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takyon [soylentnews.org] writes:

Google is testing a service called Bulletin that would focus on local news published by the masses [techcrunch.com]:

Google is testing a tool called Bulletin [google.com] that would allow anyone to publish local news stories and events, according to a report from Slate [slate.com], which Google later confirmed. The company described Bulletin as a way for others to communicate information of local interest, like bookstore readings, high school sporting events, or information about street closures, for example.

Slate found a website [google.com] for creating Bulletin posts was already up-and-running, but was still in "early access mode." The service is currently being piloted in Nashville and in Oakland, Calif., the webpage states.

On the site, Google explains that Bulletin is a lightweight app for telling stories, capturing photos and videoclips from your phone, and then publishing them straight to the web – without having to create a blog or build a website yourself.

Meanwhile, Facebook says it will prioritize local news [mediapost.com]:

In a newsroom post on Monday, Facebook's Alex Hariman, head of news product and Campbell Brown, heads of news partnerships, announced the social platform would begin to prioritize local news outlets [fb.com] in the feeds of its users, emphasizing that local communities benefit and trust the outlets closest to them.

• Facebook and Google Won't Save Local News [newrepublic.com]
• Facebook and Google are trying to dig local news out of the grave they put it in [vice.com]
• Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg says users are spending less time on the social network [mercurynews.com]
• Facebook is untouchable [qz.com] (growth in revenue despite less time spent by users)

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