The money will be used to enhance and expand our supporters scheme
Social Spider Community News is one of 50 local media organisations receiving a share of £6million from the government’s Local News Fund.
The fund was launched this year by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) to support “long-term sustainability and growth” in the local news industry.
Social Spider’s application to the fund focused on the development of our supporters scheme across our publications, with an aim to develop structures and systems to double supporter income over a three-year period.
We are now working with an expert consultant to redesign the structure of the scheme so it is simplified and makes a clear ask of reader supporters.
DCMS has supported this project with a grant of £29,559.
Social Spider publisher David Floyd said: “We’re massively grateful to the close to 1,000 people who already make a regular donation to support our vitally important local journalism, and we’re delighted to receive this grant that will help us to both increase our number of supporters and engage better with those we already have.”
The government’s Local News Fund aims to strengthen communities and social cohesion, rebuild social trust, and support local growth by supporting local journalism.
The majority of the first tranche of £6m funding has been awarded to local print and online news outlets and independent local TV and radio stations, with grants of up to £125,000. The money will be used to invest in community outreach projects, digital tools, apps and new multimedia services that can help these organisations reach new and younger audiences while developing more sustainable sources of income.
The grants have been evenly distributed across England and Wales, providing funding support for local journalism in every region.
The remainder of the £6m has been awarded to seven organisations, including software developers and major industry players, to develop infrastructure that can benefit the sector as a whole, with grants of up to £275,000 awarded.
Media minister Ian Murray said: “For decades our local media has remained among the most trusted sources of news. But as the media landscape has become more complex, many outlets have been forced to reduce their numbers or even close. I am determined not to leave local journalism to collapse. This government knows it is critical to communities and fosters a self-confident nation that everyone feels part of.
“Through the Local News Fund we are taking action to help newsrooms innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high-quality, trustworthy news that Britain’s towns and villages deserve and rely on.”
