Hyper local news and stories is nothing new, there have been many platforms that tried it out or are currently live that try to bring really local news stories more awareness to the greater public or just to those in those local areas. The oldest examples of this are the local newspapers and maybe the local cable news channels. But there are newer styles that give people apps to do the news from their front porch.
Google is taking a stab at it with what they are calling Google Bulletin. Google describes it:
Bulletin is an app for contributing hyperlocal stories about your community, for your community, right from your phone. Bulletin makes it effortless to put a spotlight on inspiring stories that aren’t being told.
Anyone can contribute if they are accepted into this, but right now, it is a beta in Nashville and Oakland.
- Impactful: Bulletin helps you tell the stories that aren’t being told
- Open: Bulletin stories are public and easy to discover: on Google search, through social networks, or via links sent by email and messaging apps
- Effortless: No setup is required to create a story – all you need is a smartphone
Here is what it looks like:
Other platforms have not taken off much but who knows, maybe Google can make it happen?
Make sure to also check out Greg Sterling’s coverage of this news.