We're celebrating 1 year of hyperlocal news! Join us on Friday!
It’s Davidson Local’s one-year anniversary and we’re inviting you to join the hyperlocal movement. With print papers across the nation moving toward a regional and national platform, local news is harder to come by in smaller communities.
Last year, we teamed up with our friends at Magic Mile Media to create Davidson Local. We didn’t know how it would be received but since then we’ve heard the feedback. Hyperlocal is hot!
With the help of Magic Mile Media, Lexington-based DavidsonLocal.com launched on Monday, April 5, 2021 and has almost 1900 subscribers. The all-digital local news model, based on the experiences of Neuse News, is a model from the mind of BJ Murphy in Kinston. “Magic Mile Media launched Neuse News in 2018 out of frustration with a lack of community backyard news the way it was told 60 years ago,” said BJ Murphy, owner of Magic Mile Media, Inc. and publisher of Neuse News.
We have covered events, investigative pieces, and more local content for Davidson County. All thanks to a team of brilliant freelance reporters and photographers!
“Local news is a real passion. We got our start working at our high school newspaper. It doesn’t get more local than talking about your high school,” said Antoinette Kerr.
Kerr and Kassaundra Shanette Lockhart have years of experience in local news, which is where their careers commenced. Their combined experience in journalism, publishing and civic volunteerism gave them the confidence to launch Davidson Local.
“We saw a need for local news in our community,” said Kerr. “An opportunity presented itself and we took it and ran with it.”
Print news is often owned by larger corporations, which focuses more on regional or state news and subsequently helps drive revenue through their advertising with a wider audience.
“The frustration of online paywalls, pop-up ads and subscription fees led to Neuse News. We wanted to negate all the traditional means of the underwriting of the news business and focus on local news supported by the business community’s advertising dollars,” Murphy explained.
A partnership between Magic Mile Media and Davidson Local continues to bring Davidson County the local perspective they deserve.
“Magic Mile Media has been a great partner in getting this moving forward. They’ve been responsive … and just kind,” Kerr added.
Davidson Local quickly became a news source trusted by their community. From Valor Park to the Dunbar Alumni celebrations. We are here when the “big” news trucks roll away! If you’re looking for bias, know that local is the only time we discriminate. Our goal remains to provide you with information. You decide!
“I would define it as a go-to resource for local news. That it would be the expectation that we’re going to have the correct information of what is taking place in Davidson County. That we continue to produce the news with integrity and intent and do it in a way that feels fair and balanced,” Lockhart offered.
We’re honored to have sponsored/co-sponsored/served multiple community events through out the year. This includes: Thanksgiving Meals, Juneteenth, Hands Across Davidson and From Langston to Lexington with Love. Thanks to nonprofit groups such as Anything for Our Youth and Compassion Inspiring Action for keeping us grounded in community service.
Thanks to all who spend their morning coffee moments reading DL. We look forward to celebrating our one-year birthday with a pop-up party at Sophie’s Cork and Ale on Friday from 5 to 7 p.m. or you can make a donation to help keep hyperlocal news FREE!
Cheers to LOCAL NEWS!
