Media

Check these apps for hyperlocal news in local languages

A quick research of online resources reveals that there are only a few news portals and applications that actually meet the reader’s need for hyperlocal news.

Christopher Wink was right when he stated that hyperlocal is a buzzword much looked for those in news and social media today but with no real definition that seems to fit what we are talking about.

To one’s surprise, it means information gathered about a geographically specific community that is part or was once part of a broader coverage area or focus. Hence hyperlocal news is very tough to find.

Primarily, there are two sources of such hyperlocal news; one, citizen journalists doing intensive research on any particular region or area, and two, media entrepreneurs compiling and aggregating news from secondary sources, or those promoting local organisations.

In India, there are many mobile applications and websites that offer region-specific news and information but very few actually meet the conditions of a hyperlocal news website.

A quick research of online resources reveals that there are only a few news portals and applications that actually meet the reader’s need for hyperlocal news.

One such application is LocalPlay and it focuses on news about Agra, Mathura, and Vrindavan. Similarly, there is another mobile app called Lokal that focuses on news from three districts across Telengana and Andhra Pradesh, and the third one Awaaz that covers Uttar Pradesh.

LocalWire is another app and website that has been launched recently and covers regional news exclusively from Odisha and about the Odia people.

Here is its link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=me.localwire

Its official website URL is www.localwire.me

LocalWire intends to take hyperlocal news to another level by planning for further expansion in other languages across states in India.

It even fulfils the citizen journalist criteria as its founder Mr. Jatindra Dash is an acclaimed international journalist, renowned for experimenting in the media sector.

While the Jio phenomenon that has unleashed the power of broadband in the remotest corner of India has made it easy to get hyperlocal news, what matters is the authenticity of information and its trustworthiness and one must be careful while downloading a hyperlocal news app.

BigWire

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