The Exeter Daily, a 'citizen journalism' based news site launched by former Northcliffe editor Marc Astley in October, has passed the 100,000 unique-users mark.
Astley said that the site now averages around 15,000 “hits” a week.
The business is privately funded and is intended to be a franchise model. A sister site to Exeter was launched in Plymouth 12 weeks ago and Astley said other launches were “imminent”.
Astley said he has received encouraging feedback about his venture from internet entrepreneur Derek Sivers, who founded a website called CD Baby and sold it 10 years later for $22m dollars.
Astley said Sivers told him: "I am excited about the potential of the Daily UK."
Astley worked for Northcliffe for more than 20 years and was latterly editor of the Exeter Express & Echo.
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