Rhiwbina Info has been recognised in new research which providesa map of 550 active local and hyperlocal news websites across the UK.
In many cases, hyperlocal sites such as ours are filling the gap left after local newspapers have closed or have cut back their local coverage.
UK Press Gazette reports that over the last ten years there has been a net reduction of 200 in the number of local newspapers in the UK with thousands fewer regional press journalists employed in the industry.
The new sites are generally run by volunteers, with a minority employing professional journalists.
The Local Weblist has been launched by the Carnegie UK Trust and was developed by hyperlocal media consultancy Talk About Local.
Douglas White, head of advocacy at the Carnegie UK Trust, said: “Our work supporting local news provision across the UK has found that small, nimble and largely volunteer-led hyperlocal news providers are making a significant contribution to the volume of independent local news produced in our communities.
“However, many hyperlocals have difficulties with visibility – some people simply do not know that they exist. This free, online directory will help hyperlocals improve their visibility to new audiences and open up new partnership opportunities to help them develop and grow.”
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