Challenge of making online news pay leads to closure of Wiltshire website FLIC

A local news website with a focus on social media is to close with the loss of five jobs.

FLIC (For Local Independent Coverage) was launched four years ago and covers Swindon and Wiltshire. It claimed to have 250,000 "local users" and said it had the "largest online social media following of any local news outlet".

Managing director Mark Neilson said in a story on the FLIC website: "News provision is a rapidly changing landscape and although the achievements of FLIC and the impressive audience figures prove there is an appetite for local news providers, the media industry’s biggest challenge is making online news pay.

“Rapidly changing technologies require increasing financial and time commitments to ensure that FLIC retained its market leading position and although I’ve previously invested significant amounts, I’ve decided to concentrate this on my other business interests moving forward.

“Unfortunately we have been unable to find a buyer for the site in its entirety so it’s with a deep sense of regret that I have decided to close the business down.

“I’m really proud of my team and their achievements, we’ve all learnt together and grown together during our time at FLIC and I wish them all success in their individual careers. I was lucky enough to work with some really talented people and am sure they will still be as successful in the future”.