The most important achievement is that coverage of the eastern Łódź County is no longer a temporary project. It has become an ongoing editorial commitment and an established part of the newsroom’s work.
© TuLodz.pl/Patryk Kwieciński
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Project Activities
Following the initial launch of the project, TuLodz.pl has continued to develop the dedicated eastern Łódź County section. Rather than treating the section as a short-term initiative, the newsroom integrated it into its regular editorial workflow and continued publishing news and public-interest journalism concerning municipalities and communities in the region.
The outlet's coverage focuses on issues that have a direct impact on residents, including local investments, transport and accessibility, public services, employment, safety, infrastructure, education, healthcare, environmental issues and community initiatives. TuLodz.pl also continues to cover events and developments that are important to the everyday lives of people living in smaller communities outside Łódź.
An important part of this continued work is responding to issues raised by residents. Readers can contact the newsroom directly through a contact form available on TuLodz.pl. They can share information, report problems, suggest topics and describe issues affecting their communities. Social media provides an additional channel for communication and engagement.
The Facebook group created as part of the project, 'Koluszki, Rzgów, Tuszyn i okolice', currently has approximately 1,100 members. It remains an additional channel for distributing local information and maintaining contact with the community.
Over time, the editorial team has further developed its editorial approach based on feedback and information received from residents. Issues raised directly by readers increasingly become starting points for journalistic reporting, while maintaining the editorial independence and verification standards of TuLodz.pl.
Since the launch of the section, TuLodz.pl has continued to expand its audience. According to the outlet's latest Marfeel data, between December 2025 and July 2026 the section generated 90,280 unique users.
The project has also contributed to the long-term sustainability of the media outlet. As the section and its audience have developed, TuLodz.pl has attracted commercial interest from businesses seeking to reach readers in the region. The outlet has successfully established cooperation with a commercial advertiser, demonstrating that the audience developed around the section is also relevant to local and regional businesses.
This is an encouraging indication that the development of local journalism can contribute not only to stronger community engagement but also to a more sustainable financial model for independent local media.
What is the impact?
TuLodz.pl considers the project a successful and sustainable response to the problem of a local news desert. The most important change is that coverage of the eastern Łódź County has continued beyond the initial grant period. What began as an initiative designed to test whether there was a genuine demand for independent journalism in the area has become a permanent part of TuLodz.pl.
The project demonstrated that communities outside the main urban centre have a clear need for journalism focused on their everyday concerns. By maintaining regular coverage, the newsroom has been able to increase the visibility of issues that might otherwise receive limited attention. Its reporting covers not only major events, but also local infrastructure, public services, investments, transport, employment, healthcare, environmental problems and community initiatives.
The continuation of the section is particularly important from the perspective of news deserts. The objective is no longer simply to launch coverage of the region, but to ensure that residents have an established media outlet they can rely on for regular, independent information. This represents a shift from a temporary project intervention towards a lasting local media presence.
The project has also strengthened the newsroom's understanding of how to serve communities surrounding a major city. Its experience has shown that geographical proximity to Łódź does not automatically guarantee sufficient access to independent hyperlocal journalism. The knowledge and relationships developed through the project continue to influence the outlet's editorial decisions and its approach to communities that are less visible in the local media landscape.
The clearest positive change is the creation of a stable information channel for residents of the eastern Łódź County. The dedicated TuLodz.pl section continues to provide regular coverage of the region and has become a permanent element of the website rather than a time-limited project.
The relationship between the newsroom and local residents has also become stronger. Residents can contact journalists directly through the website's contact form and through social media. They can share information, suggest topics and bring attention to problems affecting their communities. This creates a two-way relationship in which residents are not only recipients of information but can also contribute to identifying issues that deserve journalistic attention.
The Facebook community established during the project has continued to grow and currently has approximately 1,100 members. It provides an additional space for local information and community interaction, while the website remains the primary platform for the outlet's journalism.
The project has therefore increased the visibility of local issues and strengthened residents' ability to have their concerns represented in independent media. At the same time, it has allowed TuLodz.pl to establish a lasting editorial presence beyond Łódź itself and build a stronger relationship with communities in the eastern part of the metropolitan area.
The project has also contributed to the long-term sustainability of the media outlet. The development of a stable local audience has created new opportunities for cooperation with local and regional businesses. The successful cooperation with a commercial advertiser interested in reaching this audience is an encouraging indication that the editorial presence developed through the project can contribute to a more sustainable local media model.
Project Links
Main project output
Community engagement
Selected publications
Project Pictures
Photo by TuLodz.pl/Patryk Kwieciński
© TuLodz.pl/Patryk Kwieciński
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