Island Echo has secured £80,000 in Government funding to invest in the future of independent local journalism on the Isle of Wight, in a major boost for the Island’s homegrown digital news publisher.
The award, made through the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s (DCMS) Local News Fund, will support an ambitious project designed to transform the newsroom and give Island Echo‘s journalists more time to focus on the stories that matter most to local residents.
From attending court hearings and reporting on breaking news incidents, to investigating local issues and getting out into communities across the Isle of Wight, the investment is intended to strengthen the publication’s ability to deliver original, independent, public interest reporting through efficiency of editorial workflows.
The grant success represents an important milestone for Island Echo, which has grown into an established independent source of local news and information for residents across the Isle of Wight, publishing more than 6,000 news articles a year – all for free.
Darren Toogood, Editor/Publisher of Island Echo, has said:
“This is a fantastic moment for Island Echo and a real vote of confidence in what we’ve built over the past 14-and-a-half years.
“Running a busy newsroom involves an enormous amount of work that readers never see. But every hour spent on routine administration is an hour that could otherwise be spent attending court, following up a tip-off, investigating an issue or simply getting out into the community.
Article continues below this advertisement “This funding gives us an opportunity to change that. We want our journalists to spend more time doing what journalists do best – finding stories, asking questions, holding people to account and being there when news happens.
“We’ve worked hard to build a credible and trusted news service, and this grant award is an important endorsement of our ambitions for the future. It will also unlock a series of exciting developments planned for 2027 – in what will be Island Echo’s 15th year.
“Ultimately, this investment is about delivering even better journalism for the people of the Isle of Wight – by Islanders, for Islanders”.
Ian Murray, Media Minister, has said:
“For decades our local media has remained among the most trusted sources of news. But as the media landscape has become more complex, many outlets have been forced to reduce their numbers or even close. I am determined not to leave local journalism to collapse. This government knows it is critical to communities and fosters a self-confident nation that everyone feels part of.
“Our vision is for a thriving local media in South East England and across the country, reporting on the issues and perspectives that matter to communities and providing invaluable trustworthy information.
“Through the Local News Fund we are taking action to help newsrooms innovate and adapt their business models for the online world, while incentivising and encouraging the production of high-quality, trustworthy news that Britain’s towns and villages deserve and rely on.”
Only around 1 in 4 applicants were successful in obtaining a grant through the national scheme, with Island Echo just 1 of 10 recipients in the South East.
The announcement comes as part of Journalism Matters Week, with Prime Minister Andy Burnham speaking of the importance of local news earlier this week.
The £80,000 grant is being provided by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) through its Local News Fund – Local News Outlet Funding programme.
