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July 14, 2020
Bureau Local
In this day and age, where does one look to for a trusted source of news? With the proliferation of social media platforms it’s become virtually impossible to know, with any confidence, which of them holds content that can be trusted. And ironically in this age of global tech company domination, these issues of trust are probably easier to resolve the more local the source. And that may explain the steady rise of hyper-local networks of journalists committed to speaking truth to power. An interesting example which seems to be spreading its reach is Bureau Local.
The Bureau Local is a people-powered network setting the news agenda and sparking change, from the ground up.
Over the past three years we have set out to make sure news is working for everyone and to do so, we’ve been changing the way it’s done. Whether it is austerity or Brexit, health or education, people across the UK experience inequality in their treatment and how their stories are told, if told at all.
That’s why we focus our journalism on shining a light on the power, decisions and policies that threaten the public interest of all people across the UK.
We have worked together with a network of people across the country, those who want to build a bright future for news, and have co-created an open manifesto for collaborative news.
At the Bureau Local, our collective promise is:
We will report on inequality and the communities, institutions and services under pressure in the UK – those harmed, ignored and under-represented.
We will do this by making our journalism open, inclusive and human-centred from start to finish.
We will collaborate, co-create and share space, resources and experience with active members of a community – journalists, storytellers, experts and engaged citizens.
We will harness data and evidence and use innovative techniques to find and tell stories so they are accessible for everyone.
We are just one solution to the challenges facing local news and so we will focus our resources on stories where collaboration can make a difference.
We will tell stories that matter to local people but are also part of a bigger picture in order to reveal threats to the public interest and challenge power at the highest level.
We will do all of this to ensure that our journalism is useful to society and improves access to information – locally and nationally – on underreported issues.
We will work to ensure that our reporting lifts off the page, and then returns to our communities – and those with power – to spark change.
Does this sound like something you want to be part of? Join the Bureau Local network, here.