Hyperlocal digital news media in Indian languages: creating value propositions for the audience, but what's holding them back in sustaining their ventures?

This paper examines the emerging phenomenon of hyperlocal digital news outlets in Indian languages, run from small towns and villages by former or active local journalists using social platforms and websites to deliver news in regional languages to their communities. India has 22 scheduled languages and thousands of unofficial languages and dialects. Currently, 95% of online news in India is consumed in regional languages, and it is expected to grow to 750 million by 2025 from 467 million in 2021. This paper analyzes the content of eight outlets and interviews with 21 Indian hyperlocal digital news publishers. It explores how they create value for audiences and the challenges they face in revenue generation. The paper argues that hyperlocal outlets fill a gap in Indian news coverage, with mainstream media mostly focusing on the capital city. However, hyperlocals are still searching for a sustainable model separate from the mainstream.