How Hyperlocal Was Overhyped

Tim De Chant urges newspapers "to concentrate on a particular topic instead of a geographic region":

I was flipping through the Houston Chronicle when I noticed the paper had branded their energy coverage, FuelFix. Not the best name, but it’s a sound idea. Houston is a major hub for the oil and gas industry, and Chronicle reporters have spent years, even decades reporting on it. Who else would be so positioned to cover the industry?

The Chronicle isn’t the first paper to experiment with trade-specific coverage. The New York Times has done the same thing with financial firms and DealBook, to much success. By providing consistent, nearly obsessive coverage of an industry, both papers attract new readers and new advertisers interested in reaching a targeted audience.

Relatedly, after three years editing the hyperlocal news site Center Square Journal (covering neighborhoods on the north side in Chicago), Mike Fourcher reflects on the lessons learned.