About us
We believe journalism needs a new approach: one focused centrally on understanding communities’ needs for information and connection. And with them, building sustainable, long term solutions to meet those needs.
Greater Community Media exists to make that a reality.
Our vision
Our vision is for every community across the UK to have access to sustainable, inclusive, and empowering media ecosystems. These will foster connection, amplify diverse voices, and drive positive change, creating informed and resilient communities that thrive through collaboration and care.
Our mission
To empower and support the development of inclusive, community-centred media that connects, informs, and strengthens people, equipping them to drive meaningful, voice-led change. We enable communities to build and sustain healthy media ecosystems that focus on care, address local needs, and provide tools and resources to create impactful media projects.
Our values
we prioritise care
Our work is fundamentally rooted in care – care for the people and communities we support, as well as care for ourselves and each other.
We want to support media projects that prioritise genuine care and a commitment to the well-being of people and communities.
we are guided by community needs
We are guided by the needs of entire communities, not just individuals. Our approach recognises the importance of wider systems and structures.
We acknowledge the interconnected nature of social challenges and prioritise solutions that address collective needs.
we nurture connection
We care about nurturing meaningful connections that support active and engaged communities.
By strengthening the connections within and between communities, we lay the groundwork for more resilient and informed citizens, communities, and democracies.
we look for new approaches
We recognise that there are many ways to meet people’s information and connection needs, and look beyond traditional conceptions of what journalism is and who does it.
Developing formats, products, and processes for how information is gathered and delivered is important, as is broadening the field of who does journalism.
we uplift marginalised voices
We recognise that people have differences in their access and and experience to media, and marginalised communities have and continue to be excluded and harmed by the media.
We prioritise uplifting the people and communities which are most missing and most underserved by today’s media.
we believe journalism can be a force for good
At the heart of our mission is a belief that good journalism can be a transformative force for change, and of immense value in people’s lives and communities.
We recognise the power of knowledge and narratives, and believe media organisations which genuinely listen and respond to community needs are essential social infrastructure.
Who we are
Co-founder
Lucas is an independent media consultant with over nine years experience developing and supporting trailblazing independent media projects. He was a founding paid staff member of the Bristol Cable, a community-owned investigative newspaper, where he led on membership, fundraising and HR.
He has since worked with dozens of independent public interest media publishers across Europe to develop sustainable organisations which meet community needs. He has delivered workshops and presentations from Berlin to Budapest.
He has received training on product development for small newsrooms from Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at City University New York, he has a degree in Philosophy from Bristol University, and is a Director of grassroots community project the Stokes Croft Land Trust.
As part of the Bristol Cable, awards he has won include: ‘ICNN Independent Community Newspaper of the Year - Highly Commended’ - The Newspaper Awards 2023; ‘Local outlet of the year’ - Independent Media Awards 2022; ‘Most innovative print publication’ - Independent Media Awards 2022; ‘Best Local/Regional News Site, Highly Commended’ - Drum Online Media Awards 2017; ‘Top 100 Changemakers’ (The Bristol Cable) - Big Issue 2019.
Co-founder
Rhiannon is the founder of the multi-award winning Greater Govanhill magazine, co-founder of The Community Newsroom in Glasgow and founder of The Scottish Beacon local news collaborative that brings together 24 publications across Scotland. She previously worked in video journalism, travel writing, and political communications.
She has a degree in Humanities, an MSc in Journalism, Media and Communications as well as a PG Diploma in Journalism Innovation and Leadership. She was a member of the Scottish Government public interest journalism working group and is on the Women in Journalism Scotland committee. She is an accredited Solutions Journalism Network trainer. She taught entrepreneurial journalism at the University of Strathclyde.
In 2023, she was the recipient of a Churchill Fellowship which enabled her to spend six weeks in the US visiting – and learning from – pioneering community centred media models.
Awards she has won include: Regional Magazine of the Year' - News Awards UK 2021; 'One to Watch' - Social Enterprise Scotland Awards 2021; Launch of the Year' - PPA Scotland Awards 2021; 'Editor of the Year - Highly Commended' - PPA Scotland Awards 2022; ‘'Georgina Henry Award' - British Journalism Awards 2023; ‘Reporting Communities’ - Regional Press Awards 2024; ‘Best Limited Series’ - Publisher Podcast Awards 2024.
We also have an international network of other trainers, facilitators, consultants, audience engagement experts, developers, and designers, who we can collaborate with to deliver projects.