Liverpool Echo

The Liverpool Echo uses live coverage as an integral part of its storytelling – and three specific examples show how different tools and platforms come together to really engage with and serve readers. 

Firstly, the Echo’s live court coverage of the trial following the murder of Ashley Dale drove 4.5 million page views across Reach’s Live Network, and an average engagement time of almost seven minutes. The team also created a dedicated WhatsApp community to promote the live coverage. The sentencing of the four men convicted was broadcast live on the Echo's Facebook page and an interview with the senior investigating officer featured on YouTube.

During its "particularly impactful” coverage of a mass stabbing in Southport which claimed the lives of three girls, the Echo’s real-time live reporting sought to combat the disinformation widely shared on social media. Echo journalists were on the streets late into the night to cover the rioting, using a live blog to verify facts and amplify messages released by official sources. 

And in what judges described as a “refreshing and positive approach”, the Echo also used its extensive live coverage experience to document the run-up to Taylor Swift’s concerts at Anfield, capturing the excitement and sharing fans’ stories, as well as giving valuable, local advice to those who travelled to the city.