UK: Glasgow paper rolls out community sites, becomes local database

Posted by Jean Yves Chainon on March 4, 2008 at 10:58 AM
The Glasgow Evening Times is launching a network of up to 80 community sites to cover every major district in the city. 12 sites went live on Monday. With this move, the paper is turning into a local resource and data center, in addition to being a straightforward news source.

They focus on hyperlocal news and rely strongly on databases, including listings for local schools, doctors and events.

Individual readers and institutions are being encouraged to upload content and create community groups online.

"No newspaper in the UK has done anything like this in such wide-ranging detail. It's a massive investment in community news, and we're delighted to be involved with our readers both in print and now online," said Glasgow Evening Times editor Donald Martin.

Martin also insisted on the fact that the mini-sites were those of the readers that created them.

"Whatever is going on will be highlighted on your local site. We're looking for videos to be uploaded of your local fun-run or youth group's day out as well.

"What we want is for you to put your pictures or videos onto your community website, where people can see them."

Clearly, the intent of the Glasgow Evening Times is to gather a maximum of user-generated content and information rather than get its readers to produce actual news.

Source: Press Gazette through European Journalism Centre

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