Why we became Bristol Cable members (and why you should too!)
Why we became Bristol Cable members
(and why you should too!)
The Bristol Cable is a grassroots community-led media cooperative in Bristol.
We exist to inform and empower our readers and communities across Bristol, by creating independent, challenging local media, rooted in the city and in the public interest.
For just a few pounds a month you can become a member.
As well as regularly publishing online, we print a quarterly magazine packed with investigative journalism and in-depth articles about issues that matter in Bristol. Our articles are written by Bristol Cable journalists, experts, members and community contributors. Everything goes through a supportive but rigorous editorial process.
We make our magazine free to access, distributing 30,000 copies across Bristol every three months, because we believe journalism is a public good everyone should have access to.
It’s not easy for many people to get into the media, which means key issues, voices, and perspectives aren’t heard. We’re changing that.
We have an open door policy to support community contributors, helping them tell stories that matter.
We also run a free 10-session media training programme every year for 12 carefully chosen trainees, providing them with the skills and support to create quality media – including producing articles and videos for the Bristol Cable!
Media should be a conversation. However, often it’s just one side talking and one side listening. We think it’s crucial that people who are in the conversation should have a say, which is why we’re a media cooperative, and why we’ve made it easy to become a member. We’ve made listening part of our organisation.
From just £1 a month anyone can become a member of the Bristol Cable. Members have an equal say (one person, one vote!) in what we do and how we do it.
We make big decisions at our Annual General Meetings, such as what we should report on, and who we should accept advertising from.
At our monthly members’ meetings our journalists present an inside look on an investigation or series they’ve been reporting. This gives the journalists the opportunity to share how’s it done and the things they had to consider. Members are also able to ask questions, and our journalists listen as people share their experiences, expertise, and make suggestions about how we can further report on the issue.
At just three years old we have 2,000 members. You can easily become one too!
We’re 100% owned, led, and operated by our members. We’re working to become 100% funded by members. As our membership grows, so does our ability to change the city for the better.
We’re just getting started, and we have ambitious plans to continue to redefine what local media looks like.
So, become a member today. Join the conversation, own your media, and support our independent journalism. Together we can hold power to account in Bristol.
