Indie News Week 2025!

Second annual public campaign will connect local journalists with their communities, raising the profile of independent news and helping indie news thrive. 

The Public Interest News Foundation (PINF) is pleased to announce that the second annual Indie News Week (INW) will be taking place around the UK from 9th – 15th June 2025. 

Under the banner of ‘No News is Bad News’, Indie News Week will comprise an online, print and in-person rollout with community events run by independent and independent local news all across the UK.   

The campaign will give local journalists an opportunity to meet their communities, showing them who’s behind their local indie outlet and what goes into accurately covering their stories. Communities will be able to share the stories that matter to them with the journalists that belong to and are deeply invested in their local area.   

Indie News Week will be a moment for communities across the country to celebrate local news heroes and to shine a spotlight on the importance of truly independent local news outlets both in their local communities and beyond.   

It will also be an opportunity for participating publishers to raise funds for their outlets through donation and membership drives. Unfortunately, in a worsening financial climate, it wasn’t possible to get national funding for Indie News Fund in 2025. PINF will still be supporting providers to step-up their fundraising efforts, providing training with a specialist and an opportunity for a co-ordinated push.   

JOIN INDIE NEWS WEEK

Jonathan Heawood, Executive Director of PINF, said: ‘At a time when we’re all struggling to make sense of the world, local indie news providers play a crucial role, informing and empowering communities across the UK. At PINF, we’re proud to work with this trailblazing sector, and we look forward to celebrating their work in this year’s Indie News Week.’ 

People need information and shared understandings to participate meaningfully in their communities, yet over 4 million Brits live in news deserts. That’s why we believe No News is Bad News. Communities deserve healthy news ecosystems that facilitate the free flow of information, speak truth to power and shine a light on important issues. 

Local news providers are meeting this challenge head on, by strengthening democracy, holding power to account, creating pride in place and fostering civic participation. However, big tech greed and declining advertising mean that local providers are still having to fight to keep independent news alive.  

Indie News Week aims to combat this by allowing community members to directly engage with local news outlets to better understand their value. This week-long celebration of independent news outlets will consist of a range of activities organised within communities across the UK. 

Indie News Week will encourage people to get involved with their local news outlets, learn about matters of common concern to them, and share their own stories, with the goal of highlighting the true importance of local independent news and providing a sustainable future for them.   

Indie News Week 2024

In 2024, PINF brought 40 non- and for-profit publishers together, who were able to: raise at least £78,000, significantly boost public awareness of the sector and deeply connect with their local communities. 

To execute the campaign, we are working with a range of partners within the sector as well as our commercial partners Harrison Agency, who we are thrilled to be working with again to update the campaign materials.

Click here to learn more about the campaign and register your interest by 31st March.

For more information, get in touch with Beckie: beckie@publicinterestnews.org.uk.  

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