WalesOnline
We were the first, and for several hours only, journalists on the scene in Ely, Cardiff, when the deaths of two boys in an e-bike accident sparked a riot on the streets, providing accurate coverage in difficult and volatile circumstances as rumours swirled about the circumstances of their deaths and what was happening on the ground as a result, including false reports of our own reporters being attacked.Our live coverage lasted several days as we spent entire days in the community, following every important development, including the role of the police in the boys’ deaths. This approach to fast and accurate live news reporting contributes to our app being the most-read in the regional press, with stories read 14.5 million times on the app alone in October 2023. Our push notifications alert people in real time to news and events that have a tangible impact on their lives, like the closure of a busy road or a police incident where they live. We also break live news with our newly-launched WhatsApp communities, giving us not only a direct and intimate relationship with our readers but a secure way to grow our audience. We achieved 300,000 page views in this way in October. And we have 300,000 subscribers to our newsletters, with subscribers receiving breaking news to their inbox. No one in Wales covers court proceedings as comprehensively and thoroughly as WalesOnline. We have two reporters dedicated to reporting what goes in our courtrooms, and cover high profile cases live, such as that of murderer Kyle Bevan who killed a two-year-old girl. We broke the news that hundreds of jobs were to go at a major employer in the south Wales valleys. Our reporters’ diligent research in advance meant we were ready to launch live coverage as soon as we were satisfied the story was accurate, not only breaking the news but quickly travelling to the heart of that community to meet with those whose jobs had been lost. We will never sacrifice sensitivity and accuracy for speed. We launched live coverage when we learned of a heavy police presence at the scene of a burning car near a Swansea hospital but the unusual circumstances informed our cautious approach. It emerged that a woman was dead at the scene and a man was later charged with murder. We also break news on Facebook Live, where more than 120,000 people watched us cover a vigil for three young people who died in a car crash. But our live coverage isn’t just for hard news. When a petition to rescind the new 20mph default speed limit in Wales gained more traction than any other in Welsh Government history, we decided to cover the growing number of signatories live. And on Facebook Live we cover in real time events as diverse as stormy weather, a Christmas parade or a convoy of supercars for a little boy’s funeral.