A radical alternative to local newspapers has just launched in Suffolk: its writing is Axios-inspired, its domain names cost £25k and it has no ads, paywalls or cookies
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The UK local news sector is crying out for innovators and trailblazers. And this week, we got the chance to spotlight one.
Yesterday, Oliver Rouane-Williams went live with Ipswich.co.uk, investing £160k of his and his co-founders' money to create an alternative news source in Suffolk town.
It was not meant for public eyes until 5 August 2024, but when the established newsgroup Newsquest were tipped off about its launch, Rouane-Williams decided to fast-track launch day.
Ipswich.co.uk is a considerable effort to redefine how online local news is written, packaged and monetised.
Its news articles are inspired by Axios' Smart Brevity writing style - no fluff, just sub-headings and bullet points, which make scanning information easier.
You will also not see any ads, paywalls or cookie consent forms on the website. Why? Because its business model does not need them. Rouane-Williams is taking a punt on a radical approach which - he thinks - will be more sustainable in the long run.
Want to know more? Tune into the full interview now.
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