In wanting to start my own news source?

[Valerrie]

I'm a teacher by profession but I'm not working at the moment for various reasons. I have time on my hands and need something I can do from home.

I'd like to set up an online news source for my local area. We have a local newspaper but it's selective in what it reports on and I'd like to do more positive community news and events rather than shocking and negative big stories. I think this would appeal to the local people.

Are there any rules of journalism? Can I literally just set up a Facebook page and Twitter and start posting news? Am I allowed to interview people, take photos etc? What can and can't I post about or am I free to post anything?

Also, am I allowed to approach companies or police etc for comments? Do I need a qualification to do that?

It would be completely non moneymaking too. I'm not looking to make a penny, I just thought it would keep me occupied as I like writing and want to become involved a bit more in the community, in a positive way.

I really, really don't want to undermine any actual journalists as I realise I am not one and it would be more of a hobby. I also know I have no experience whatsoever and journalists have tons of training and experience. I'm not expecting to be paid for anything, I just want to help the locals promote charity events and get their news out there.

Am I being an idiot in thinking this could work?

I'm in Birmingham, we have Birmingham Updates on Facebook which I think is simalar to what you are looking to do. Have a look. It's very popular.

Ah, ads. I've noticed on the Wales Online Facebook page that people complain like mad about the ads that are on the news site. I guess everyone wants free news these days with no ads and doesn't think about the people who suffer because of it. I didn't until now.

Thank you Oswin, I'll check it out!

Fairfax, I have never seen anyone - not even Wings - claiming that Wings over Scotland is unbiased

I must just meet all the morons then, cos I have a few times.

You sound as though you want to be a blogger, with a Facebook and Twitter account to promote your content and encourage discussion. Or just run a 'local events' Facebook page. Anyone can do that, yes.

Whether you build a following will depend on how good, interesting and useful you are, whether you fill a gap and whether people find your style relatable and something they want to engage with.

That's not the same as being a journalist at all. It's more like basic publicity - you're just sharing existing content, perhaps rephrasing it a bit. If you offer facts rather than opinion and keep it positive you should be fine.

Bloggers are 'amateurs' and some are in every sense - others are very good and extremely businesslike.

How much does a reporter on a natonal newspaper earn?

If you just want to run a community newsletter/blog promoting local events, then fine. But that's not journalism.

Attempting to be a news journalist of any description is something else entirely. Attempting to speak to police and getting your info from Twitter with no legal training? That would be idiocy (also the police wouldn't give you any info if you weren't an accredited journalist). The amount of libellous comments made every day on social media make me shudder, all by people who haven't the first understanding of libel. "Oh, the MSM aren't reporting this story/naming this person because they're covering it up" - no, it's because they have lawyers who understand libel.

And it applies to even the smallest stories. So even if you're covering the local fete and someone complains that Brenda from down the road cheated by putting a shop bought cake in the best Victoria sponge contest - if Brenda has a reputation to protect and money to spend on a solicitor, you're potentially screwed.

"They make me want to get my red pen out! Local reports are disjointed and hard to read."

Poor bastards. There are very few sub editors anymore. I used to be a sub, that was hard enough, we barely had time to spellcheck, let alone factcheck. I was made redundant, and now journalists have to sub their own articles.

It's very, very hard to do good quality work when you're under pressure to produce four to six stories a day, like my journo friends are. That's not sitting at your computer, that's going out into the community, taking pictures, writing etc. And all for about £20k - that is, if you're a seasoned journalist.

Blogging definitely sounds more like what I mean then, not journalism!

I take that back Free, I had absolutely no idea things were so bad! 4-6 articles a DAY?! That's crazy!

Creambunit varies. Entry level, on a low level tabloid, off the back of two years in regional journalism, about 22k.

On a broadsheet with ten years of experience and no editorial responsibility about 35-40k?

Very occasionally, if you are a ‘name’ (Dan Wootton etc) then I guess about 85k (then he’d have his TV work on top etc)

Also, high 5 to all the former and present regional reporters here. Despite everything, I still love it

janice thanks. I had it in my head that fleet st journalists were on about 50k!

Exposure to libel, copywrite breach etc. If you aren’t at all familiar with publishing law, which you don’t seem to be, it could be painful

About 5 years ago Kerry Anne Mendoza did what you're planning to do. She now runs an accredited news site, is respected in the industry and has appeared on BBCQT and other news slots.

If you want to blog about your experiences, reviews, previews etc that's absolutely fine and normal though. It's all opinion but openly so.

A local FB page, highlighting upcoming events and inviting people to post about similar, that's fine too.

Once you've built up a substantial audience, you may get offers of free visits to review things. Be selective, be open about it being a freebie and I'd suggest, only review things you think will be good. You don't have to publish bad reviews, you can feed back to the organiser instead.

That's a nice sort of 'playing at journalism' and quite different from imagining the police or subjects of news stories would talk to you.