03 Indie News Week


Jonathan Heawood, executive director of the Public Interest News Foundation, invites NUJ members and branches to celebrate independent journalism


models, disaffected audiences, legal threats. Amid the doom and gloom it would be easy to overlook the great efforts of news providers working hard to inform and empower communities across the UK. Tat’s why, at the Public Interest


W


News Foundation (PINF), we are launching Indie News Week – a celebration of independent news that will include a wide range of online, print, social media and in-person activities in the week from 3-9 June. We want to give people a behind-the-scenes look at the world of journalism to help build trust and engagement. Te idea for Indie News Week was born at PINF’s Indie News Forum back in October 2022. During the following year we worked with the Harrison Agency in Brighton and a group of indie news providers to develop the campaign messaging, which we distilled into the slogan, No News is Bad News™. Alongside Indie News Week, we’re also launching the UK’s first match-


e all know the challenges facing


journalism: failing business


funding campaign for independent news – the Indie News Fund. Participating non-profit publishers will be able to double any funds they raise from their communities during the month of June, up to an agreed limit. Tanks to the generosity of three donors – founder and CEO of NewsNow, Struan Bartlet; the Tinsley Charitable Trust; and the Cobalt Trust – we now have £50,000 in the match- funding pot. We’re also working with the


Bureau of Investigative Journalism to provide training for participating publishers, ensuring they can not only play an active part in this year’s activities, but also develop the skills to hold more events and do more fundraising in future. Tis is all part of creating a positive


cycle where news providers build strong relationships with their communities, generating new stories, new audiences and new revenues from local advertisers, donors and subscribers. So far, 38 independent publishers


across the UK have signed up for the campaign including local news providers as well as those with a focus on climate and LGBT+ issues.


Get involved


NUJ branches wanting to be involved can email Hani Barghouthi at hani@ publicinterestnews.org.uk, otherwise visit the PINF website for more information about your local events. Nick McGowan-Lowe, NUJ national organiser Scotland, will be joining a panel in Edinburgh on Friday 7 June for a day of activities organised by Te Scotish Beacon, a collaborative network of 24 publications based from Shetland in the north to Dumfries and Galloway in the south. Te topics covered include: the future of local news and its role in communities; diversifying the news; and the creation of a Scotish Public Interest Journalism Institute. Book now.


Independent publishers can apply to participate in their local communities and will be given a campaign pack and support throughout the week. Te week’s activities will give communities an opportunity to meet their local journalists and find out what goes into accurate and fair reporting of the lives of their fellow residents.


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