The Eastbourne Reporter news website operates as a Community Interest Company which, as you would expect, is run in the interests of the community.
This means verified original content from clearly identified sources written by a qualified, experienced journalist. It also means it is non-profit making, so any profit would be reinvested, not given to shareholders.
I talk to people whose voices often go unheard and review some of the places I go to.
News is not free to produce. However, I am self-funding and asking for donations / regular memberships to at least cover my costs. Eastbourne Reporter has attracted 24,000 readers since launch in May 2022 but few people are willing to become a regular member for the price of a monthly coffee.
The traditional business model of selling advertising based on the area of a newspaper has been blown out the water by the internet. I, and many others, believe the best future for local news is in the hands of readers making modest contributions. There is currently no funding for it.
1,000 regular members – just one per cent of the population of Eastbourne – would be a great start.
News should be led by the community and be about what you want to read and the issues which concern you. I can be reached on the contact form. I’d love to hear from you!
Regulation
Eastbourne Reporter is regulated by Impress which operates a recognised scheme of independent press regulation, that works in the public interest to protect freedom of expression, individual rights and public safety.
It also ensures that any paid-for or sponsored content is very clearly marked as different to impartial editorial content. Not all publications do this.
People
My name is Rebecca Maer.
I am a qualified journalist with 30 years’ experience in the UK and overseas. I’ve worked as a news reporter at local and national levels, a feature and travel writer, columnist, business editor, city editor and a specialist gardening writer.
Among the places I have worked are:
- The Argus / Brighton
- The Press Association / London
- The Observer / London
- Nottingham Evening Post
- Teletext / London
- Bangkok Post / Thailand
- Freelance photojournalist / south-east Asia
I moved to Eastbourne in 2021. Previously, I ran a temporary news website called the Burgess Hill Bugle where I lived in Mid Sussex during the first lockdown in 2020. It attracted 18,000 readers in just five months.
I have written about the shocking state of local news coverage here and why it is like this. Councils and organisations are not being held to account, voices across our community are unheard and countless stories are untold. That is why I am doing this.
It is, by necessity, on a part time basis as I have to take paid work elsewhere. It would be fantastic to make it financially viable and spend more time on the website.
Please become a ‘Reporter Supporter’ if you can, giving monthly via the KoFi links on the website or, even better, jump straight on here. Join me in helping to make important stories about our town available for all to read. Thank you.