The independent journalism Exeter needs
Exeter Observer is a new kind of independent local news organisation that holds power and influence to account while helping our cultural and community life to thrive.
It is published by Exeter Observer Limited, a not-for-profit community benefit society, and produced by a tiny newsroom with two staff.
Over the past five years it has published more than 550 stories. It often sets the local news agenda, offering insight about what’s going in Exeter that you won’t find anywhere else.
Its website serves more than a million page views each year and its readership and subscriber base have doubled in the past twelve months.
We’re expanding our team to deliver all the local news that matters so we’re running a community share offer to raise the investment we need to finance our growth.
Our share offer is eligible for 50% tax relief under HMRC’s Seed Enterprise Investment Scheme, with scope to claim capital gains tax and loss relief too, minimising investment risk.
Local news that matters
The local democracy we need depends on people being sufficiently well-informed about what is taking place to actively engage.
It doesn’t work without ready access to relevant, accurate, timely reporting on who is deciding what on whose behalf and what the costs and consequences of those decisions will be.
Legacy local media’s publishing model cannot keep people informed about important issues that affect them and the communities in which they live and work.
Only publishers with the operational capacity and editorial independence to make informed judgements in the public interest can deliver the journalism that local democracy needs.
Reach plc dominates Devon news coverage but only 10% of Devon Live’s readers are located in the south west and Exeter Express & Echo’s circulation has fallen by 72% in the past six years.
Exeter Observer is different. Our rigorous independent journalism has real-world impact while proving that reader-funded media can deliver the public interest news our city needs.
Invest in Exeter Observer
You can download full details of our community share offer, including its terms and conditions, and the Rules of Exeter Observer Limited below.
Exeter Observer Spring 2024 community share offer document
Rules of Exeter Observer Limited
Please get in touch to find out more about our community share offer or come along to an informal event for prospective investors.
Buy community shares
We will confirm your application then email a link to our payment service provider GoCardless to authorise a bank transfer to purchase your shares.
We use GoCardless to ensure as much of your investment as possible is retained for its intended purpose as it caps payment transaction fees at less than £5.
We would also be happy to arrange a fee-free payment direct via BACS instead.
We will communicate with you about all aspects of your investment in Exeter Observer using your email address. Please notify us of any change to this address without delay.
Your personal information will be processed and stored in accordance with our GDPR-compliant Privacy Policy.
More about Exeter Observer
- A new kind of independent news organisation
- Distribution & promotion
- Democracy doesn't work when people don't know
- Legacy local news
- Exeter media in perspective
- Local news that matters
- References
Exeter Observer is published by Exeter Observer Limited, Community Benefit Society No. 8435 registered under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014.
Our registered address is St Sidwell’s Community Centre, Sidwell Street, Exeter EX4 6NN.
