Josh halliday

SR2 BLOG will bring together like-minded engaged citizens whose concerns and

interests can be effectively expressed on a collaborative website.

The aim is for a social news site; users (meaning publishers and visitors) contributing to a greater knowledge of Sunderland SR2, its residents, events, businesses and prospects.

SR2 BLOG is a „hyperlocal‟ news website tightly focused

on Sunderland SR2 and contributed to by members of the SR2 residency.

iHyperlocal?

Hyperlocal refers to a burgeoning number of news

websites that cover a geographically smaller area than local, regional, or national media.

What?

i

Sunderland echo patch

Where?

i

Sr2 blog patch

Where?

i

Where?

iNeighbourhoods:

• Ashbrooke

• Hendon

• Ryhope

• Grangetown

• Hillview

• Thornhill

Roughly a 4 miles square area of Sunderland.

Approximate population of Sunderland SR2: 30,000 - 35,000

Approximate population of Sunderland: 280,807

Population of Sunderland source: http://bit.ly/5k0NkV (2001 UK census)

iwhy?

“Fast-changing local news landscape”- Sarah Hartley, Launch Editor, Guardian Local

(why now?)

Source: Ofcom Review of Local Media: Qualitative Findings (July 2009)

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/morr/reviewlocal.pdf [p.17]

A noticeable shift:

• ‘Some titles covering a wider area resulting in some

loss of localised content’;

• ‘Some titles disappearing altogether’;

• ‘Perception of a loss in news content - more advertising,

thinner papers’;

• ‘Prices of newspapers have risen despite some

reduction in content depth.’

iwhy?

(why now?)

“Fast-changing local news landscape”- Sarah Hartley, Launch Editor, Guardian Local

Trinity Mirror launch network of

hyperlocal news sites.Northcliffe launch network of

hyperlocal news sites.Johnston Press launch network of hyperlocal news sites.Guardian launch project hiring

hyperlocal bloggers in UK cities.

Ofcom‟s June 2009 Digital Britain report pushed idea of Independently funded news consortia (IFNC).

iwhy?

(why now?)

“Fast-changing local news landscape”- Sarah Hartley, Launch Editor, Guardian Local

‘Focusing on the potential of the Web to serve geographic

communities should be the driver of future industry innovations and

industry-oriented research.[...]

‘With nearly limitless space constraints, the Web can offer

newspapers the opportunity to provide expansive coverage of

geographic areas without increased material and printing costs. This

geographic focus can be amplified with additional reporting, citizen-

produced news, formal or informal weblogs, and additional etools.’ [...]

‘The challenge to local newspapers in light of dwindling circulation

figures nationwide is to stay geographically relevant,’

Rachel Davis Mersey (2009) ‘Online News Users’ Sense of Community’: Journalism

Practice 3: 3

iwhy?(why sr2?)

Source: Well-researched anecdote (!)

online centres in sunderland

iwho?

Who‟s looking to build what down my street? Is burglary on the rise in Hendon? Why did the church down our road close it‟s doors all of a sudden? What happened with all those sirens whizzing past our house last night?“Typical visitor

Age: 30-60

Household income: £25,000-£40,000

Socio-economic classification: C1C2D

(‘lower middle class’, ‘skilled

working class’ and ‘working class’)

53% sunderland echo

readership female

Aged 35-44

65% C2de (working

class)

Statistics compiled by JICREG,

taken from January - June 2009

Socio-economic classification definitions source: www.nrs.co.uk/lifestyle.html

13.4% of Hendon/sunderland: c1 (lower managerial)

36% of 16 -74 Hendon/sunderland: no qualifications

Statistics: 2001 UK Census

iwho?

Typical contributor

Age: 35-50

Household income: £25,000-£40,000

Socio-economic classification: C1C2D

(‘lower middle class’, ‘skilled

working class’ and ‘working class’)

Membership in local

organisations

Average age of person

using online ‘’community-

oriented networks’ - 46-47

years old.

Time lived in area a factor

A. Kavanaugh et al. (2004)

Socio-economic classification definitions source: www.nrs.co.uk/lifestyle.html

Who‟s looking to build what down my street? Is burglary on the rise in Hendon? Why did the church down our road close it‟s doors all of a sudden? What happened with all those sirens whizzing past our house last night?“

iwho?

23% (of 1017 UK citizens)

accessed news online at least

three times a week – ‘more men,

younger and middle-class people.’

Livingstone & Markham (2008)

Digital Sunderland

66% broadband-connected –

national average 57%Source:http://www.ofcom.org.uk/research/

cm/cmrnr08/uksummary.pdf

2007 Digital Challenge programme

> increased internet access for

‘socially excluded’

But...

online centres in sunderland

iwho?

Why read local news online?

Selected consumer-identified benefits:

• Provides choice and control over local content consumption;

• A one-stop-shop for most types of local content;

• Readily-accessible source, able to access information on demand;

• Natural way to access local information for many participants who

already use the internet regularly in their daily lives

Source: Ofcom Review of Local Media (July 2009)

http://www.ofcom.org.uk/consult/condocs/morr/reviewlocal.pdf

ihow?£££££££

£40.59

Potentially £96 per annum

Critical mass?

Four advertisers / two regular contributors

Then small commissions?

iothers?

Age: 11 months (est. Jan 2009)

September 2009: 2,414 unique page views per month.

Age: 11 months (est. Jan 2009)

October 2009: 40,000 page views per month.

November 2009: Advertising revenue - £70+ per month

Age: 2 years 9 months (est. February 2007)

November 2009: 10,267 visitors per week (30/11 – 06/12)

isuccess?

iWhat

news?

Sunderland’s only 24-hour church closed its

doors and now hosts services primarily online.

Not covered by local, regional, or national media.

SR2 school plans to demolish part of its Grade 1

listed building and build more classrooms.

Not covered by local, regional, or national media.

Every reported crime in a 1 mile square area

over a five week period is mapped.

Not covered by local, regional, or national media.

There‟s more >>

Council refuse plans for four new houses to be built

near Tunstall Terrace, saying it would encroach

onto neighbouring roads and may risk public

safety.

Not covered by local, regional, or national media.

Breaking news.

Not covered by local, regional, or national media.

Takeaway on one of ASB ‘hotspots’ applied to sell

and deliver alcohol, with fierce opposition from

influential local citizens.

Not covered by local, regional, or national media.

Breaking news.

Not covered by local, regional, or national media.

iWhat

news?

green: diary events

orange: aggregated coverage

red: voicebanks

light blue: council documents

dark blue: off-diary

grey: content of community meetings

23/10/09 – 12/12/09 NePhilly.com

iWhat

effect?

A community computer network facilitates civic

participation by providing pervasive local resources online

and by connecting people to local communication and

discussion channels, public and non-profit organization

leaders and members, and many other civic resources.A. Kavanaugh et al. (2004) Participating in civil society: the case of

networked communities

online centres in sunderland

iAny

questions?

Josh halliday, community publisher

http://sr2blog.com

E: editor@sr2blog.com

T: @SR2blog