"Communities are losing their voices"
A new public journalism institute hopes to revive genuine journalism in Scotland by tackling news deserts, industry inequality and the collapse of local reporting.
In this week’s newsletter:
From our website…
A briefing held at Holyrood this week spotlighted the ongoing efforts to protect and strengthen Scottish journalism
As coastal erosion threatens Stonehaven’s shore, could a managed retreat from the sea become the town’s only viable future
From stories by the sea to celebrations of coastal heritage, two unique festivals on Islay shine a light on Argyll and Bute’s vibrant cultural scene this summer.
More news from our partners…
The Shetland Times newspaper has been sold to Inverness-based Highland News & Media for an undisclosed sum, it has been confirmed
A free range egg company has won its fight to reduce carbon emissions with its own wind turbine despite concerns it would be too big
To protect public health we need to prepare for rising temperatures as the likelihood of 40°C is now over 20x more likely than in the 1960s
Elsewhere in local news…
The high stakes of reporting on homegrown extremism
BBC News targets news avoiders with ‘inspiring and uplifting’ stories
+ much more 🗞️
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“Communities are losing their voice”: Holyrood briefing makes case for SPIJI
A briefing held at Holyrood this week spotlighted the ongoing efforts to protect and strengthen Scottish journalism…
Retreat From the Sea: a last resort or a very real vision of the future?
As coastal erosion threatens Stonehaven’s shore, could a managed retreat from the sea become the town’s only viable future…
Festival season in Argyll and Bute: Rhinns Lighthouse Festival and Book Festival this August
From stories by the sea to celebrations of coastal heritage, two unique festivals on Islay — Rhinns Lighthouse Fest and Islay Book Festival…
The Power Shift Project
We, alongside our publishing partners, have been collaboratively investigating Scotland’s green energy boom for our latest project – The Power Shift.
To keep up-to-date with all the latest from The Power Shift project, visit our dedicated project page: 🔋 scottishbeacon.com/project/the-power-shift 🔋
More news from our partners
Shetland News: The Shetland Times newspaper has been sold to Inverness-based Highland News & Media for an undisclosed sum, it has been confirmed
The Orkney News: To protect public health we need to prepare for rising temperatures as the likelihood of 40°C is now over 20x more likely than in the 1960s
Midlothian View: A free range egg company has won its fight to reduce carbon emissions with its own wind turbine despite concerns it would be too big
Crail Matters: As historic churches like Crail Kirk face closure, communities are beginning to recognise their secular value as vital civic spaces
The Lochside Press: Police have issued a warning about new byelaws – and especially jet skis – as the summer tourist season starts on Loch Lomond
The Edinburgh Reporter: Election data shows incredibly tight race in Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart by-election, with Labour and Lib Dems neck-and-neck
Greater Govanhill: The hidden harms of corporate advertising, which dominates our public spaces… how can we reclaim public spaces for the benefit of communities?
Migrant Woman Press: Opinion—Feminism is a movement of liberation. If it leaves behind trans women, it enables the very oppression it seeks to fight
Inverclyde Now: Planners have agreed that a drink and drugs support service can use an empty Port Glasgow town centre unit, which previously was a funeral directors
Forres Local: A bus that has been coming through Forres town centre without stopping will soon do so, operators have confirmed
Elsewhere in local news…
The high stakes of reporting on homegrown extremism
The Nieman Reports article highlights how two US-based local newsrooms are developing strategies to responsibly cover far-right extremism without amplifying it.
Reporter Joshua Benton explains that both outlets have prioritised community trust and public interest over click-driven coverage, aiming to avoid sensationalising hate groups or spreading misinformation. Instead, they focus on deep local context, transparency in reporting and avoiding language that legitimises extremist views.
This approach reflects a wider shift in journalism: newsrooms are rethinking how to cover polarising or dangerous ideologies in ways that inform rather than inflame — especially as trust in media remains fragile and the risk of online radicalisation continues to grow.
'We better create our own damn table': Why Francesca Donner left traditional media behind
Francesca Donner, formerly of The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, left mainstream newsrooms over frustrations that women’s stories were consistently “told through a male lens,” even as new initiatives emerged.
In 2024, she founded The Persistent, a media outlet built on the belief that “if we can't have a seat at the table, we better create our own damn table.” It operates without traditional beats and uses diverse storytelling formats, including cartoons, to spotlight underrepresented women’s experiences.
Operating as a for-profit entity, The Persistent emphasises the need for sustainable journalism, acknowledging the high cost of producing quality work.
BBC News targets news avoiders with ‘inspiring and uplifting’ stories
The Press Gazette highlighted The BBC’s latest attempt to get more people interested in reading the news, focussing on ‘news avoiders’.
BBC’s ‘The Upbeat’ newsletter is sent to about 160,000 people in the UK and it’s contents are made-up of ‘highlights on inspiring, uplifting and lighthearted stories from across its output’, according to article author Charlotte Tobitt.
The move from the BBC, whilst focussed on driving engagement, underscores the broader trend of readers straying from news which negatively impacts their mental health and thus their desire to read the news.
News providers should take heed of the growing trend. It suggests people aren’t turning off of the news altogether but instead are more likely to subscribe to outlets which promote positive stories that share solutions.