Neil Brown4d ago

# Future of news is local, says Culture Secretary, as she launches the first action plan to back local news in a generation

> For example, new tools and software - such as adtech, apps or better website architecture - could help local media tap into new or younger audiences and revenue streams...

Wait, the government is spending £12m of taxpayer money to help news sites fund *adtech*?!

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/future-of-news-is-local-says-culture-secretary-as-she-launches-the-first-action-plan-to-back-local-news-in-a-generation

Future of news is local, says Culture Secretary, as she launches the first action plan to back local news in a generation

First local media strategy in a generation guarantees up to £12m funding for local media’s digital innovation, for community radio and to fill ‘news deserts’

GOV.UK
Show threadNeil Brown4d ago

I'd happily pay ~£10/month for a local news website, which:

- has informative, not clickbait, headlines
- was ad-free (a classifieds section is fine)
- does not require an app, and works well in all browsers including text mode browsers
- has full text RSS

Our local news site is none of these.

Show threadNeil Brown

Things which do not make a local news site better:

- ads, and adtech

Mar 17 at 7:22amWeb
Show threadLuke4d ago
@neil - LLM generated news items.
- shady ‘sponsored’ articles
Show threadwikiyu4d ago

@neil

  • Ads for "local government connected companies" with assumtion "You write in line of your local council or you are cutted out of money" aka real case of local newspapers in Poland