Two Welsh media businesses have secured more than £90,000 in UK Government funding to develop new journalism services, including an artificial intelligence tool to identify potential news stories and a programme to expand community reporting and digital publishing.
Wrexham Dotcom Limited and Coast Community Radio and Media CIC, which operates Bayside Radio in Colwyn Bay, have been awarded a combined £90,526 through the UK Government’s Local News Fund.
The investment will support projects designed to help local news organisations embrace new technology, strengthen their journalism capabilities and develop new ways of reaching audiences.
Wrexham Dotcom Limited has secured £34,436 to develop an AI-powered tool that monitors publicly available information and alerts journalists to potential news stories.
The technology is intended to support the news-gathering process by identifying developments that may warrant further investigation or reporting.
The project demonstrates how artificial intelligence could be used to support local journalism, particularly in newsrooms where resources are limited and journalists must monitor a wide range of public information sources.
By helping journalists identify potential stories, the technology could create opportunities to improve the efficiency of news gathering while allowing editorial teams to concentrate on verification, investigation and reporting.
Meanwhile, Coast Community Radio and Media CIC has been awarded £56,090 to build on the established local news and community information services provided by Bayside Radio in Colwyn Bay.
The project will extend the station’s existing journalism activities through new partnerships, improved audience insight and expanded digital publishing capabilities.
The investment is intended to strengthen the organisation’s ability to produce and distribute local journalism, while exploring new opportunities to connect with audiences across different platforms.
Both projects reflect some of the wider challenges facing local media organisations as news consumption increasingly shifts towards digital platforms.
Traditional local publishers and broadcasters have faced growing pressure on established business models, with changing audience habits and declining revenues affecting the resources available for local reporting.
For smaller independent media businesses, investment in technology and digital capabilities could provide opportunities to reach new audiences, improve operational efficiency and explore more sustainable sources of income.
The two Welsh projects form part of the UK Government’s £6 million Local News Fund, which has been established to support innovation and sustainability across the local journalism sector.
Announced during Journalism Matters Week, the funding programme is a central element of Amplify: The Local Media Action Plan, which sets out the Government’s approach to supporting the future of local journalism.
The initiative aims to help news organisations adapt to changing audience behaviour, develop new digital services and strengthen the availability of trusted local reporting.
The Government has also highlighted the importance of local journalism in providing scrutiny of public institutions, informing communities and supporting public trust.
Media Minister Ian Murray said:
“For decades our local media has remained among the most trusted sources of news. But, as the media landscape has become more complex, many outlets have been forced to reduce their numbers or even close. Our vision is for a thriving local media in Wales and across the country, reporting on the issues and perspectives that matter to communities and providing invaluable trustworthy information.
“Through the Local News Fund we are taking action to help newsrooms innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high-quality, trustworthy news that Britain’s towns and villages deserve and rely on.”
The investments in Wrexham and Colwyn Bay illustrate two different approaches to developing local journalism.
Both projects will provide opportunities to explore how smaller Welsh media organisations can adapt their services and strengthen their relationships with audiences as the local news industry continues to evolve.
