The interim report details the initial lessons from the 10 Nesta funded hyperlocal projects.

Key findings:

• Capturing audience attention and generating revenues are the key areas of challenge for the sector
• The Destination Local services generate more than economic value to their shareholders
• Understanding how services are being used is important for those seeking to increase the reach and impact of their service
• The Destination Local projects are continuing to experiment with business models to secure financial sustainability 
• HTML5 mobile-friendly services may be a better option for many hyperlocal media services rather than creating a single ‘native’ mobile or tablet app

In March 2012, we published 'Here and Now', the first landscape review of hyperlocal media in the UK. Since then, we have continued our programme of practical experimentation and research, called Destination Local, to develop a strong evidence base.

One area of research which we believe is of critical importance to stakeholders concerns the demand for and use of hyperlocal media. 

This is of particular importance given the rapid take-up of connected devices such as smartphones and tablets, which enable citizens and consumers to consume hyperlocal media in new ways and which may help to drive new business models towards long-term sustainability.

We commissioned some consumer research with Kantar Media to address key questions concerning the nature of demand for hyperlocal media across the UK. We believe this research examines the use of hyperlocal media in more detail than previous studies. We hope that it is useful in assessing the scale of use of hyperlocal media, and illustrates barriers to and drivers for its consumption.

Authors:

Kantar Media, foreword by Jon Kingsbury