Dear Patchers — good morning, I hope you’re having a lovely Sunday.
With the spring equinox just past and Easter just ahead, the season of rejuvenation and renewal is upon us. Daffodils are shooting up from the pavement cracks and my cats are spending more time frolicking in the garden. For the editor of a fledgling newspaper, looking for inspiration for my monthly note to readers, the traditional theme of new beginnings at this time of year is almost too on the nose.
The Dispatch was born four months ago. It was an exhilarating and nerve-wracking time during which my editor and I spent a lot of late nights poring over copy and discussing plans over the phone. As confident as we felt that a newspaper of quality, longer-form writing could do well in the West Midlands, it was also a risk. Would there be an eager audience for a different type of journalism? Would people who have been given free news for decades be willing to pay?
Right from the beginning, I got a strong sense that people wanted something like this. By Christmas we had 7,000 readers on our free mailing list and 200 paying members. But it’s in the past couple of months that I feel we have really hit our stride. As I write this, we have almost 550 paying members and there are just over 13,000 readers on our list. And that’s been driven by a series of stories that have really hit home.
Our story about the strife between tenants and their corporate landlord at the Custard Factory showed that behind the fanfare surrounding Digbeth’s redevelopment, some of those who helped the area become popular in the first place are struggling. Jack Walton took a closer look at the stories about a protest at the University of Birmingham and uncovered more than the paltry reporting of national papers The Telegraph and The Jewish Chronicle.
Our first deep dive into the financial crisis at Birmingham City Council was met with huge interest — I think we managed to paint a picture of past events and how they link to the present day that is really important with these seismic moments in a city’s history. The former producer of BBC Panorama Meirion Jones reposted the piece on X/Twitter, saying: “This is really good, balanced reporting, digging into court documents and putting allegations to the individuals involved.” Elizabeth Shuck called it “great local journalism” and @BrumGreenJoe said: “This is really good reporting! Horrible to read all the gory details of this disaster unfolding.”
My long read on the history and heartache of the AIDS crisis, how it tore through Birmingham’s gay community who rallied round in the face of great stigma, was probably the article I became most absorbed in writing. I was nervous to hit publish on a piece about an era I did not live through and that affected so many people so deeply. But the responses I received were overwhelmingly positive. It was a sign that our readers want rich, reflective stories.
Ed King’s delve into the Oracle IT system disaster at the council started a conversation about whether there was more to the economics of the city’s bankruptcy than meets the eye. And, most recently, Jack’s digging into the mysterious plans for Station Street, the Electric cinema and the Crown pub came up trumps with yesterday’s article the enlightening result. On X/Twitter, @LittleLeigh called it “amazing work” and Henry said: “Great article from the the city’s much needed magnifier and loudspeaker.”
This period has been the making of The Dispatch in many ways. I think we’ve set a high benchmark for quality that readers can expect more of. Plus, we’ve received more than 30 applications for our second full time staff member position. One of them will be hired soon — another new beginning in this bountiful spring.
Which leads me to ask: if you have read any of these stories and have found them entertaining, enlightening, moving — if they have helped you to connect with your city and to better understand the events that are shaping it — will you consider becoming a paying member?
It’s because we are funded by our readers rather than relying on online advertising that we can dedicate proper time to our reporting, and the more we get, the more stories we can take on. I want The Dispatch to grow into the media outlet the West Midlands deserves, and by paying £8 a month, you can help us to get there, while also getting access to lots of members-only stories.
Any new venture needs its early supporters, the people who believe that the budding shoots can grow into something beautiful, strong and long lasting.
A bold move in a perceived climate where news/entertainment/adverts are so blurred & intertwined. Enjoying its local focus Looking forward to your AI talk @ The Exchange too
So glad The Dispatch came to The Midlands, it was not just needed in the city but like the other cities that enjoy a Mill Media presence the concept ripples out to the wider area to all the towns on the fringes where it is so needed . The presence of traditional local newspapers has been decimated everywhere. Yes I want local news but i also want to know about issues in the wider Birmingham area and I get that trusted format here.