The Birmingham Mail has launched an ambitious hyperloca project that could set the mould for ventures. It is partnering with a string of local bloggers whose content will be made available online and in print by the Trinity Mirror title.

The Birmingham Mail Communities project will create of 34 hyperlocal sections hosted on the Birmingham Mail website, which will feature content from local blogs.

So far it has signed up 25 bloggers including Digbeth is Good, The Lichfield Blog and Bournville Village.

As David Brookes, editor of the Birmingham Mail, says many hyperlocal sites want to promote their particular area of Birmingham and that presents a dual opportunity. Trinity Mirror wants to do the same, but on a wider scale. I don’t know why others aren’t doing this as well. I was speaking about a similar idea to someone else in the industry recently. Partnering and building networks is the way to go. Why try to build it if someone else has already done it: work with them.

As Brookes says he’s confident that the Mail can “develop a relationship which is beneficial to both sides, and ultimately, and most importantly the residents of Birmingham”.

This mirrors interesting hyperlocal projects going on in the US including the recently launched TBD.com, which is founded by Allbritton Communications which also owns the political blog Politico.com.

That hyperlocal news site is bringing together a string of bloggers around the Washington area together with local TV stations in what is being seen as a challenge to the Washington Post, which has axed its own hyper local project. Allbritton, run by Robert Allbritton, also owns Newschannel 8, which has been rebranded TBD.

Like that project, Trinity Mirror is offering bloggers the chance for their content to be used by the Mail, in print and online, with links back to their sites.

In return, RSS feeds from the hyperlocal sites will appear prominently within the Mail Communities section, and the Mail will make relevant pictures available for those sites taking part.

Interestingly, the Birmingham Mail project came about after a consultation with a variety of hyperlocal expects in Birmingham, including Talk About Local founder William Perrin and respected journalism lecturer Paul Bradshaw.

Perrin said that Trinity Mirror’s initiative pointed the way to the future where people work together. He’s right.

He added that Talk About Local had helped Trinity Mirror reach out to local sites and develop a package that recognises many sites generate great stories, but are volunteer run and motivated by civic good, rather than financial return.

“Initially the relationship between newspapers and hyperlocal sites didn’t get off to a good start – with a lot of sharp elbows and misunderstanding – so let’s hope that Birmingham can show the way for others to follow,” Perrin said.

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