There were raised eyebrows when I declared my intention to return to regional publishing. After all, local newspapers are dead, right? Well, wrong. More than 10 years since my last stint as an editor, the newsroom was calling and I had an urge to prove I still had the skills and expertise to lead a team of journalists in 2025.

Has much changed in a decade? Absolutely – and those changes have been critical to ensuring local media thrives. Against misinformation and disinformation, trusted news brands are as relevant and powerful as ever. Ofcom’s 2023 local media survey reflects this, concluding that 92 per cent of UK adults use local news, with 89 per cent accessing this online or through social media.

Six months on from joining Newsquest as an editor in Essex, here is what I have learnt.

1. Local news is still exciting

In recent weeks, we have reported on live chickens on fire on a lorry along the A12; a resident who believed a councillor called her a “knob” on her doorstep; and a bus shelter being built the wrong way around. We have just launched a campaign calling for safety measures on a dangerous road, and covering the courts – particularly magistrates – is a huge focus. We are also navigating a complex political landscape dominated by local government reorganisation, while the Clacton MP Nigel Farage and his Reform party continue to gather momentum in the region.

2. Trusted newspaper brands matter in communities… and so do editors

The days of editors as local celebrities, might be past – but editors still hold sway. Being the local editor opens doors to people who want to share their lives, achievements and experiences. People want to meet you, and requests for meetings from local organisations swamp my inbox.

More importantly, our titles continue to have relevance. Many people have affection for the brands they have grown up with and see them as part of the community. Local organisations want to partner with a trusted news brand to add credibility to community initiatives.

3. There is a clear strategic plan

Media organisations have grappled with editorial strategies since the

explosion of online publishing, social media, and now AI. Ten years ago different strategies came and went – understandably, given the pace of technological change, shifting consumer habits and a challenging economic environment.

Now, most publishers have a plan. Indeed, the editorial strategy could not be clearer at Newsquest, and each editor knows what they need to achieve. How we get there is largely down to us – supported by central expertise, sophisticated analytics to measure performance and, professional coaching for newsroom leaders seeking the best from their teams.

4. The audience reach is significant – and it is loyal

Print audiences are in decline but we’re working to slow that down while audiences continue to grow online.

In September this year, Newsquest reported a 10 per cent year-on-year increase in audience traffic with 270 million page views. This followed a record month of 306 million page views in August. Monthly digital subscriptions – audiences prepared to pay for local news – have grown to 135,000, a year-on-year increase of 35 per cent. Newsquest titles are being read in print and online by 75 per cent of the communities we serve.

5. The role of the reporter has transformed

Last time round, I spent much of my time persuading sceptical reporters to embrace digital – with mixed results. Fast forward a decade and reporters are multi-skilled and completely fit for purpose in a digital world.

They have targets too, which were largely unheard of 10 years ago but are now embedded in the newsroom, creating a positive working culture underpinned by clear expectations and, in turn, reward. But it’s not just a numbers game. Being on patch is as important as it ever was and the reporters embrace this – even the dreaded voxpop – because they know original and local content will help

them engage with their communities, develop their journalistic skills, and achieve their audience targets.

6. AI is a friend, not a foe

AI has been treated with suspicion but it is enhancing rather than threatening newsrooms, allowing them to be more efficient and productive while contributing towards quality local journalism. New AI roles mean relevant local content can be produced quickly and reporters can focus on grassroots community journalism.

AI tools are supporting a myriad of tasks, including SEO headlinewriting, summarising lengthy

documents, and sifting through large data sets – with stringent fact-checking and quality controls in place. AI tools have reduced mundane administrative tasks significantly, including organising emails, summarising action plans for editorial planning meetings and one-to-one meetings.

7. The public are mostly lovely – but some can be utterly horrid

The ease with which members of the public can be insulting and abusive to journalists is shocking and horrifying in equal measures. One of the consequences of having large-scale online reach is that we are more susceptible to abuse. Fortunately, the industry understands the importance of safeguarding journalists and there are guidelines and policies in place to protect them.

8. There are threats to local publishers

Local newspapers might be thriving, but the industry faces threats. As part of its licensing reforms, Sir Keir Starmer’s government is fast-tracking a motion to remove the need to advertise public notices, which would be a significant loss of advertising revenue and, if it forces local newspapers to shut down, a loss of local accountability.

Thanks to the introduction of Google’s AI summaries in searches, it is already harder to find items from local media online.

9. Finally… local media still makes a difference

Being an editor is still the most rewarding job in journalism. You have the privilege to make a difference in the community, to someone’s life, or to the journalists who will eventually play their own part in the long-term sustainability of the profession. Local newspapers are far from dead – long may they live.