TRANSFORMATION 2030  > POSITIVE NEWS & LOCAL MEDIA

If we want a thriving, confident region, we need to tell better stories about it. Too often, the narrative about places like Swansea and South West Wales is shaped elsewhere – driven by negative headlines, national media priorities, or outdated perceptions. Yet every day, people here are building businesses, creating jobs, supporting communities, and driving positive change.

At 4theRegion, we see positive local media as essential infrastructure for a flourishing region. It helps people understand what’s really happening, builds pride and connection, and supports local economic activity by making visible the people and organisations shaping our future. Our work in this space is about connecting those who are telling these stories, strengthening the ecosystem of local media, and encouraging all of us to play a role in sharing a more balanced, grounded and hopeful narrative for South West Wales.

ITS YOUR SWANSEA 2026 – Natalie Wright from The Swansea Edit
In the opening session of It’s Your Swansea 2026, Natalie Wright, founder of The Swansea Edit, shares her perspective on the power of local storytelling. Speaking from a strong personal connection to the city, she reflects on why celebrating Swansea’s people, places and independent businesses matters, and how thoughtful, community-led media can help shape a stronger sense of pride, identity and possibility for the future.

MONTHLY MEETUP – Discussing the importance of positive local media
Join 4theRegion members and collaborators, discussing why positive local media matters for Swansea and the wider region. In a world dominated by national headlines and negative news cycles, many of the stories that shape how we feel about our place – local businesses, community action, creativity, and everyday success – often go untold. Bringing together local publishers, businesses and organisations, this conversation highlights how telling our own stories can build confidence, strengthen connection, and support a thriving local economy, while recognising the importance of authenticity over spin.

PODCAST INTERVIEW: Jon Franklin, The Swansea Positive
Dawn Lyle speaks with friend and collaborator Jon Franklin, founder of The Swansea Positive — the beautiful, print-only newspaper dedicated to uplifting stories from across the city. What starts as a chat about a volunteer-run local paper becomes a powerful conversation about hope, community, and why sharing positive stories is actually a radical act. If you care about community, connection, or changing the narrative about where we live, this episode will stay with you.

Across South West Wales, there is a rich mix of independent publications, community platforms, creative studios, and local broadcasters working hard to tell our stories. This list brings together organisations helping to create and share positive news, celebrate local identity, and strengthen connection across our communities. Some are established outlets, others are grassroots or emerging – but all play a role in shaping how we understand and experience our region.

The Swansea Positive is your dedicated source for uplifting news and inspiring stories from the heart of Swansea. Established in 2023, their mission is to serve as an antidote to the often negative headlines, shining a light on the remarkable individuals, community initiatives, and local successes that make our city exceptional. They work to communicate and celebrate the many positive people and organisations in our county. The Swansea Positive believe in the power of positivity to transform communities. Their goal is to foster a sense of unity and resilience among Swansea residents by highlighting stories that celebrate kindness, innovation, and collaboration. By focusing on the good happening around us, they aim to inspire involvement and pride in our vibrant community. Their content is sourced from the community, for the community. They feature articles that showcase local achievements, grassroots projects, and personal stories of triumph and generosity. They aim to produce regular issues filled with positive news, ensuring their readers have a consistent source of uplifting content that reflects the true spirit of Swansea. By spotlighting local entrepreneurs and enterprises, they contribute to the economic growth of our city, encouraging residents to shop local and support their neighbours. Read more

Pure West Radio is the most liked radio station in Pembrokeshire with the biggest weekly reach across its platforms than any other media in the County. They are also the radio station based in Pembrokeshire directly serving the people of the County. They broadcast 24/7, 365 and have a team of local people driving not only the on-air content but the online element around. Meaning they have a two prong approach which delivers outstanding results for our clients. Don’t just take their word for it. Read more

reTHINK are an integrated PR and marketing agency in Swansea, here to help you reTHINK PR and communications, digital marketing, content creation, social media, website creation, media planning, event management, and research and stategy. They use their range of integrated services to solve your unique business challenges. Their experts reTHINK your PR and marketing to produce unexpected and innovative solutions. Read more

We are all storytellers. Stori Cymru believe that every brand has a unique story to tell, and their mission is to bring that story to life. With their story-driven approach to video production, they specialise in crafting compelling brand films that resonate with your audience and embody the essence of your brand. Whether you’re launching a new show or leveling up an existing one, they make your podcast sound its best. Whether its seminars, conferences or a corporate party, they capture the essence of your event, providing you with a polished video that can be used for marketing, training, or simply a memorable record. Perfect for websites, social media, presentations, and marketing campaigns, their animations help your brand stand out and keep audiences engaged. From professional headshots and team portraits to branded content, event coverage, and detailed product photography, they create high-quality visuals that elevate your brand and business. Whether you’re refreshing your website, building a content library, launching a product, or documenting an important event, they provide polished, consistent imagery tailored to your style and needs. They produce high quality training videos that are engaging and easy to understand. They understand the power of social media and the role it plays in today’s marketing strategies. They produce tailored video content that is optimised for sharing on various social media platforms to increase engagement. Their drone services provide a unique perspective to your videos, adding an extra layer of visual interest. They also carry out drone surveys for the construction industry. Read more

Swansea Bay News is an independent news outlet covering Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire. Set up by Kit Peters in November 2020, Swansea Bay News aims to share local news, events and promote local businesses. They want to feature the stories not being told elsewhere – from the quirky to the hyperlocal. Got a story to tell? Get in touch. Read more

We are the stories we tell. Creating honest, safe places where people and communities can share their lived experiences, explore new possibilities, and build meaningful connections. Founder André van Wyk’s approach weaves together three powerful frameworks to support meaningful change for people, organisations, and communities. Drawing from systemic practice, Jo-ann Archibald’s storywork, and over two decades of community work across South Wales and parts of Africa, he’s come to understand something simple but powerful. For people and communities to thrive, three things need to be in play; social, arts, and work. These three layers — systemic practice, storywork, and SocialArtsWorks© — shape everything André van Wyk does. He says “In the end, it all comes down to the stories we tell — and the stories we believe.” Read more

“We are #VitaminSea, the City by The Sea, See!!” #BrandSwansea is an independent think tank and re-brand initiative for the City and County of Swansea that starts with the thing that matters the most! The people who live here. They want to hear about your stories from the ordinary to the downright wacky and everything in between. From Blaen-Y-Maes to Derwen Fawr, from Clydach to Langland Bay. They want to dig deep and unearth those stories that everyone should hear. It’s all about our past, present and most importantly our future. Inspired by people, places and a passion for positive change. Their long term aim is to develop a cohesive, cross partnership brand strategy for Swansea that encourages an impassioned view of our city’s heritage while embracing new ideas, and a long term vision for the City Centre and the surrounding region. Initially, Brand Swansea will run a pilot scheme at grassroots level, aimed at “turning around”  perceptions of the city brand, both internally and externally. Harnessing social media and online content, they will capture a sense of who are we? and where are we? while helping to foster a new feeling of optimism and positivity amongst the peoples of Swansea. Read more

Are you struggling to get your voice heard online? POST-BOCS is a story-led studio that provides high-quality production facilities for podcasting, content creation, and online storytelling. They turn great ideas into crystal clear, professional podcasts, that people want to engage with and listen to. Community content and post-production studio in the heart of Swansea. POST-BOCS offers high-end facilities for podcasters, content creators, and online storytellers as part of the #BrandSwansea initiative. Their community studio is equipped with 4K cameras that deliver broadcast-quality visuals. When it comes to voiceover work, they’ve got the tools to ensure your recordings are flawless. Their audio-treated POST-BOCS is the perfect quiet space for audio visual post production. They also offer music session services for live performance, and tiny desk style podcasting for live music and performers. Coming soon they will offer 4k 10bit 422 live streaming over 5G super fast broadband. Read more

The Swansea Edit is an independent lifestyle magazine that lives and breathes community. They celebrate the people, places, and small businesses shaping life in Swansea today. Every issue brings together local stories, thoughtful recommendations, and useful features – all beautifully designed and proudly printed. The Swansea Edit is more than a magazine. They’re storytellers, advocates for small businesses, and firm believers in the power of community. They share real stories about the people, places, and independent businesses that bring Swansea to life. From the heart of SA1 to the edge of SA6, they highlight what makes our city unique – and create every issue with the care it deserves. Their values shape everything they do. They believe in Swansea. Their magazine exists to celebrate the real Swansea – its cafés, coastlines, creatives, and characters. Every page is crafted with pride because this city truly matters to them. They are for everyone. The Swansea Edit is always free to read, both in print and online. They believe local stories should be shared openly and without barriers. Whether you live here, work here, or are simply visiting, you’re part of our community. Read more

Swansea Bay Radio is an independent local radio station that broadcasts to Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and South Carmarthenshire. It is owned and operated by Nation Broadcasting and broadcasts on 102.1 FM and DAB from studios near the St Hilary transmitter in the Vale of Glamorgan. The station plays easy listening pop music from the past and present, alongside local news, travel and community information. As of December 2023, the station broadcasts to a weekly audience of 16,000, according to RAJAR. Listen live

Swansea’s #1 Newsletter. Swansea Scoop is an email newsletter connecting thousands of locals with the best of Swansea, from events and dining to hidden gems and local stories. Every week, over 8,000 Swansea locals read their email to find all the best local events, newest restaurants, and hidden gems. Read more

Sound Dog Media can bring you and your business into the magical world of audio by helping you to create your own podcast. Coming with a wealth of media experience, having worked for the BBC for 20 years, they are now a self-employed audio producer, creating great quality podcasts for brands or individuals. They can do this either remotely, via the internet, or face-to-face on location. They’ve produced podcasts for huge global companies, but would love to get involved in some exciting projects closer to home, to help showcase what we have here in South West Wales. The place, which we all know is stunning, as well as the people. We have a wealth of talent here and Sound Dog Media want to help us to shout about it. Read more

Y Llien Gwyn is the Welsh language newspaper of the Fishguard area. The paper was founded in October 1979 and, as of February 2024, 464 editions have appeared. Read more

The Chronicle brings local news throughout Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Swansea, and beyond Wales, with readers from throughout the world. Read more

Pembrokeshire.Online is an online magazine designed to promote everything to do with the beautiful county of Pembrokeshire. It is run by a small band of volunteers, who produce everything freely on a more or less daily basis. They are currently a team of three administrators, Nigel Summerley, who has recently retired from his full time career in editing and journalism, Tim Wickenden, a Pembrokeshire author with a number of exciting books under his belt, and Kitty Parsons, who is just delighted to be able to say she lives in this delightful county. The magazine is kept alive by them and regular and occasional contributions from photographers, artists, writers, and so many more. They are always on the lookout for new stories , new contributions and people to interview who have a story to tell. The only condition is that there is some connection with the lovely county of Pembrokeshire. Read more

Carmarthenshire News Online is your trusted source for Carmarthenshire local news, stories and community updates across Carmarthenshire and West Wales. They believe that no news is bad news. Across the UK, many towns and villages are turning into news deserts, places where there’s no trusted source of local information. When community news disappears, the people it serves know less, understand less, and can do less. As a community owned, independent newsroom, Carmarthenshire News Online exists to tell the stories that matter most to the people who live and work in Carmarthenshire. Read more

Llais is the monthly Welsh language community newspaper for the Swansea Valley. They are pleased to announce that they are printing paper copies of the Llais once again. The paper is run by volunteers and includes news from the following Swansea Valley communities; Abercraf, Yr Allt-wen, Cilybebyll and Gellinudd, Clydach, Craig-Cefn-Parc, Cwmtwrch, Cwmllynfell, Felindre, Glais, Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen, Pen-y-cae, Pontardawe, Rhos, Rhyd-y-fro, Trebannws, Ystalyfera, and Ystradgynlais. Llais also includes articles on local nature, history, characters, schools, Welsh language events, Ty’r Gwrhyd Welsh Centre, Menter Iaith Castell-nedd Port Talbot, and columns by and for Welsh learners, young people and children. Llais was established in 1979 by a team of local volunteers to serve the Welsh speaking communities of the Swansea Valley. They are very grateful for all the support they have received over the years, which includes a grant from Welsh Government. Read more

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