Meta's Community News Project: What is It and What Has it Done for Journalists?
Meta, formerly known as Facebook, has been investing in initiatives that aim to promote quality journalism and diversity in the field for several years now. One of the most notable of these initiatives is the Community News Project (CNP), which began in 2019 and has since become a game-changer for the industry.
Upon launch, the project had two major goals on its horizon: to connect (or reconnect) underrepresented communities and identities to local newsrooms and to “improve diversity of recruitment by local media organizations by providing a new route into the sector that combined on the job learning with formal NCTJ training.”
CNP is a collaboration between Meta and the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). The aim of the project is to support local newsrooms across the U.K. by providing them with funding and talent. Specifically, the project focuses on increasing diversity in journalism by supporting local newsrooms to recruit and train more journalists from underrepresented backgrounds. In this facet, it still has very far to go: a report published in 2022 noted that most employed journalists come from the most advantaged socio-economic backgrounds.
Over the past five years, the CNP has made significant strides toward achieving its goals. According to a survey of its reporters currently working in newsrooms, the CNP found “nearly three-quarters of respondents met one or more of the diversity criteria being measured by the project. Fourteen per cent were non-graduates; 36 per cent came from middle and lower socio-economic backgrounds, compared to 20 per cent of the overall journalism workforce.
What is more, 21 per cent came from non-white backgrounds; again, a higher proportion than the 13 per cent seen in the sector as a whole.” Thanks to the project's efforts, which include providing training for its recruits from the NCTJ, the industry has seen a significant increase in the number of journalists from diverse backgrounds. Since launching in 2019, over 250 journalists have benefitted from its training.
“I can honestly say that in the few short months I have been part of the scheme the Community News Project has changed my life,” said reporter Sophie Skyring, who works for Norwich Evening News owned by Archant.
Another major achievement of the CNPhas been the support it has provided to local newsrooms. All 23 publishers involved with the project have seen their community outreach expand as they are able to employ journalists from all walks of life, including very young journalists and journalists with disabilities.
"The Community News Project is widely regarded as one of Meta’s most innovative and transformative projects for the regional publishing media,” said Joanne Butcher, chief executive of the NCTJ. "The results speak for themselves: an increase in the number and diversity of trainees joining newsrooms, who are increasing coverage of their communities while becoming professionally qualified journalists.”
Looking ahead, the CNP is well-positioned to continue its important work in supporting local newsrooms and promoting diversity in the industry. Meta has committed to investing $8M/£5.9M in the project over the next two years, which will allow it to provide even more support to local newsrooms and trainee journalists.
Sarah Brown, Head of News Partnerships, Northern Europe at Meta, said: “At Meta, we like to build community, and these roles are fully focused on giving voice and telling stories that matter from underrepresented groups across the UK. Likewise, the NCTJ and the involved publishers have been wonderful partners in delivering an excellent programme of training and helping create the editors and publishers of tomorrow.”
With continued investment and support, the CNP has the potential to make an even greater impact on both young/aspiring journalists and newsrooms in the years to come.
