All Sections

View and post jobs in journalism
  • Platforms
  • Publishers
  • Comment/Analysis
  • Editor's Pick
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Broadcast Journalism
    • Digital Journalism
    • Magazines
    • Media Law
    • National Newspapers
    • People
      • Appointments
      • Obituaries
    • Regional Newspapers
  • Press Gazette Podcast
  • British Journalism Awards
  • Press Gazette Email Newsletter

In the news

  • Platforms
  • Publishers
  • Interviews
  • Marketing
  • About us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • RSS
Close
[mashshare]
Skip to content
  • About us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • RSS
All sections

Search

Search pressgazette.co.uk

Close

Press Gazette

Subscribe to our email newsletter Journalism email newsletter
  • News
  • Comment
  • Data
  • Platforms
  • Publishers
  • Marketing
  • Awards
  • Jobs

Menu

  • Platforms
  • Publishers
  • Interviews
  • National Newspapers
  • Regional Newspapers
  • Digital Journalism
  • Broadcast Journalism
  • Media Law
  • Magazines
  • Wires and Agencies
  • Obituaries
  • News
  • Comment/Analysis
  • Jobs
  • British Journalism Awards

In the news

  • Platforms
  • Publishers
  • Interviews
  • Marketing
Close
MPs' expenses: Telegraph scoop still 'stands as a testament to power of investigative journalism' decade on
Newsquest grows profits to £108m after free paper closures in 2018
May 8, 2019
  • Digital Journalism
  •    
  • Media Business
  •    
  • News
  •    
  • Regional Newspapers
  •    
  • Social media
  •    

Reach appoints first community news reporters under Facebook-funded scheme

By James Walker Twitter

Share this

  • Tweet
  • Share 0
  • Reddit
Comments
1
Facebook

Reach has appointed its first community news reporters paid for by a Facebook-funded scheme run by the UK’s main journalism training body.

The publisher of the Mirror, Express and Star newspapers is set to receive 28 out of a total of 82 local reporters being hired through the Community News Project and paid for by a £4.5m grant from the tech giant.

Timeline

  • January 15, 2021

    Facebook Instant Articles format boosts article readership by third, Reach finds

  • December 17, 2020

    Facebook told Full Fact to remove fact-check ratings on doctored video of Keir Starmer during election

  • December 15, 2020

    Facebook News: US publishers happy with cash for content - but say project is a 'PR move'

Its first community news reporters have been placed in counties and cities across the country – including Bristol, Derby and Surrey.

Facebook revealed it would be funding project in November, pledging to pay the salaries, expenses and training costs for new journalists.

Behind Local News, a blog run by publishers, has reported that recruits from the scheme will go on a “Facebook bootcamp” in the summer before starting training with the National Council for the Training of Journalists.

Speaking to the website, new Derbyshire Live community reporter Ria Tesia said: “I am thrilled to be a part of the Reach family. I am an avid reader of the Derby Telegraph and have been since university.

“I look forward to working with a talented team whose warm welcome has already made me feel like a valued member of the team.”

Wales Online hire Kynaat Awan added: “I look forward to the training I will receive and making those important contacts in the community. I hope to grow in my confidence and writing skills throughout my experience.”

Rival regional publisher Newsquest has also taken on its first set of community news reporters, including a 36-year-old from Poland now living in Bicester. It will take on 23 reporters in total under the scheme.

The breakdown of community reporters being assigned to publishers is as follows:

  • Reach – 28 reporters
  • Newsquest – 23 reporters
  • JPI Media – 19 reporters
  • Archant – four reporters
  • Midlands News Association – three reporters
  • Kent Messenger Group – two reporters

The Barnsley Chronicle, Newbury Weekly News and Maidenhead Advertiser will all be getting one community reporter each as the situation stands.

The Community News Project will be led by Independent executive editor Will Gore from June on behalf of the NCTJ.

Picture: Reuters/Eric Gaillard

SIGN UP HERE FOR

MEDIA MONITOR

Press Gazette's weekly email providing strategic insight into the future of the media

Subscribe

Related Stories

  • Regional non-daily ABC figures for last six months of 2018 in full
  • Recruiting begins for first Facebook-funded community reporters with post covering Grenfell Tower fire borough
  • ABCs: UK local weekly newspapers lose print sales by average of 11.2 per cent
  • Regional ABCs, weeklies: Reading Chronicle is one of five UK local weekly newspapers growing in print

Explore these topics

  • Facebook
  • NCTJ
Browse, search and add journalism jobs
Comments

1 thought on “Reach appoints first community news reporters under Facebook-funded scheme”

  1. Local Editor says:
    May 8, 2019 at 6:04 pm

    Still annoyed about this.

    The companies that are responsible for the demise of local news get propped up and support by a platform they don’t understand… yet the local independents who are championing digital are ignored.

    Has anyone else noticed how some of these companies are also making people redundant… while also employing new journalists paid for by someone else?

    Yes I’m smarting but I think that’s totally justified.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More content

Post a job on Press Gazette

Most Popular

  1. The new Trump bump: How Newsmax CEO Christopher Ruddy and far-right outlets are taking on Fox News
  2. The Times Lucy Fisher On the Record: Times defence correspondent Lucy Fisher - 'Working in news is the best job in the world'
  3. PA wins High Court injunction against union issuing 'fake' press passes to 'citizen journalists'
  4. Cash for conspiracies: How David Icke, 'alternative' media and tech giants make money from coronavirus conspiracies
  5. GB News launch: Why advertisers are positive about new anchor-led news channel for UK

Latest Jobs

  • Editor in Chief, Scottish Sun
  • Features Producer, Economist Radio
Newsquest grows profits to £108m after free paper closures in 2018

© copyright 2021 Press Gazette Ltd. Made in Taiwan.