Strong Journalism. Stronger Communities.
Local journalism is about where people live and what matters in their daily lives. How can local media become a real part of locals’ lives by connecting in and to the community? We’ll hear from three local newsrooms who are driving reader engagement and loyalty by proving the value of their journalism, in the physical world and online, every day.
Södra Dalarnes Tidning, a Bonnier Local News site in Sweden, won the country’s Investigative Journalism Award in 2024 for a simple but impactful idea. The newsroom set up an online diary where readers could follow every step of its 9 month investigation into the mismanagement of local nursing homes.
Across the DC Thomson group in Scotland, newsrooms let their journalism take centre stage in the community – creating conversations around their investigations and driving change by involving local stakeholders.
German media group CORRECTIV takes their journalism to the people by setting up pop-up newsrooms in local communities to engage directly with those affected by the stories. They also run cafés where locals can meet reporters, anchoring the newsroom in the community, building trust and engagement.
AI veterans from two of Scandinavia’s most innovation driven media groups – Amedia and Schibsted – will share best practice around methodology, building AI tools and putting them into practice. The Local Media Lab will be an interactive session, with plenty of opportunity to ask questions and share ideas.
We’ll explore aspects like:
What problems does AI solve, and how?
What are examples of particularly impactful AI tools?
How do you create a workable AI roadmap for your newsroom?
How do you empower journalists to use AI creatively?
So you can speed processes up – what are you going to do with the time that’s freed up?
A solid strategy to drive digital transformation is key for any local media company. In this session we focus on how the way we work, iterate and collaborate can actually become a cornerstone of the strategy itself. We’ll hear from media companies who are taking bold action to drive change, from betting on a dedicated investigative team to switching the press off in order to change newsroom work practice.
For the past few years, the core of Newsquest’s editorial focus has been to build loyalty among local readers, which means producing more content in a real local context. In parallel, AI in the newsroom presents an efficiency opportunity but also an upskilling challenge. Newsquest is navigating the work environment changes by embracing journalists’ question “What’s in it for me?”
Danish local media group Nordjyske Medier are in the middle of implementing a bold strategy to transform the media house into a 100% digital and sustainable business. This means a break with old habits and the decision to close the print newspaper in 2027.
Borås Tidning in Sweden is proving that investigative journalism can produce a net positive also for smaller local news publishers. The three person investigative team collaborates with the rest of the newsroom to produce stories that drive twice as many conversions as other articles, while supporting the news title’s brand and mission.
Armed with a day full of insights and inspiration, participants – and speakers – will break into smaller groups to talk about their own challenges and exchange ideas. The workshop is a chance to explore opportunities for innovation in newsrooms – in the journalism we produce, in how we work and how we show up for our local communities. The goal is for all participants to bring home actionable ideas.
