John D. Sutter posted a piece on hyperlocal newspapers on CNN's website. Noting the loss of 25,000 newspaper jobs since 2008, Sutter examines the rise of niche papers that focus solely on neighborhood or even block issues.
Many models of hyperlocal news depend on volunteers who immerse themselves in specific or arcane issues that might otherwise be ignored by journalists. A problem with this model, according to folks quoted in the piece, is the risk of bias and conflict-of-interest that would otherwise be caught by editorial oversight as it is traditionally practiced (or imagined).
Another problem? Funding. Beyond the typical responses of nonprofit sponsorship or advertising support, one idea posed by this piece invites readers to select "what stories are worth funding."
Read the entire piece: Future of online news may be 'hyperlocal'
Read a previous blog-post: Hyperlocal news
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