Google Is Testing a New App That Would Let Anyone Publish a Local News Story

Google is testing a new tool for people to report and publish local news stories, called Bulletin. A website first spotted online Jan 25 describes Bulletin as “an app for contributing hyperlocal stories about your community, for your community, right from your phone.” It’s designed to make it “effortless” to tell “the stories that aren’t being told” via your smartphone. It’s not just for techie early adopters: “If you are comfortable taking photos or sending messages, you can create a Bulletin story!”, the site says.

The app is in a “limited pilot” in just two cities: Nashville (TN) and Oakland (CA). “This is very much in the testing phase and aimed at hyperlocal stories and events for people to share, and for local media to take advantage of,” said Google spokeswoman Maggie Shiels. “People everywhere want to know what is going on in their own backyard at a very local level, ranging from local bookstore readings to high school sporting events to information about local street closures.”