# MediaTrust relaunches Community Newswire

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2011/09/16/mediatrust-relaunches-community-newswire/
- Published: 2011-09-16T08:56:44+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Media Trust has restored its Community Newswire, the free national news distribution
service for charities, communities and campaigns, run in partnership with the Press
Association (PA). The [service was shut down in March this year](https://www.fundraising.co.uk/media-trust-closes-community-newswire-today-due-cuts)
after funding from the Cabinet Office was not renewed. New funding from the Big 
Lottery has enabled it to be revived.

The service helps helps charities and community groups get their stories into the
national and regional media. Stories, press releases and photos are submitted online
to Community Newswire, and the best are selected and written up by Press Association
journalists and distributed to thousands of newsrooms across the UK.

The service has also been extended to ‘citizen journalists’. Indeed, the Big Lottery
Fund’s grant was made “to support citizen journalism to play a greater role in bringing
about people-powered change in communities up and down the country.”

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Caroline Diehl, Chief Executive of Media Trust, said: “Community Newswire is a unique
and vital service. The Big Lottery Fund’s grant reflects their understanding of 
the communication needs of small charities and their key role in keeping our communities
strong and healthy. We are delighted that as a part of that vision we are able to
bring Community Newswire back.”

Community Newswire was launched in 2004 and between April 2010 and March 2011, it
handled almost 10,000 stories. Of these 70% were from hard to reach groups and 100%
satisfaction was reported from the charities using the service, according to the
Media Trust.

Stephen Mitchell, Deputy Director of News at BBC, is also on the advisory board.
He said: “The relaunch of Community Newswire is really good news. It will allow 
important stories about communities across Britain to continue to be heard. Community
Newswire is a crucial outlet for marginalised voices and I’m delighted that the 
important work that Media Trust does in this area will continue.”

www.mediatrust.org/communitynewswire

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