Developing Local Media Independently: Insight from Gerda in Gera on Self-Producing News Content

In the city of Gera, once one of the wealthiest in Germany but now struggling with emigration and economic decline, a new voice is emerging in the local journalism landscape. Jacob Queißner, a freelance photographer and journalist, has launched Gerda, a news platform that aims to provide in-depth coverage of local events, history, and the right-wing scene in Gera.

Queißner, an early member of the CORRECTIV.StartHub community, finances his own camera and equipment from his previous work and travels to appointments in the city by bicycle. His personal initiative made the start of Gerda possible, and he has acquired many skills to take on many tasks independently from the start.

Gerda reflects Queißner's interest in current local events and his passion for the history of Gera. The main product of Gerda is a bi-weekly newsletter that covers seven categories, including local history, recent events, a picture riddle, and short news about the right-wing scene in Gera. The newsletter is free and accessible to all, unlike many other media that use a paywall.

Initially, Queißner planned to start Gerda as a team, but assembling a fixed team in the short time was not feasible. Instead, he decided to start alone. However, Queißner has received support through photos, guest contributions, joint research, and currently in setting up an appropriate legal form.

The platform is sufficient to finance Gerda for half a year with its current budget. Gerda is currently financed through free journalistic assignments, a 3,000€ grant from the Netzwerk Recherche's Grow program, and does not incur any running costs from the Substack platform.

One of the key focuses of Gerda is to report on the demonstrations that have been taking place every Monday since 2021 in Gera. However, there was no local medium that processed these events in terms of content. With Gerda, Queißner aims to provide a new perspective on these events and encourage readers to explore the city with open eyes and build a stronger connection to their surroundings.

Queißner believes that if misinformation and propaganda circulate freely on the net, reliable information should not disappear behind paywalls. He hopes that Gerda will fill this gap and provide a reliable source of local news for the people of Gera.

Gerda articles are intended to be informative and engaging, reflecting Queißner's passion for his work and his commitment to providing high-quality journalism. Individual articles are also published on the Gerda website, which not only report on special events but also give insights into Queißner's working life.

As Gerda continues to grow, Queißner has plans for various income models for the future, including donations, memberships, own print products, merchandising, and city tours. He is confident that with the support of the community, Gerda will continue to thrive and provide a valuable service to the people of Gera.

Developing Local Media Independently: Insight from Gerda in Gera on Self-Producing News Content