Sneak Peak: Indie News Week 2025!
- Beckie Shuker
- 6 days ago
- 3 min read
Indie News Week is almost upon us! Find out what local indie news providers are cooking up in your area...
Outlets in PINF’s network and beyond are gearing up for the second annual Indie News Week! Indie News Week is a celebration of independent, local news nationwide, demonstrating the necessity of local indie news outlets by highlighting the huge value they bring to local communities.
We believe that no news is bad news! INW intends to establish trust in local media and build connections between them and their local communities, safeguarding the future of independent news providers in the UK.
While Indie News Fund is paused for this year, we’re thrilled to see activities in all four nations of the UK with 30 participating outlets. More than 25 events are taking place around the country and while some publishers are still fine-tuning the details, we couldn’t wait to share a sneak peak of some of the Indie News Week events coming your way!
Kicking off proceedings on Monday 9th June, the London Newsmakers - a collective of independent news publishers in London - will host an evening of talks and Q&As co-hosted by Goldsmiths, University of London and featuring Jim Waterson (London Centric), Azeez Anasudhin (London Daily Digital), Dorothy Stein (Salamander News), Marco Marcelline (Waltham Forest Echo), Tabitha Stapely (Tower Hamlets Slice) and Terry Kirby (Senior Lecturer, Goldsmiths).
Over on the Isle of Wight, The Island Echo and Isle of Wight Observer are joining forces for two events on Friday 13th, a ‘Meet the Editors’ Q&A and a hotly anticipated ‘State of the Island’ panel with decision-makers including MPs, local council-leader and business execs.
QueerAF are teaming up with podcast platform Acast on Wednesday 11th June for their ‘how to tell better LGBTQIA+ stories in podcasting’ event in London, chaired by editor Jamie Wareham and featuring Phil Samba, Holly Newson and Ki Grissin. Audio producers should head over for an insightful panel and the opportunity to connect with fellow community members.
In the Northwest, Blog Preston are holding an ‘Evolution of Blog Preston’ event on Friday 13th June, inviting readers to learn more about a planned new look and give their input to the future of the Blog.
In South London, local news outlets the Greenwich Wire and Salamander News are holding two events the discuss the future of local news in South East London. On Thursday 12th June they’ll be at Mycenae House in Blackheath and a week later on Thursday 19th June they’ll be in Lewisham.
The hugely popular West Leeds Dispatch cafe-quiz night is back at Truly Scrummy on Horsforth Town Street on Tuesday 10th June – with free entry and tough questions!
Welsh-language hyperlocal publisher Golwg is going to be really busy with loads to take part in. They will be supporting the people of Pontypridd to share local news, reaching out to women of all backgrounds and cultures to share their stories, investigating the origin stories of their ‘papurau bro’ monthly papers and even holding a fair to promote new outlet Wrecsam360 – phew!
Some publishers are taking the opportunity to connect with their readers and get out into their communities. The Eastbourne Reporter are taking to the local library to meet with readers and hear their stories and Cambridgeshire's Hi Hub will be found outside the Tesco in Histon on Friday 13th June raising awareness of the outlet and listening to local people’s needs from the outlet.
On Friday 13th June (lucky for some?), the Greenwich Wire will be getting out into nature to connect with the local community, taking a guided walk of Greenwich Park. Members can sign up through their newsletter – we're keeping our fingers crossed for a nice sunny day!
Other outlets are bringing the public into their own newsroom-homes! The Bristol Cable will be inviting paid Members to an event to help shape the news at the publication.
The West Leeds Dispatch are holding an open newsroom day on Thursday 12th June, inviting community members to come along and help the outlet physically map out local events.
This year’s campaign will also see publishers hold online events to connect with their audiences, with Bylines Network holding an important panel discussion on ‘Equality and Diversity in Media and Journalism’ on Monday 16th June, with speakers including Diane Kemp, Jennie Kermode, Mike Findlay-Agnew and Shirish Kulkani.
Belfast-based ViewDigital will hold an online webinar to introduce their new Community Journalism project and hear from readers and online outlet the Canary are hoping to hear from chronically ill and disabled readers to find out how best to support these communities through webinars on Wednesday 11th June.
Even more events are yet to be announced - so watch this space for the full map as we launch this year's campaign to re-engage communities with local news across the country!
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