University News Last updated 24 February 2012
A media revolution sweeping the UK - led by a growing army of ‘citizen journalists’ - is to be investigated by a leading expert from Birmingham City University as part of nationwide research looking at how connected communities are driving an alternative creative economy.
Dave Harte, who runs the unique MA in Social Media at Birmingham City University, is set to examine the rise of a new wave of citizen-produced local news websites, often referred to as Hyperlocal websites, who often successfully rival professional media in breaking local news.
In a sister project colleague Dr Paul Long, an expert in media and culture at Birmingham City University, will examine how better connected communities help drive the UK’s vibrant creative economy. The work is set to inform policy-makers at the highest level.
Dave Harte, from the Birmingham School of Media, says while traditional media hits the headlines a quiet revolution is happening at the grassroots – and is set to transform how people will get their news in the near future.
“Over the last few years we’ve seen a huge growth in websites that cover quite small geographic areas,” said Dave. “This ambitious project gives us a chance to understand their value, economic or cultural, to the UK media landscape.”
"In Birmingham alone there are some fantastic examples of Hyperlocal publishing. Sites like the B31 Voices and Bournville Village covering Bournville, Northfield and Longbridge between them often get to stories quicker than the established press.
“A blog such as Digbeth.org has been fantastic at representing its community and has been the key to raising the profile of that area's arts and culture offering and shows the potential of Hyperlocal as a new model for local journalism.”
The research project is backed by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) after announcing the largest investment to date into the Connected Communities Programme, with three new projects that aim to transform the way that communities interact with the cultural and creative economies of the UK.
Birmingham City University will play a significant part in two of the projects. As part of the ‘Media, Community and the Creative Citizen’ project, Dave Harte will lead the research strand that examines the rise of a new wave of citizen-produced local news. The University will receive up to £225,000 for its contribution to the Hyperlocal project and will work with partners Ofcom and Birmingham-based Talk About Local during the 30 month project. Other project partners include Cardiff University - who will lead the overall project - University of West of England, Birmingham University, Open University and the Royal College of Art.
While Dr Paul Long, also from Birmingham City University, will support another AHRC-funded project: ‘Cultural intermediation: connecting communities in the creative urban economy’. Projects funded in this strand will involve active participation by local community groups and will help to “shape, generate and engage” with community initiatives to offer potential benefits to policy-makers plus cultural and creative businesses.
All the three Connected Communities projects involve a wide range of creative, cultural, community partner organisations and researchers from a wide range of arts and humanities and other disciplines based at fourteen universities across England, Scotland and Wales.
Professor Mark Llewellyn, AHRC Director of Research said: "The three projects indicate the innovative ways in which research teams are engaging with the Connected Communities programme and the opportunities it offers for enhanced collaboration between research organisations, creative businesses, cultural sectors, local communities and networks.”
He added: “”Every day millions of people in the UK do something creative, from painting to studying their family history to singing in choirs or producing photographs or artwork. These creative individuals, and the community activities that develop around them, play a crucial role in sustaining the vibrancy of the UK creative economy, as well as enhancing quality of life.
“These three new projects look to research these intangible cultural assets, the importance of different forms of connectivity within and between creative communities and their role in local economies, community cohesion and broader well-being.”