SWDN hosts Community Reporter workshop

Stop the press! News was being made when a group of local residents joined South West Durham News (SWDN), publishers of the Ferryhill & Chilton Chapter, Shildon & District Town Crier, the Bishop Press and Spennymoor News, for our first ever community reporting session last weekend.

Drawn from across our distribution area, the participants packed into Bishop Auckland College’s McIntyre Centre to learn more about how local journalism is made.

The workshop was designed to be a taster session for volunteer contributors interested in bringing to life the stories, events and people in their neighbourhoods.

It was inspired by a similar scheme that operates in part of Leeds and the editor and co-founder of the West Leeds Dispatch (WLD), John Baron, together with WLD community reporter Jean Hollings were also on hand to share their experiences.

SWDN managing editor, Archie MacKay said the afternoon had proved a great success and the workshops would continue next Saturday too.

He said, “It has been a long-held ambition of SWDN to extend the team into our communities and to share even more of the positive stories we know are out there.

“So we are absolutely delighted to have been joined in our workshops by participants from every one of the communities we serve.

“We know there are so many great things happening in our towns and we also know that we have readers who are interested in learning how to tell those stories.

“And while connecting readers to the great things happening in our communities is at the core of what we do, we are also keen to support and campaign for our communities when they have matters of concern they wish to address. If these workshops prove successful, we hope to develop a more in-depth course that will dive deeper into the journalism tools that will help not only share the good news, but will ensure we are able, as communities, to hold those in power to account.”

The first workshop was facilitated by experienced journalist, Sarah Hartley who has worked for regional newspapers such as The Northern Echo as well as the Guardian Media Group and now produces the environment newsletter The Northern Eco.

She explained that the taster sessions were intended to be a glimpse into the way local news is generated and would provide participants with media skills they could use in the community.

“I started my career working on the sort of community news which SWDN produces and appreciate the vital links to local decision making, events and connection this sort of grassroots journalism generates.

“Community reporters are the eyes and ears of neighbourhoods and a vital resource to counter the sort of misinformation many people now encounter online or via social media.”

As well as delving into the types and sources of news, the group explored the way news stories are presented and written.

The second of the workshops will also be considering different styles of writing along with the thorny issue of so-called ‘fake news’.

As Mr MacKay has said, SWDN intends to continue running workshops in the New Year and is currently seeking funding to support running free-of-charge sessions for volunteers.

As a community interest organisation, SWDN doesn’t have shareholders and relies on local advertising for revenue with any profits going back into the business.

It is intended that the voluntary community reporters will help to expand and deepen the newspapers’ coverage and continue to provide readers with the sort of news they’ve come to rely on.

There’s more about the scheme and interviews with Archie, Sarah, John and Jean being broadcast on Bishop FM on Thursday.

Please note: Although this Saturday’s workshop is already fully booked, if you’re interested in taking part in future events, we are collecting a waiting list. Email sarah[@]swd[.]news or sign up here to express your interest.