Independent community media organisations in Wales are set to benefit from a slice of a £100,000 fund aimed at supporting local public interest journalism.
The Welsh Public Interest News Accelerator is supporting up to ten organisations committed to delivering locally relevant public interest news and promoting growth in the Welsh community news sector.
The funding, which involves grants of up to £9,400, is provided by the Welsh Government and will go towards paying publishers for their time producing public interest news.
The grant is being facilitated by Ping! News CIC – a community interest company set up by the Independent Community News Network (ICNN) and Bristol-based developer Omni Digital. Ping! aims to support sustainability in the independent community news sector.
Deputy director of ICNN, Matt Abbott, said: “We’re delighted independent community news publishers in Wales are receiving financial support to carry out the vital watchdog journalism which is so important in a vibrant democracy.
“It will allow them to continue their in-depth reporting on local town halls and decision-makers, shining a light on issues important to local communities. In a sector dominated by big publishers, this fund is more important now than ever.”
The accelerator will support organisations committed to covering, councils, courts and the local justice system, health boards, fire authority, police crime commission, and other statutory agencies.
It will also consider applications that will help drive audience engagement; mentoring programmes; a constructive focus on young people; knowledge transfer; coaching; employing freelancers and growing mobile and AI journalism capabilities.
Details on how to apply the scheme are available on www.pingnews.uk. Applications from independent publishers are welcome until 11:59pm on 6th August 2023.
Last year a £100,000 Public Interest News Fund supported eight existing public interest news providers on their journey to becoming sustainable, as well as seed fund a community news start-up organisation and provide an emergency pot to titles experiencing an emergency or technical problems.
For further information contact grant administrator John Baron at [email protected] or call 07446 968140.
