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‘Why don’t we start our own?’ Kent Barker looks back on 10 years of a free community newspaper set up and run with a low budget and high ideals


Filling the local gaps A


mazingly, the Hastings Independent is 10 years old and has just produced its 250th issue. Amazing because


it began in a local pub with a group of acquaintances decrying the agenda of the Hastings Observer, then owned by Johnston Press. Pleased as some may have been that Hastings did have a local paper, there was considerable dissatisfaction with its politics and its perceived lack of community spirit and involvement. As the cry went up “Why don’t we start our own alternative?”, few could have realised just what this would involve. From the beginning, there was to be a non-hierarchical structure with no overall editor. Each of the 10 or so sections would have its own head. No one except the designer and printer would be paid, and as much input as possible would be sought from local people. This might be thought to be a disastrous recipe for producing a free 24- or 28-page newspaper every fortnight with a print run of 7,000 and an active online edition. But, somehow, the Hastings Independent has not only continued to appear but has thrived, largely due to the dedication and hard work of successive groups of volunteers. There have been some tensions –


largely over what a ‘community’ paper is or should be. Many of the more radical founders have moved on and some are concerned their successors have toned down their initial vision. As one, Sam Kinch, put it: “The


average age and level of financial stability of volunteers has changed significantly… the impact this has had on the editorial position is noticeable – a more ‘grown-up’ voice has emerged, for good or ill.” In other words, most of those with the time and energy to produce the paper now tend to be retired and relatively solvent, which doesn’t entirely reflect the Hastings population.


16 | theJournalist It is true that, along


the way, some of the firebrand radicalism has been tempered. Many may have admired the witty lead headline Rivers of Rudd over a story about the then home secretary and local MP Amber Rudd‘s pronouncements on immigration. But it wasn’t exactly calculated to widen the paper’s appeal among all members of the community. Plus the newspaper


is reluctant to accept ads from national chains or businesses that ‘mistreat or underpay their staff, or operate against the interests of the community’. Coupled with the lack of money to employ advertising sales staff or fundraisers, it means that only about half of the £1,500 fortnightly costs are covered by ad revenue. The rest has to come from the modest subscriptions of ‘friends’ and special supplements or events.


This affects the commitment to training and mentoring aspiring local journalists. Two years ago, the paper had an extremely successful self- funded placement from the journalism course at the University of Sussex. But the university organisers now – not unreasonably – insist their students are paid, which the paper simply cannot afford to do. This autumn, Hastings Independent Press is planning to run two six-month internships for local people in the hope that they will subsequently continue in the profession with full NCTJ training. But, currently, it cannot even offer them expenses for travel around the area to cover stories. Time spent seeking grants or


“


contributions takes vital time needed for the actual production of the paper.


Quite apart from the fortnightly job for all section heads – commissioning stories, editing copy, fact checking, subbing for publication, sourcing illustrations, submitting to a flat plan, checking captions and credits etc – when the 7,000 copies are delivered to someone’s garage, there’s the task


The newspaper is reluctant to accept ads from businesses that mistreat or underpay staff, or operate against the interests of the community


of dividing up the bundles and harnessing teams to walk, cycle or, if necessary, drive round the area to distribute them to shops, pubs, cafes or other outlets. The fact that very few copies are returned is testament to the popularity and respect for the paper locally. Against the backdrop of continuing


cuts to local papers and the warnings from the cross-party Commons report on the sustainability of local journalism about concomitant threats to local democracy, it would seem that small community newspapers like the Hastings Independent could well be the best way forward. But they desperately need funding – not least to enable the next generation of journalists to get a foot on the ladder.


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