NCTJ revives local journalism scheme on its own after Meta cuts funding

Credit: Courtesy NCTJ

In a nutshell:

• The UK's premier training organisation has brought back a scheme to place reporters in UK local newsrooms as they gain journalism qualifications
• The charity invested £450k over two years, a fraction of the £13m ($17m) Meta/Facebook had invested from 2019 to 2023 before severing ties with the news industry
• Meta/Facebook had helped to create 100 new reporting roles and supported 280 journalists, 70 per cent of whom come from diverse backgrounds
• The NCTJ calls for new donors and funders to sustain the initiative

The NCTJ, the UK's top journalism training organisation, has dipped into its own pocket to revive a popular local journalism scheme in the wake of Meta's withdrawal of support.

The Community Reporting Fund (CRF) continues the work of the Community News Project (CNP), the initiative that Meta backed for four years (from 2019 to 2023) to the tune of £13m ($17m).

Amid tense relationships with the news industry in recent years, Meta has severed its support for news both in the UK and abroad. In 2023, it cut funding of the CNP, before axing the Facebook News Tab on the platform.

• Read more: Facebook tells Journalism.co.uk 'We have a responsibility’ to help local news organisations find sustainable business models (from 2018)

The CNP placed rookie reporters in UK local newsrooms as they gained journalism qualifications. It created 100 new reporting roles and supported 280 journalists - 70 per cent of whom come from diverse backgrounds - over four years.

• Read more: How Facebook community reporters covered the Queen's death

The NCTJ now forked out £450k from its reserves to relaunch the scheme. However, the CRF is considerably scaled down, supporting just six reporters for two years. It will look to find new sponsors and partners to sustain the scheme longer term.

It is also chaired by Toby Granville, editorial development director at Newsquest, which hired 20 reporters through the previous CNP.

One difference with the new CRF is that the NCTJ will manage recruitment for the new roles. Prospective reporters will be able to apply for positions with news outlets within their local area, with final appointments made in collaboration with publishers. A list of locations will be published at the end of the month.

A recruitment process will begin in the coming weeks, with a view to the new cohort of reporters starting in early 2025. Details will be published on the NCTJ website, where candidates can apply.

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