Local newspaper liveblogs its own newsroom

Posted by Elizabeth Redman on February 5, 2010 at 12:59 PM

Local newspaper the Northampton Chronicle and Echo is today running a day-long live discussion with readers about what's going on in its newsroom.

Using the liveblogging software Cover-it-Live, which the newspaper has previously used to cover sporting events such as the away games of local teams, editorial staff plan to interact more directly with readers.

News editor Daniel Owens is leading the discussion, which is designed to allow readers to interact with the paper's journalists and to find out what happens every day in the newsroom, with staff explaining which stories they are covering and why. It also aims to allow readers to have their say on local news stories and take part in shaping the coverage in the following day's newspaper.

Owens has this morning posted a list of stories that the reporters are currently working on and invited feedback. He has also fielded questions from readers about election coverage, local council reporting and local investigative reports.

He asked readers what the newspaper could do to improve, and suggestions included more coverage of the local arts scene and podcasts featuring local bands.

The software allows for reader polls. The newspaper posed the question, "Would you be willing to pay for online content in the Chron?" At 12.45pm, 61% of respondents had said no.

The publication is not new to attempts to engage readers through web 2.0. It maintains a
Twitter account, which it used to promote the liveblog.

Sources: Journalism.co.uk, Northampton Chronicle & Echo