The Bristol Cable/Newsmast Foundation: deepening community for a UK news coop

The Bristol Cable, a member-owned cooperative in the UK, is reimagining how local journalism can build community using a mobile app custom built in partnership with the Newsmast Foundation.

Newsmast Foundation helped The Bristol Cable members connect local conversations to global communities via an app. Screenshots: The Bristol Cable

Designed to deepen civic engagement and attract new audiences to reduce reliance on donor funding, the app offers members a safe space to access diverse content, join meaningful conversations, and connect around shared values. Rooted in cooperative governance and ethical media principles, the project aims to strengthen local democracy and inspire similar initiatives globally.

The problem to solve

The Bristol Cable faced a plateau in membership growth and difficulty securing donor funding. Despite a successful campaign to increase member contributions, the total number of members remained stagnant at around 2,400. The organization needed tangible member benefits to attract new audiences in order to maintain editorial independence and uphold cooperative value.

What they did

• Partnered with the Newsmast Foundation, a UK-based educational nonprofit building social media alternatives

• Used Newsmast digital infrastructure, developed over the last three years, to quickly and effectively launch a members only mobile app, showcasing journalism in diverse formats and linking local news to community conversations.

• Built on Mastodon/Fediverse principles, offering a privacy-respecting, non-commercial alternative to mainstream social media

• Connected Cable journalism with a wider federated ecosystem of content through the app

• Facilitated global as well as local dialogue by linking with like-minded communities

• Reinforced values and cooperative governance under the Cable’s staff and board throughout the processImpact

Key success factors

1. Strengthen the Cable’s financial sustainability – and keep the print and digital content free for all - by incentivizing membership

2. Create a safe space for civic dialogue, free from the toxicity of mainstream platforms

3. Align with the Cable’s founding mission: journalism that reflects and serves Bristol’s communities

4. Position the Cable as a model for ethical media innovation in the UK and beyond
   

The ask

“If we are able to double our membership income in five years, by 2030 we will be self-sufficient.”

— Jaldeep Katwala, The Bristol Cable

“We’re looking for partners who can take the core design and adapt it. For example, some museum teams in Brazil as part of their focus on living memories—a beautiful idea. The same technology can serve scientists, cultural institutions, and local communities differently.”

— Michael Foster, Founder, Newsmast Foundation

Recommendations for strong digital communities

Clarity of purpose
Know why you want an app and what values it should reflect

Community first
Build tools that serve people, not platforms

Co-design matters
Let teams shape the tech to fit their mission

Sustainability
Offer meaningful benefits that reinforce shared values

The Bristol Cable/Newsmast Foundation collaboration shows how adaptable design can empower communities. By engaging the Cable editorial team and cooperative membership and creating a design that meets the community’s needs, the Newsmast Foundation enables innovation that reflects local priorities.