UTS launches news site for local coverage
The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) has launched a new digital news site – centralnews.com.au – as part of its journalism school.
Centralnews.com.au will aim to fill a gap in the Sydney market, covering community-based stories across the city.
The new website led by UTS
The website is broken up into six sub sections: Your City, Your World, Your Say, Investigate, The Wire and Vulture, and aims to give young journalists an authentic experience of working in a newsroom.
Led by editor Deborah Fitzgerald the site will contain both local stories, as well as investigative stories and opinion pieces, allowing for coverage of national and international issues and trends.
“There have been redundancies and cutbacks within all the traditional news companies and this has stretched resources in terms of coverage,” Fitzgerald said.
“Stories that give a voice to community groups, protest groups and marginalised sections of society disappear when news organisations don’t have enough bodies in the field.
“We have an enthusiastic group of reporters able to follow stories about issues that matter in their communities and neighbourhoods.”
However, according to Peter Fray, UTS’ program head of journalism, the news site is not to be confused with a student website.
“This website showcases important and vibrant stories by talented young journalists but only after they have met the high standards demanded by a professional editor,” Fray said.
“Deb Fitzgerald has worked across all platforms including print, television, radio, and digital, allowing her to bring that experience to her role as editor and mentor.”
Fray said the centralnews.com.au journalists would be expected to create content that could be published by any media outlet.
“This is an important step in having the next generation of journalists skilled-up and work-ready at a time when great journalism is needed more than ever,” he said.
The content management system is developed by partner AAP.
