June has seen the 14th birthday of the Salford Star since the first print issue in 2006, and 15 years since the community centred publication was first conceived...
This month has also seen the Star receive $5,000 from the Google News Initiative Journalism Emergency Relief Fund*, which, together with fantastic regular donations from the Swinton based Mary Monson Solicitors and an array of readers, means the immediate future of the Salford Star has been secured.
The Google News Initiative was set up to support news publishers all over the world, including hyper-locals...
"Local news is a vital resource for keeping people and communities connected in the best of times" says Richard Gingras, Google VP of News "Today, it plays an even greater function in reporting on local lockdowns or shelter at home orders, school and park closures, and data about how COVID-19 is affecting daily life. But that role is being challenged as the news industry deals with job cuts, furloughs and cutbacks as a result of the economic downturn prompted by COVID-19."
The Salford Star was alerted to the Relief Fund by the Independent Community News Network (ICNN), which also helped during the lockdown with securing key worker identities for local journalists.
The ICNN is currently trying to persuade the Government to include local independent news outlets in its public health advertising campaign, which would also help to financially support hyper locals...
"Local independent news providers are the most trusted source of news in the media" the ICNN states on its petition** "However, over 95 per cent of them have received zero support from the Government since the start of the Lockdown.
"While £35m has been allocated to the 'newspaper industry' in order to save lives by providing essential information to the public, and support the press, this money is not reaching the local independent news sector" it adds.
The Salford Star's readership during the lockdown almost followed exactly the coronavirus cases curve, with a huge rise in April figures, while it's now levelling off to its normal levels. This shows how people are turning to the very local press in times of crises.
* For more information on the Google News Initiative Journalism Emergency Relief Fund - click here
**To sign the ICNN Save Local News Petition – click here
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