Publishers join forces with podcast pioneer to create new future for local audio

A major new initiative to help secure the future of local journalism in the UK was unveiled today.

Reach plc and JPI Media, two of the country’s largest regional news publishers, and Entale, an innovative new podcast platform, have joined forced to launch Laudable, a project which aims to kickstart local news in audio form.

The project will benefit from a 500,000 euro grant from Google’s Digital News Initiative, which will be used to help develop new platforms for local audio, and identify ways of making podcasts and other audio projects sustainable through revenue.

Over the coming months, Laudable will set out to facilitate the creation of new audio programmes in regional newsrooms across the UK, with a particular focus on working with communities to identify ways of connecting people whose voices are not currently heard in local news.

Laudable will also work to create cross-company podcasts, involving journalists from multiple publishers to create engaging series.

Journalists will work with Entale’s platform, which adds pictures, maps, links, quotes and chapters to shows for a rich, interactive experience.

The joint bid for funding by Reach, JPIMedia and Entale, was submitted before Christmas and the confirmation of support from Google was confirmed by the search giant today (Thursday March 21).

Once up and running, it is hoped that Laudable will support publishers across the UK, beyond the two which submitted the bid. The project will also pioneer new ways for local advertisers to connect with local audiences through audio.

Jeremy Clifford, editor-in-chief of JPIMedia, said: “We know how podcasting is becoming increasingly popular and is a skill that our journalists need to be equipped with, whether that is for creating engaging chatty and insightful commentary about football or more pithy incisive debate around politics.

“This new partnership allows our journalists to extend the hands of collaboration into our communities and across the country with other publishers to deliver engaging content on a new platform that wouldn’t otherwise be possible.”

Hannah Blake, head of business development and partnerships at Entale, said: “We have built Entale with a mission to make podcasting more engaging for audiences and more rewarding for creators via our interactive and shareable format. We are delighted to be working with Reach plc and JPIMedia on this initiative, which will bring our unique innovation to media organisations around the country.”

David Higgerson, Reach PLC’s chief audience officer, said: “In our newsrooms, we have the most authoritative experts on all sorts of subjects, and some of the best story tellers in journalism.

“Laudable will give us the chance to unlock that expertise in a new way, reaching new audiences and engaging existing ones in a new way. We particularly excited about the chance to bring together experts from across companies to create must-listen content about things which matter to readers.

“It will also help us create audio around subjects which don’t get much of a show at the moment. We know true crime works, as does football, but what else can we achieve by listening to what our readers are interested in?”