As posted on
Our Society, NESTA, the innovation agency
is starting a major exploration of the future of hyperlocal media “covering everything from struggling local papers, and reduced local BBC services, through to new Government-backed local TV, and the blogs, online communities and radio stations run by passionate digital activists”.
There is an open call for strategic partners to join NESTA in the programme, and then promise of an open call for funding in March this year. The introduction to the call document says:
“The purpose of Nesta’s programme is to understand the potential for and stimulate a diverse and sustainable UK base of hyperlocal media services that create public value.
“Our work will identify the disruptive technology, business model and content opportunities and challenges for hyperlocal media. Our approach will be predominantly practical – by prototyping the next generation of hyperlocal media services with relevant user-generated content, commercial content, open data, local news, entertainment and sport and content that builds strong local communities”.
I find this exciting. Many neighbourhood blogs capture the conversations and concerns of ordinary people, others simply focus on a given community of interest; but for all that they are vibrant and alive in a way that mainstream media isn’t. Just as importantly they have the potential to grow a new broadcasting model that is citizen-centric.
The Leveson enquiry underlines the crisis in democracy, which is as much about a mainstream media that destroys innocent people, distorts the truth, misinforms the general public and serves the interest of the few. Could the spread of ’hyperlocal media’ disrupt and undermine powerful vested interests? Could we begin to have real conversations about real issues at both a community and national level? The role of national media may be to aggregate a wide range of local media, to tap into conversations and listen rather than dictate an agenda decided by vested interests. Maybe I hope for too much….
I am also wondering whether there is a role for Opendemocracy here, either as an interested observer that plays up and explores new possibilities, or as a strategic partner in the NESTA programme.
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