Web 2.0 and the Creation of Local News
Clusters
Gary Graham1
1 Manchester
Business School, University of Manchester.
.
Forecast of UK Regional Newspaper
Market by Volume: 2005-2010
1,800
1,600
Million copies
1,400
1,200
1,000
800
600
400
200
0
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Source: Mintel, 2007, p. 7.
Top 40 UK Regional Newspapers : Average Circulations
Year
Circulation
2001
56528
2002
58356
2003
58767
2004
56438
2005
2006
2007
54795
53014
51111
2008
41,852
Source: ABC/Newspaper Society, 2008, datasets.
% change: - 26%
DATA ANALYSIS: September 2009
Average circulation
41,852
Average unique users
11,123
Convergence
10% multiple
90% dual
0.3
Offline/online ratio
Functionality
Interactivity
80% UGC, 25% Digital
editions, 90% RSS
45% blogs, 35% forums,
30% journalist email
Source: ABC/Newspaper Society, 2008, datasets.
PRODUCERS
PRO-SUMERS
Create, produce
distribute, consume.
Create, produce
distribute.
REVOLUTION
CONSUMERS
Consume
http://www.demotix.com/iranelection
Digital Age Newspapers
Multi-Media Portfolio of News Services
Television
Printed Newspaper
TV-Taxi
Website
Physical Product
Print
newspaper
Mobile
phone
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj8ZadKgdC0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8O-hv3w-MU
Independently financed news
consortia (IFNC’s)
• ITV will stop producing regional news from
2012 – digital switchover is complete.
• January 2010 - 8 bids selected (Scotland,
Wales, Tyne Tees/Border) – 3 pilot
projects: 2011.
OFCOM: Criteria/protocols
RICHARD HOOPER CBE QUOTE:
.... genuine innovation, not just business as
usual; strong multiplatform applications working
together across the web, local newspapers, local
radio and television where appropriate, utilising
each different medium’s special characteristics;
and finally, a revenue generation model that
aspires to longer term sustainability.”
BOTTOM LINE
 £50 – 100 m funding for IFNC’s ... Utilise £130m
under spend licence fee for digital switchover
for disadvantaged groups/elderly.
 3.5% top slicing of the licence fee!!!!
• Independently Financed News Consortia (IFNCs)
Newspapers
News
aggregators
Bloggers/
citizen
journalist
Local TV
Radio
So what are the alternatives?
BLANKET PAYWALLS
UNC-CHAPEL HILL SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM
USD
“WEB 2.0 SOCIAL ECOSYSTEMS/MEDIA ECOLOGY”
ANY QUESTIONS????