monday.

Local news sites continue to … Read more

Former Patch editor says wall between editorial & advertising was too high

Andrew Beaujon — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 18:19:12 +0000

Columbia Journalism Review
Sean Roach reflects on his stint as editor of Tarrytown-Sleepy Hollow Patch. The 60-hour weeks were invigorating, he says, even if advertising was a frustration. Rather than feeling muscled by the folks in shiny suits, he … Read more