CN Group plans next stage of hyperlocal news sites

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Regional newspaper publisher CN Group will launch the next phase of its hyperlocal news network next week.

The publisher has created 13 websites focusing on community news and will set sites covering the Grange-over-Sands and Windermere areas live next week.

The network of sites, which carry area-specific news stories from reporters with CN Group's newspapers, have been under development since July this year, when the first title, Maryport Local , was launched.

The next step is to increase the amount of content added to the sites directly by community groups and residents, Nick Turner, head of digital content development, told Journalism.co.uk.

Theatre groups, parish councils and local authorities are already uploading event listings and local information to existing sites and the publisher is also in talks with local police to get community support officers involved, he added.

The publisher is planning a series of community meetings to inform locals about the sites and offer training in how to create and upload their own content.

"It's all part of a review of how we [CN Group] interact with out communities," explained Turner.

"This has been a natural progression from the traditional 'district reporter' model. We've moved on, to the extent that we're saying, it'd be great if you [the reader] could log onto our website and upload your news and we'll perhaps use it in the paper as well," he said, adding that the community contributors give reporters 'more eyes and ears on the ground'.

Publishing information directly from sources does not conflict with the papers news coverage, 'as long as it's labelled and it's clear that we reflect all sides of the debate', he said, echoing the ideas raised by academic Jane Singer at the Digital Editors Network earlier this month .

The growth of the community sites has been aided by a new content management system, Polopoly , recently implemented by the publisher, which can build sites quickly and deploy relevant content to them, said Turner.

Local advertisers have also been keen to get involved with the project, he said, adding that low-cost advertising options suitable for smaller businesses are being offered for space on the sites.