Hyperlocal
Encyclopedia
The term hyperlocal can be used as a noun in isolation or as a modifier of some other term (e.g. news). It connotes having the character of being oriented around a well defined, community scale area with primary focus being directed towards the concerns of its residents. When used in isolation it refers to the emergent ecology of data (including textual content), aggregators, publication mechanism and user interactions and behaviours which centre on a resident of a location and the business of being a resident. Use of the term originated in 1991, in reference to local television news content.
This type of content should be contrasted with local news
which tends to be less geographically constrained.
There are other types of data which have local or hyperlocal relevance, or be of interest to residents - e.g. a government statistic on crime rates in one's neighborhood. Such data, while relevant to residents are of a qualitatively different type.
Hyperlocal sites can focus on very specialized topics—stories and issues of interest only to people in a very limited area. So, for example, school board meetings, restaurant
, community group
meeting and garage sale
s can receive prominent coverage. Forumhome.org, for example, focus on issues likely of interest only to the few thousand residents of the small New Hampshire
towns it serves. Hyperlocal sites may also focus on particular issues. For example, NewWest.net focus on issues relating to balancing economic development
and environmental concerns in quickly growing towns in the Rocky Mountain West such as Boulder, Colo.
, and Bozeman, Mont
(see Exhibit 4.3). “Our core mission is to serve the Rockies with innovative, particularly journalism
and to promote conversation that help us understand and make the most of the dramatic changes sweeping our region,” the site notes. Much of the content on NewWest.net comes from freelancers and citizen contributors.
Many of the best known hyperlocal sites have sprung up independently, but larger media companies are increasingly interested in the concept as well. The largest hyperlocal network of sites is run by Patch Media, a subsidiary of AOL
. Another model for a national company running hyperlocal sites is franchising
, such as is being done by 2010 startup Main Street Connect
.
The Gannett newspaper chain is also making a commitment to developing hyperlocal sites. Rob Curley
, who has been called the “hyperlocal guru” for his previous work in Lawrence, Kan.
, and Naples, Fla.
, joined washingtonpost.com in part to develop hyperlocal sites for that paper. The first Curley-led washingtonpost.com effort focuses on Loudoun County
, a fast-growing suburb in Northern Virginia
.
These hyperlocal sites will include detailed searchable community events calendars and restaurant information, a complete listing of churches (including 360-degree inside views and recordings of sermon
s) and police blotter information updated every day. “Knocked down mailboxes will be newsworthy,” Curley promises. “What we’re doing is taking the local and treating it like it’s the superstar.” Others at washingtonpost.com have high hopes for the hyperlocal sites. “It's a big effort,” says managing editor Jim BRADY. “When you take our daily traffic and combine it with Rob Curley’s expertise—if it can’t work here, it can’t work anywhere.”
Some journalists, not surprisingly, are skeptical of the hyperlocal movement’s focus on the often mundane information of daily life. Hyperlocal “has the potential to trivialize a media organization’s brand and further saturate news sites with myopic local (and frequently unedited) content, perhaps at the expense of foreign and national reporting,” said article in American Journalism Review
. Still, media companies are searching for new ways to reach audiences with content that interest them, and hyperlocal definitely holds that potential. The BBC’s Van Klaveren says journalistic organizations need to embrace both the so-called “big-J Journalism” and the hyperlocal: “We need to move beyond news to information.”
Targeting local markets involves either shedding or leveraging corporate identity:
Wikis have also played a role. In April 2010, the Wahoo Newspaper partnered with WikiCity Guides
to extend its audience and local reach. “With this partnership, the Wahoo Newspaper provides a useful tool to connect with our readers, and for our readers to connect with one another to promote and spotlight everything Wahoo has to offer,” said Wahoo Newspaper Publisher Shon Barenklau.
Some others initiatives are made for this purpose in the USA by the company Marchex, and in FRANCE by the network ProXiti. They are developing networks of thousands hyperlocal news sites like www.10282.net (Manhattan 212) or www.75016.info (paris 16eme arrondissement).
In response to the burgeoning number of hyperlocal news sites in New Jersey, The Citizens Campaign
founded the Hyperlocal News Association (HNA). The HNA works to foster and encourage growth of new hyperlocal sites across the state.
Hyperlocal content
Hyperlocal content, often referred to as hyperlocal news, is characterized by three major elements. First, it refers to entities and events that are located within a well defined, community scale area. Secondly, it is intended primarily for consumption by residents of that area. Thirdly, it is created by a resident of the location (but this last point is discussed because for example a photo can be hyperlocal but not locally produced).This type of content should be contrasted with local news
Local news
In journalism, local news refers to news coverage of events in a local context which would not normally be of interest to those of other localities, or otherwise be of national or international scope.-Television:...
which tends to be less geographically constrained.
There are other types of data which have local or hyperlocal relevance, or be of interest to residents - e.g. a government statistic on crime rates in one's neighborhood. Such data, while relevant to residents are of a qualitatively different type.
Hyperlocal sites can focus on very specialized topics—stories and issues of interest only to people in a very limited area. So, for example, school board meetings, restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
, community group
Community Group
Community Group are a British political party in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, founded in 2001. The Community Group has four councillors serving on Doncaster Metropolitan Borough council....
meeting and garage sale
Garage sale
A garage sale, also known as a yard sale, rummage sale, tag sale, lawn sale, attic sale, moving sale, or junk sale, is an informal, irregularly scheduled event for the sale of used goods by private individuals, in which "block sales" are allowed, so that sellers are not required to obtain business...
s can receive prominent coverage. Forumhome.org, for example, focus on issues likely of interest only to the few thousand residents of the small New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
towns it serves. Hyperlocal sites may also focus on particular issues. For example, NewWest.net focus on issues relating to balancing economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
and environmental concerns in quickly growing towns in the Rocky Mountain West such as Boulder, Colo.
Boulder, Colorado
Boulder is the county seat and most populous city of Boulder County and the 11th most populous city in the U.S. state of Colorado. Boulder is located at the base of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at an elevation of...
, and Bozeman, Mont
Bozeman, Montana
Bozeman is a city in and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. The 2010 census put Bozeman's population at 37,280 making it the fourth largest city in the state. It is the principal city of the Bozeman micropolitan area, which consists...
(see Exhibit 4.3). “Our core mission is to serve the Rockies with innovative, particularly journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
and to promote conversation that help us understand and make the most of the dramatic changes sweeping our region,” the site notes. Much of the content on NewWest.net comes from freelancers and citizen contributors.
Many of the best known hyperlocal sites have sprung up independently, but larger media companies are increasingly interested in the concept as well. The largest hyperlocal network of sites is run by Patch Media, a subsidiary of AOL
AOL
AOL Inc. is an American global Internet services and media company. AOL is headquartered at 770 Broadway in New York. Founded in 1983 as Control Video Corporation, it has franchised its services to companies in several nations around the world or set up international versions of its services...
. Another model for a national company running hyperlocal sites is franchising
Franchising
Franchising is the practice of using another firm's successful business model. The word 'franchise' is of anglo-French derivation - from franc- meaning free, and is used both as a noun and as a verb....
, such as is being done by 2010 startup Main Street Connect
Main Street Connect
Main Street Connect is an American community journalism company specializing in hyperlocal media, that is located in Norwalk, Connecticut, and currently operates several town-based news web sites in Fairfield County, Connecticut...
.
The Gannett newspaper chain is also making a commitment to developing hyperlocal sites. Rob Curley
Rob Curley
Rob Curley is the current President and Executive Editor of Greenspun Interactive, the new-media division of the Las Vegas Sun and Greenspun Media Group...
, who has been called the “hyperlocal guru” for his previous work in Lawrence, Kan.
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
, and Naples, Fla.
Naples, Florida
Naples is a city in Collier County, Florida, United States. As of July 1, 2007, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's population at 21,653. Naples is a principal city of the Naples–Marco Island Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated total population of 315,839 on July 1, 2007...
, joined washingtonpost.com in part to develop hyperlocal sites for that paper. The first Curley-led washingtonpost.com effort focuses on Loudoun County
Loudoun County, Virginia
Loudoun County is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, and is part of the Washington Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county is estimated to be home to 312,311 people, an 84 percent increase over the 2000 figure of 169,599. That increase makes the county the fourth...
, a fast-growing suburb in Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
.
These hyperlocal sites will include detailed searchable community events calendars and restaurant information, a complete listing of churches (including 360-degree inside views and recordings of sermon
Sermon
A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts...
s) and police blotter information updated every day. “Knocked down mailboxes will be newsworthy,” Curley promises. “What we’re doing is taking the local and treating it like it’s the superstar.” Others at washingtonpost.com have high hopes for the hyperlocal sites. “It's a big effort,” says managing editor Jim BRADY. “When you take our daily traffic and combine it with Rob Curley’s expertise—if it can’t work here, it can’t work anywhere.”
Some journalists, not surprisingly, are skeptical of the hyperlocal movement’s focus on the often mundane information of daily life. Hyperlocal “has the potential to trivialize a media organization’s brand and further saturate news sites with myopic local (and frequently unedited) content, perhaps at the expense of foreign and national reporting,” said article in American Journalism Review
American Journalism Review
The American Journalism Review is a U.S. magazine covering topics in journalism. It is published six times a year by the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, College Park. The AJR has been owned since the late 1980s by a foundation of the university...
. Still, media companies are searching for new ways to reach audiences with content that interest them, and hyperlocal definitely holds that potential. The BBC’s Van Klaveren says journalistic organizations need to embrace both the so-called “big-J Journalism” and the hyperlocal: “We need to move beyond news to information.”
Corporate penetration of hyperlocal markets
For large corporate enterprises, niche audiences are often the domain of small businesses. As corporate structures optimize their efforts through standardization, tapping into hyperlocal markets is often challenging and not cost effective. However, with the growth of niche communities, corporations are accelerating their efforts to penetrate local markets.Targeting local markets involves either shedding or leveraging corporate identity:
- Shedding corporate identity - Starbucks' 15th Avenue Coffee & Tea cafe is not branded with its corporate owner. By shedding the corporate identity, Starbucks is able to cater to the local culture through various events and unique offerings. Coffee tastings from experts and open mic night are examples of programs the national coffee chain can offer without having it associated with the Starbucks brand.
- Leveraging corporate identity -- The NY Times is tapping into the hyperlocal market online, through "mentor" programs. Essentially, the NY Times wants to have a hand in the editorial process of hundreds of local media outlets. By polishing online news content with their expertise, they seek to gain small portions of advertising revenue from those digital publications with whom they own a stake.
Media structure
While there are various ways in which hyperlocal content is being created and published, blogs have become a key part of the hyperlocal ecology. Their basic roles evident in the space include individual blogs, blog networks, and aggregators.Wikis have also played a role. In April 2010, the Wahoo Newspaper partnered with WikiCity Guides
WikiCity Guides
WikiCity Guides is an on-line publisher providing local content on places, events, and people which could be of interest to those associated with any of the 22,000 U.S. towns it covers. It serves these communities much like a collection of city guides, yet as a wiki, any of its readers are allowed...
to extend its audience and local reach. “With this partnership, the Wahoo Newspaper provides a useful tool to connect with our readers, and for our readers to connect with one another to promote and spotlight everything Wahoo has to offer,” said Wahoo Newspaper Publisher Shon Barenklau.
Some others initiatives are made for this purpose in the USA by the company Marchex, and in FRANCE by the network ProXiti. They are developing networks of thousands hyperlocal news sites like www.10282.net (Manhattan 212) or www.75016.info (paris 16eme arrondissement).
In response to the burgeoning number of hyperlocal news sites in New Jersey, The Citizens Campaign
The Citizens Campaign
The Citizens Campaign is a non-profit, nonpartisan organization based in Metuchen, New Jersey. It aims to provide US citizens with tools and training for effecting political change in their community...
founded the Hyperlocal News Association (HNA). The HNA works to foster and encourage growth of new hyperlocal sites across the state.
External links
- Online Neighbourhood Networks Study - UK-based research published in November 2010 exploring the ways in which people communicate online using local citizen-run websites, the impact of that communication, and the implications for local service providers.