Facebook expands feature showing local news, information

as declared in Facebook is launching "Today In", its local news aggregator it began testing in January, in 400 small to medium-sized US cities. We also provide people the ability to report suspicious content on Facebook and within Today In specifically" a Facebook spokesperson tells me. The Local Alerts are delivered via News Feed, Today In, and Pages can also target users with notifications about them. Facebook is hoping to fill a void after surveys found 50 percent of users wanted more local news through Facebook. And to make sure "news deserts" without enough local outlets still have robust Today In sections, Facebook will collect headlines from surrounding areas.

Facebook rolls out its local news 'Today In' feature to more than 400 U.S. cities

By Michael CappettaFacebook announced on Wednesday that is expanding its feature that spreads local news and community information from governments to users based on their geographic location. "Today In," which Facebook started testing last January in five U.S. cities, will now be available in more than 400 cities in the U.S., the company said in a blog post. The dedicated section collects and aggregates relevant stories for local communities in a packaged form in the user's News Feed. Facebook said the goal is to allow users to "catch up on news, events, and discussions happening in your community." Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's chief executive, said in a blog post: "People consistently tell us they want to see more local news on Facebook.

Facebook gives £4.5m to fund 80 local newspaper jobs in UK

referring to Facebook will donate £4.5m to fund 80 local newspaper jobs for the next two years, as the company faces further questions over its relationship with the media and long-term impact on the news business. The social networking company will make the money available to subsidise the cost of trainee journalists based in newsrooms across Britain with the objective of providing "reporting from towns which have lost their local newspaper and beat reporters". Facebook has always previously insisted it is more interested in working with publishers to build their revenue rather than giving direct cash transfers to pay for journalists. The organisation will then divide it up in coordination with the local publishers, with trainee journalists on the scheme given formal training and then employed directly by local newspapers for the duration of the two-year pilot scheme. Charlie Beckett, professor of media at the London School of Economics, broadly welcomed the idea but warned newspaper groups could become dependent on the Facebook cash.