AOP Microlocal Media Forum

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An increasing number of today's major media groups are giving more emphasis to their local, hyper and microlocal offerings: Associated Northcliffe, Guardian Media Group, Johnston Press, Newsquest, Trinity Mirror and others.

But the prospects for microlocal are by no means certain. Publishers look likely to be in competition for ownership of the space with low or no-cost, community-created initiatives - so how best should they invest in their efforts and leverage their advantages? This forum brought together experts on local and digital publishers to explore what local has to offer UK publishers - what the real opportunities are and how local can be made to pay.

Agenda

Chair's Introduction & Overview: The Local Landscape


Sarah Hartley, Local Launch Editor, Guardian

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• Overview of local
• Profiling the players
• Tends and influences shaping the landscape

Monetising Microlocal


Paul Bradshaw, Senior Lecturer in Online Journalism, Birmingham City University

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• Emerging business models
• Successful and not so successful approaches
• Opportunities and pitfalls
• The independent’s view

Case Study: Newsquest

Roger Green, Managing Director, Digital Media, Newsquest Media Group

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• The potential of Microlocal
• The true costs
• Maximising participation
• Sustaining a business

Panel Debate and Q&A

Moderator: Sarah Hartley, Local Launch Editor, Guardian


Panellists:

• Paul Bradshaw, Senior Lecturer in Journalism, Birmingham University

• Roger Green, Managing Director, Digital Media, Newsquest Media Group
• James Thornett, Executive Product Manager, Local and Location Services, BBC
• Lori Cunningham, Digital Strategy Director, Johnston Press

• David Higgerson, Head of Multimedia, Regional Newspapers, Trinity Mirror



Read our interview with David Higgerson.

More information on the speakers.