News sites are reviving local journalism on Substack

(CLO) In the early 19th century, the UK capital London had dozens of daily newspapers. But today, the change in format of newspapers has marked the end of daily local news in print.

London newspapers are moving away from print to online formats to save costs and reach a wider audience. But the shift away from print has also created a general sense that local journalism is stagnant.

A new crop of London news sites has emerged to address this, most of them powered by Substack.

Substack is a centralized publishing platform for news organizations and journalists, and a way for newspapers to make money through reader subscriptions. With no ads, Substack is an environment where quality content trumps “shit,” “sensationalism,” and “clickbait.”

Illustration: Londonist

One of them is The Spy, whose fortnightly newsletters take a sharp look at hot-button issues, such as the collapse of London's 24-hour culture, the latest push to pedestrianise Oxford Street, why locals are banning outdoor dining in Soho...

Another publication, The Londoner, does exactly what each news organization does, reporting locally. Instead of making general reviews, they delve into the details of a specific issue. Another local news site, The Manchester Mill, is also doing well on Substack. Its early articles included investigative pieces about local wrongdoing that were very popular with readers.

A seasoned journalist, Jim Waterson built his career at the Guardian and BuzzFeed. Now, he founded London Centric to ask: “What if journalists actually had the time to investigate the powerful people in our cities? What if there was a news organization that tried to analyze the real story instead of just reporting it?” In just about a month, the site has delivered several exceptional articles, including a look at why London’s 5G signal is so bad.

Another Substack publication, The Minute comes out every morning at 7am with a simple, concise summary of all the important London news. It takes just over a minute to read, as author Michael MacLeod always knows how to judge what’s worth knowing. Veteran blogger IanVisits’ The London Buzz offers a similar service in the evenings.

Meanwhile, Dave Hill's local news site OnLondon covers news from City Hall and other aspects of London politics , as well as tackling related stories. The paper relies on reader donations rather than advertising.

Ngoc Anh (according to Londonist)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/cac-trang-tin-tuc-dang-hoi-sinh-bao-chi-dia-phuong-tren-substack-post320683.html