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One publisher trying out subscriptions on the platform thinks it could benefit others too.

Report by Charlotte Tobitt for Press Gazette

Facebook owner Meta has been “unfriending” news for more than two years, ending a long period of wooing the publishers who create much of the content shared by its users.

But while Meta may have stopped giving grants to publishers and sharing ad revenue with them, it may yet hold the key to selling online subscriptions for some titles.

Pulman’s Weekly News, a small newsbrand based in Axminster, Devon, now has more than 500 subscribers (of 1,700 Facebook followers in total) who pay £3.49 a month, less than a month after turning on Facebook subscriptions.

This suggests a total of at least £1,745 monthly from Facebook alone (Meta has said it is not taking fees on these transactions until at least the end of 2024.)

Owner Duncan Williams said: “I have always been an advocate of utilising Facebook and there is much good sense in being in the centre of today’s most popular digital arena, which is where the majority of our audience and readers already have account access, rather than expecting readers to create separate accounts on a standalone platform or paywall system.”

Williams has run Pulman’s Weekly News, founded in 1857, since 2018 when it closed in print. He previously made headlines when he bought West Country newspaper series View From for £1 two weeks after it was closed by by the previous owner but ended up being ruled personally responsible for hundreds of thousands owed to the group’s former employees and forced into bankruptcy.

Despite this experience Williams remains in local news and described working on Pulman’s as “very much a labour of love”.

“To be honest, my own family think I am crazy,” he said. “My younger brother has made a fortune in banking and thinks I am quite mad putting all my money into local media. But I still have a belief in this industry, and I always will.”

Pulman’s is also funded by a combination of Facebook advertorials, e-newsletters and providing social media design and management services for local businesses. Williams supplements it with his own freelance journalism and creating commercial videos for social media advertising.

Facebook subscribers to the Pulman’s page receive access to a dedicated subscriber discussion group, exclusive posts, videos including live broadcasts, photos and polls, a subscriber badge next to comments, and five highlighted featured comments a month on live videos.

Williams believes Facebook groups, often maintained by people prominent in their communities, are where many people now turn to for their local news in the absence of having reporters for every town and village. He described groups as “essentially the new local newspaper”.

A Charitable Journalism Project report published last year noted that Facebook was “by far the most important” social media service for local news information and that local pages and groups filled a gap in many communities. One focus group participant in Lewisham cited their local group and said it is the first place they look and “a lot of it’s trash to be honest, but a lot of it’s very useful”.

Williams feels that now a Facebook page “is actually of more value to a local publisher than a standalone website” and he has therefore been posting directly to the Pulman’s page for years rather than giving people a tease and asking them to click through – the website mimics a social media feed rather than having a traditional layout. He works with advertisers to accommodate them on the page itself and support this style of posting.

Williams said this had helped him pass the eligibility test as Meta wants people creating content specifically for the platform rather than primarily posting external links.

Facebook first introduced subscriptions, formerly known as fan subscriptions, in 2018. But they have never taken off among news publishers and may now represent an opportunity to claw something back from the platform.

To be eligible, a Facebook page must meet certain criteria including having either 10,000 followers or at least 250 return views. It must also have reached either 50,000 post engagements or 180,000 watch minutes in the previous 60 days, and be in compliance with Facebook’s monetisation policies.

Williams said: “I feel that as soon as this is made aware to most publishers, they will want to try it.”

According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report this summer, Facebook does remain the most-used social media platform for news (17% in the UK) even though this is down from a peak of 28% in 2016.

Gen Z (currently aged up to 26) have particularly moved away from Facebook and towards Instagram, visual mobile-first media and then Tiktok since 2018.

But in a world where the platform makes up a sizeable amount of time spent yet referral traffic has plummeted and publishers nonetheless continue to post on the platform to stay in front of the Facebook native audience, topping up revenue with subscriptions from that crowd could be a nice added extra source – especially as Substack has shown people are willing to pay for a community and content they care about.

See Press Gazette -

Regional journalism experts appear optimistic generative AI can help their snowed-under newsrooms.

By João Santos for Press Gazette

A WAN-IFRA survey has found that half of newsrooms are already deploying generative AI in some form or another.

Large language models quickly garnered the attention of Reach, Buzzfeed, Conde Nast and other publishers across the globe over the past six months for its potential to streamline editorial processes.

In particular the free-to-access ChatGPT has fast shown its potential to reinvent the way content is produced and journalism is done. But in local news outlets hard-pressed for time and staff, is the adoption of AI likely to be an opportunity or a threat?

AI vs the humans in local journalism

A number of UK regional news publishers have already realised that AI-generated news stories could free up journalists to concentrate on more meaningful reporting.

Duncan Williams, the managing director and proprietor of Pulman’s Weekly News in south east Devon, said: “AI has got huge advantages to help journalists, particularly in the regional sector, but it’s not yet at a level where it’s going to be able to write nitty-gritty stories.”

Rather, he said he believes the more in-depth stories produced by human journalists will carry increased significance. He wrote an op-ed in his newspaper last month emphasising the importance of human bylines for trust.

“As an editor, I would not dream of publishing a story by someone I did know the name of or who was not a trusted and credible human source,” he said. “Bylines not only protect my readers, but they also hold journalists accountable for their work.”

Dr Joy Jenkins, an assistant professor of Journalism at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, has worked extensively on how new technologies can be sustainably introduced into local industries.

She said: “AI can be used on more basic types of reporting in order to free up journalists to do the more investigative, in-depth types of stories they’d like to do but don’t always have the time and resources to produce.”

Eliz Mizon, a media writer and communications lead at Bristol Cable, believes AI could help local journalists carry out important “institutional accountability and community cohesion” roles, potentially reversing a trend that has seen around 300 local newspaper title closures since 2005 and left others hanging by a thread.

Will AI help or hurt regional journalist numbers?

A recurring worry that crops up in discussions of AI and news is whether the technology will end up replacing journalists, particularly in light of the economic headwinds that have encouraged many publishers to lay off staff in the past year.

Jody Doherty-Cove, Newsquest‘s special projects editor, is currently at the forefront of developing, coding and implementing AI tools for over 180 newsrooms across the UK, having just helped the Gannett-owned publisher establish its first AI reporter positions.

He explained: “A common misconception in the public discourse is the notion that AI, like some malevolent force, is poised to supplant human journalists in a ruthless bid to cut costs.

“Local journalism is a craft that requires investigation, relationship building, and nuanced understanding – elements that no machine, no matter how sophisticated, can truly replicate.”

Dr Jenkins agreed, explaining that AI should be seen as a “really affordable and helpful” tool which, if used properly, can be an “extremely effective way for local journalism to maximise its resources”.

Pulman’s owner Williams added: “It would streamline both the numbers of staff required to run our titles in an economic fashion and also the actual revenue streams that are the lifeblood of local journalism.”

This is the approach that Kallum Gethins, managing director at Dorset News and editor at View From Weymouth, has taken when incorporating AI into the running of both publications.

“If we find a story, we gather the facts, make a short sentence and then bring that into the AI software which produces a three to four-paragraph article, we proofread it and publish it,” he said. “The whole process takes about ten minutes.”

Much like the advent of social media and citizen journalism, AI could therefore lower the barrier of entry into the industry, making quality and consistency more affordable.

Gethins said: “I think that all organisations should implement AI because it could help their business massively, especially if the organisation is brand new and can’t afford journalists. For instance, we probably won’t be using AI-originated content in the long term and will look for potential journalists to join our franchise.”

The challenges ahead for AI in local journalism

As automation seeps into the media industry, the utility of AI in local journalism could be as far-reaching as the industry demands.

As well as editorial tasks, Dorset News’ Gethins has begun using different AI software engines for administrative work, for example producing email templates suited to potential investors and creating budget plans.

Automation could magnify the results of advertising campaigns and help integrate local papers more fully into social media, something which, Dr Jenkins explained, has been a historical struggle for many publications.

However there are considerable challenges to overcome before AI can be fully integrated into journalism in a way that is both ethical and practical.

Doherty-Cove said: “We must ensure that AI-generated content does not escape the watchful eyes of human editors who, with human oversight and rigorous fact-checking, can ensure AI-generated content meets their exacting requirements.”

Chatbots such as ChatGPT rely on what the user feeds into it, as the data on which they were trained is in some cases out-of-date. This means the fundamental newsgathering framework which leads to a fully-fledged story is, for the moment, outside the purview of generative AI programmes.

PULMAN’S WEEKLY NEWS & ADVERTISER SERIES is an award winning media group founded in 1857 by West Country publisher George Philip Rigney Pulman. 

In keeping with our founder's original aim to best serve the people, businesses and communities of Devon, Dorset & Somerset, we are please to be able to offer our readers and employees a wide range of free online learning opportunities.  

In recent years, digital publishing and news outreach has proved highly successful for all our titles.

Pulman's has always been amongst the first to move with publishing innovations.  

We feel confident that an online platform, such as this, which provides access to career enhancing education and skills training - both for our own staff and our readers - is a progressive step forward for a newspaper industry that long ago abandoned its confines to paper only outreach.  

After all, news has always sought to enlighten and communicate facts. So too does good education and learning.

Our community editor accepts South West Prestige Award on behalf of Pulman's Weekly News & Advertiser Series. Pulman's was established in 1857 and continues to serve local readers and business advertisers using both traditional print and digital media solutions. Thank you to everyone at Prestige Awards for hosting this memorable event at the Escot Estate in Ottery Saint Mary, Devon.

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PULMAN'S WEEKLY NEWS & ADVERTISER SERIES was founded in 1857 by West Country publisher George Philip Rigney Pulman. 

For generations his papers have been highly regarded by communities as a reliable source of news and for their local advertising services. Today this honourable tradition continues. 

New and growing readership demands have required a gradual transition from print to digital.  

This long-term technology investment has already resulted in the company being presented with the West Country 'Media Innovator Award' for 2020 by Corporate Vision Magazine. Says Devon born Managing Editor, Duncan Williams: "This validation for our digital outreach, particularly during these Covid-19 aware times, has been been most welcome. We are seeing more readers and businesses needing to read, promote and connect to our local news services than ever before."

PULMAN'S WEEKLY NEWS has a proud history of bringing local news to the people of the West Country in England.

In these days of unfiltered news and fake news, locals of West Country can rely on Pulman’s Weekly News. This West Country media brand was founded by renowned Axminster-born publisher, George Philip Rigney Pulman, way back in 1857. Pulman’s Weekly News was the first newspaper in Crewkerne, and print pioneer George set it up having served as editor of the Yeovil Times. Retaining our heritage value is important, as is going with the times and becoming a digital media brand. We now utilise social media for community outreach, connecting towns and people in exactly the same way as in historic times, while meeting the needs of a new generation. Quality News Needs Local Advertisers With the advance of technology in recent years, the role of your local newspaper has changed dramatically. But while our news may be published through different online outlets today, Pulman's Weekly News still aims to share the voice and views of the community. So, we needed to find different ways to do that… stay relevant and stay alive. Local media needs local advertisers… but it is a two-way street. Our brand can showcase local small businesses and non-profits in credible ways, for affordable prices, and these enterprises benefit from the increased exposure across our audience.

Pulman’s Advertising and PR Campaigns Keep your news outlet and local focus alive by supporting Pulman’s Weekly News with your advertising and editorial ideas.  We welcome all businesses and social impact enterprises in the local area to contact us. Historic community newspaper titles such as ours add tremendous credibility to business editorials or marketing campaigns. We aim to give advertisers multi-platform options, encourage healthy social media interaction, and provide ways to assist local business and community leaders. Local Media is Evolving Beyond Print We asked the local community… what media forms are most used? Print is still important to rural neighbourhoods, but it no longer commands the dominance and large readerships it once had. West Country advertisers now have a wider range of mediums to choose from. Our independent media group offers excellent public relations, social media, and video marketing services. Our journalists and editors read and listen to news everywhere and are up with the trends of today. Artificial Intelligence (AI) – e.g. voice interaction, image recognition, and real-time capturing – is breaking down barriers for people with sensory, physical and cognitive disabilities. Supporting New Business Start-Ups Bringing together community and business, our news outlet can help our West Country towns and villages survive and prosper. A local news brand is important in supporting awareness of local business. If there is a problem in business or youth employment, we want to be in a position to help solve it. New business start-ups are of vital importance to a healthy local economy.

Pulman's Weekly News: Community Grants This regional bursary prize named after the historic newspaper group publisher George PR Pulman continues to offer sponsorship to good causes. Duncan Williams, who is the community outreach editor of Pulman's Weekly News & Advertiser Series, says: “The Pulman’s Award and bursary continues to uphold the same values of George Pulman and is open for nominations throughout the year”. The bursary prize has made donations during the past 12 months to the Bibic Football Fundraiser in Yeovil, the Dorset Blind Association, and enabled the production of ‘talking’ newspapers and books for the elderly and partially sighted. Most recently, the Pulman’s Award has helped fund the publication of a series of skills training workbooks and specially tailored courses designed to help ex-offenders find work and rebuild purposeful lives back within the community. Leaflets and booklets have also been distributed across the West Country to help enlighten young people about the dangers of drugs and addiction.

Our History Many West Country communities know the name George Pulman well. Considered a Victorian media mogul, he founded Pulman’s Weekly News back in 1857. His media brands continued to be a prolific news source for over 150 years throughout the prime agricultural counties of Devon, Dorset and Somerset. Pulman's Weekly News was always renowned for its reliability and trustworthiness. This is because his journalists researched local stories so well. George Pulman was also a lifelong Christian who worshipped regularly at his local church in Axminster, Devon.  To help rouse local attendance, George would enthusiastically play the church organ on a Sunday morning. There he met and married his young wife, who was also a regular member of the same Axminster congregation. Throughout his life, George believed in the importance of building community: through Church, rural life and local news. He always upheld the values of truth and helped give voice to West Country causes and concerns that might otherwise have been forgotten. Journalism was then considered as a serious and respected profession. So in this era of fake news and political propaganda, perhaps it is time to remember the values of one of the news media’s earliest pioneers. A man of faith who built a regional media empire which lasted through multiple generations. News publishing, in all its many forms, is still as relevant today as it was when George Pulman was alive. Our British free press and local news media are invaluable communication tools that - when used correctly - can make our society a better place. (George Philip Rigney Pulman: 1819 - 1880)

“Local media needs local advertising and without local businesses doing good business, the likelihood of a news brand thriving is little to none. 

“A small town readership relying on a cover price subscription, or even a digital paywall tariff, is just not going to cut it. Good research and good journalism costs money.”

So says Pulman’s energetic new managing editor Duncan Williams. This Devon born media professional is keen to introduce modern innovations to the regions.

“With the advance of technology in recent years, the role and purpose of your local newspaper has changed dramatically.”

And can these new innovations actually enhance and not detract from the past?

“I believe we now have ideal new media solutions that will satisfy both readers and advertisers,” insists Duncan. ”Historic community newspaper titles such as ours, add tremendous value and credibility to news stories and marketing campaigns. We want to offer more of these as multi platform options, encourage healthy social media interaction and provide ways to assist local business and community leaders.

“We had to ask what exactly was needed and wanted by a modern community?

“Print is still important to rural neighbourhoods but it is clear that it no longer commands the stand-alone dominance and large readerships it once had. 

“West Country advertisers now have a wider range of mediums to choose from and for a hyperlocal news brand to survive they have needed to evolve.”