


	WAN-IFRA XMA Cross Media Awards 2010





	Company: HSS Media
	Project name: Project Superlokal





	General information about the publication

	Österbottens Tidning , www.ot.fi , is a local, 7-days a week, newspaper in the north part of Swedish Ostrobothnia in Finland. It is with a circulation of over 15.000 the third biggest Swedish newspaper in Finland. Österbottens Tidning was formed two years ago after a merger between Österbottningen in Karleby (Kokkola) and Jakobstads Tidning in Jakobstad (Pietarsaari). The paper is mainly local with local news, but is also a “totaltidning” which means it offers regional, national and international news every day to its readers, on paper and on the web.

	Entry description

	In 2009 Österbottens Tidning made a strategic decision to offer still more local news and news that are intimately close to the readers in different parts of northern Swedish Ostrobothnia.

	The basic idea of your cross-media local project

	We started the project Superlokal with the following premises: - Dividing the area in 8 to 10 different natural local areas - Encouraging readers to participate with citizen journalism - Giving the readers very close local news regularly both on paper and on the web (with also a mobile version) - 8 to 10 different super local papers as a supplement at least once a month - Zoning the supplements locally - Building a local “pride” among the readers for the super local paper and at the same time the mother paper. The project is mainly journalistic, to come closer to our readers. But it also offers an alternative for small local companies to advertise locally to an affordable price.

	Used media channels


	Newspaper		Event(s)

	Supplement/Magazine		Online

Other:

e-paper

The implementation

During the fall 2009 the editorial staff and advertising department made 8 road trips, held meetings where we discussed with more than 500 people representing local clubs, schools, churches and societies. We also discussed with potential citizen journalists and encouraged local clubs to write about themselves.
The meetings were extremely well received and the local enthusiasm for the project was big from the start.
Between September 2009 and January 2010 we opened up 7 different local sites on our web and published 7 super local papers as a supplement to Österbottens Tidning. Most of the material both text and pictures, over 70 per cent was supplied by the readers.
From January 2010 to June 2010 we started two more super local websites and published 9 super local papers. The interest in citizen journalism grew during the spring and filled the super local-papers almost completely with material supplied by the readers.
We have also during the spring discussed with the schools to activate young readers to participate in supplying material for the super local papers.

Image(s)

ot_1rad_color.pdf (157 KB)

super 2-316.pdf (1005 KB)

super parad15.pdf (765 KB)

super parad17.pdf (655 KB)

super 2-317.pdf (961 KB)

Superlokal-web.jpg (254 KB)

event.pdf (312 KB)

Screenshot0026.jpg (40 KB)

Links

http://www.ot.fi
http://www.ot.fi/Superlokalt/?sl=Kronoby
http://www.ot.fi/Superlokalt/?sl=Esse-Purmo
http://www.ot.fi/Superlokalt/?sl=Peders%C3%B6re
http://www.ot.fi/Superlokalt/?sl=Nykarleby
http://m.ot.fi
http://www.ot.fi/epaper/epaper.aspx

Results of the local project implementation

From October 2010 Österbottens Tidning will regulary publish 8 different super local papers with citizen journalism every month. We will also update the super local websites including a web based mobile solution.
Because of the big interest among the readers for the super local supplements, people in one town also want to read the super local paper for the neighboring town, we will publish the first issues this fall without zoning. After this period we will publish the super local papers zoned.
Some experiences after one year
- The citizen journalism works best for super local when we publish it on paper. Just before dead line for a super local issue the super local on the web is also more active. The combination web-paper has worked very well for us.
- The readers are interested in super local news even if it is from another part of the region.
- The readers value both the nearness of the super local and the quality and span of the mother paper. A functioning combination for Österbottens Tidning.
- Local business, like small village stores, have often started to use leaflets in the neighborhood as their main channel of marketing. Super local supplements is offering them an economically sound and effective alternative.
- Österbottens Tidning has a new source for local news also for the mother paper.
- We have clear policy that offers professional journalism and citizen journalism in separate parts of our products.
Zoning
Österbottens Tidning belongs to HSS media group that is a co-owner of a new modern printing press in Kokkola. The new press is in operation from May this year and makes it possible to have several supplements. The press also gives us zoning, we can with very little time delay, zone the super local supplements to target the different super local areas.
Content
The “superlokal” papers have had a content that is very near to the local community. We have had local clubs inform the readers of their activities, we have had village fairs and celebrations and also information from schools and congregations. Very little of the material that is supplied from the readers can be classified as text commercials. We publish most of the material from the readers after editing by our journalistic staff.