Our history
Jul 2018
In the spring of 2019, the Independent Community News Network (ICNN) via Cardiff University successfully secures development funding from Google's Digital News Initiative. This funds an R&D project to enable ICNN to explore ways to better support independent community news providers. It is called ‘Value My News’ or ‘VMN’.
Mar 2020
Omni Digital secures funding from Nesta's Future News Fund to support the development of a new feature of the Ping platform called Ping!-Trends, which identifies trending stories by tag and allows faster searching for regional and national news subscribers.
Jan 2021
ICNN begins negotiations with Facebook, now Meta, to part-fund some new and important features on the syndications platform and to support a competitive fund, but following a risk review, Cardiff University is unable to accept it. This drives the decision to incorporate Ping! as an independent organisation, knowing that this will better support the industry in the long term.
May 2021
Value My News satisfies the requirements of the Google DNI funding by demonstrating a ‘content in/content out’ platform, and re-names itself Ping!.
Sep 2021
Ping News incorporates as a community interest company (CIC) focused entirely on supporting the independent community news sector. Matt Abbott and Sam Hearn appointed as directors.
Feb 2022
Meta funds the development of Ping!-Feed, a twice-daily feed of hyperlocal community-specific news content that gets delivered straight to local and regional news desks; and Ping!-Submission features, which allows end users who are not using the Ping!’s WordPress plugin to upload content directly to the system.
Mar 2022
The name Ping! becomes the abbreviation of the Public Interest News Gateway.
Jul 2022
Launch of the Welsh Public Interest Journalism Fund (WPIJF).
The WPIJF provides grants from the Welsh Government's Cooperation Agreement, to established independent news outlets in Wales to increase the provision of public interest journalism; a seed-funding grant to stimulate the sector by supporting fledgling publishers with new ideas for sustainable community news sites; and an emergency fund for existing independent publishers.
Aug 2022
Google provides additional funding to develop the Ping! platform into a viable commercial entity, allowing us to develop a fair distribution model for rewarding contributors while ensuring financial viability of Ping News.
Feb 2023
An angel investor provides funding to support the upcoming Ping News Free Trial.
Apr 2023
Ping News negotiates an exclusive, one-of-a-kind deal with Google News to deliver the Showcase project to forty-five independent titles to better connect with audiences and strengthen their offering. Ping News manages and distributes this regular monthly income to these titles.
Apr 2023
Launch of the Welsh Public Interest Journalism Accelerator Fund (WPIJA). This is a continuation of the previous fund, but exclusive to established news outlets.
Ping News also delivers the funding for the Welsh Government-funded Senedd Reporter - a role modelled on the BBC’s LDR scheme but dedicated to cover the Welsh Assembly exclusively.
Apr 2023
Soft launch of Ping! at the International Journalism Festival in Perugia, Italy.
Jul 2023
Launch of the Ping News free trial (01/07 - 31/08) - funded by an angel investor - which saw nearly 3,000 stories uploaded to the Ping platform.
Jul 2023
Ping News becomes fully independent following the full-time employment of Matt Abbott as co-director. This appointment gives Ping News the best chance of success and ensures independents have a dedicated team looking out for their best financial interests.
Jul 2023
Ping News offers a non-executive directorship to an ICNN / Cardiff University representative but is rejected.
Sep 2023
Ping News free trial ends. A huge success, with over 300 stories picked up in local and regional press, including national coverage and multiple front pages.
Nov 2023
Ping News signs a deal with Newsquest to deliver hyperlocal news content via the Ping! platform to Newsquest titles in South Wales.
Nov 2023
Ping News are invited to speak about our innovations in the local news space at the 32nd Newsrewired conference at Reuters.
Mar 2024
Due to financial pressures, Newsquest chooses not to renew its subscription with the Ping platform. Finding a price point that works both for independents and legacy titles remains an ongoing challenge.
Apr 2024
Ping News partners with Content Ignite - a collaboration of former publishers dedicated to simplifying the ad tech ecosystem - to bring unique programmatic advertising solutions to the independent sector for the first time.
Jun 2024
Ping News’ programmatic ad platform, ads•ping, welcomes four independent news titles, including Islandecho.co.uk and Deeside.com.
Jun 2024
Ping News delivers the third instalment of Welsh Government funding of Independent community news outlets through the WPIJA Top-Up fund.
Nov 2024
Ping News delivers the second year of Welsh Government funding to support a dedicated Senedd Reporter, following the huge success of its pilot year.
The future
Today, Ping News continues to unlock new revenue streams for independent news publishers by leveraging advertising, syndications, big tech partnerships, and grant funding. Through cutting-edge technology and innovative funding approaches, we have injected over half a million pounds into the independent community news sector, empowering local news organisations to future-proof their business models while maintaining independence. As a Community Interest Company (CIC), every decision we make is dedicated to supporting and strengthening the independent news sector.