This week, as part of Indie News Week, we’ve done something that doesn’t come naturally to us, and that’s why it’s taken me so long to find the right words to write this piece.
We’re asking you, our readers, for your help.
Whether that’s signing up for our free daily email or becoming a monthly supporter, if you’ve already been inspired to help, please know that your contribution has not gone unnoticed.
It has meant the world to us that our readers value what we do.
Local news – open to everyone
The truth is that local journalism has changed beyond recognition over the last 20 years.
A generation ago, local newspapers in Bedford arrived through the letterbox every Thursday or Sunday, as long as your paperboy or girl wasn’t on holiday.
They were packed with everything you needed to know: local news, events, sports, property listings, jobs, classified ads and all the stories that connected the community together.
For many Bedfordians, the memory is still vivid.
The reassuring thud on the doormat. The first scan through to see who had won an award, died, welcomed a new baby, got married, or landed themselves in trouble. The search for weekend events, cinema listings, sports results, jobs, homes and local businesses.
Those newspapers weren’t just products. They were part of the fabric of community life.
But the internet changed everything.
The advertising that funded local journalism for more than a century migrated elsewhere. Property listings moved to Rightmove and Zoopla. Recruitment shifted to Indeed. Classified ads disappeared online. Local businesses found customers through social media.
Almost overnight, the business model that sustained local news was dismantled.
Many publishers responded with aggressive paywalls, clickbait headlines or relentless pursuit of page views. Others simply disappeared.
Yet the need for trusted local journalism has never been greater.
At a time when a handful of billionaires and global corporations increasingly control the information people see, our small team believes Bedford deserves something different.
We believe local news should be open to everyone, with as few pop-up ads as possible.
That’s why the Bedford Independent and Bedford Clanger remain free to read. That’s why we report without political influence, wealthy proprietors or corporate agendas.
And that’s why, as part of Indie News Week, we’ve asked readers to think about what Bedford would lose if independent local journalism disappeared.
Read: Opinion: If our redactions annoyed you yesterday, good. That was the point
Organised by the Public Interest News Foundation (PINF), Indie News Week (15 – 21 June) is an awareness-raising and funding campaign for independent news.
The future is Bedfordians, not billionaires
Because no news is not good news.
Who would sit through council meetings so you don’t have to? Who would tell the stories of Bedford’s charities, volunteers, artists, sports clubs and community groups? Who would celebrate local successes, ask difficult questions and help hold decision-makers to account?
The future of local journalism won’t be built by billionaires.
It will be built by Bedfordians.
And that’s where you come in.
For just £3 a month — less than the cost of a single coffee — you can help ensure that independent local journalism continues to thrive in Bedford.
Your support doesn’t simply fund today’s headlines. It helps sustain our in-depth reporting, our unrivalled sports and cultural coverage, our Sixth Form Newsroom work experience project, our Everyday Heroes Awards, grassroots sports sponsorship and our collaborative support for Bedford’s businesses, charities and community organisations.
Most importantly, it helps keep local journalism independent, accessible and available to everyone.
Every supporter sends a powerful message: that Bedford values trustworthy local news, that our community deserves to have its stories told, and that independent journalism is worth protecting for future generations.
If our reporting has ever informed you, helped you, inspired you, made you smile, or helped you feel more connected to Bedford, please consider becoming a supporter today.
Together, we can prove that the future of local news is powered by Bedfordians, not billionaires.
Help us defeat the algogods
We know that not everyone is in a position to become a financial supporter, and that’s absolutely fine.
One of the simplest ways to help is by signing up for our daily email newsletter.
Every subscriber helps us build a direct relationship with our readers, reducing our reliance on social media platforms and unpredictable algorithms.
Instead of hoping the algogods decide to show you our stories, we’ll deliver the day’s most important Bedford news directly to your inbox.
It’s free, it takes seconds to sign up, and it helps strengthen the future of independent local journalism in Bedford.
And let’s be honest — Mark Zuckerberg will cope without any extra help from us.
