How much does it cost to hire a court reporter for a day? In the South Wales town of Port Talbot it's now possible to sponsor one for £150.

The idea has been floated by a group of volunteer journalists who run a local news site, the Port Talbot Magnet, on a not-for-profit basis.

It is part of their P!tch-In! scheme, that aims to raise money from residents to pay for professional journalists to cover local events.

The Magnet was launched by eight journalists to fill the vacuum left by the retreat of mainstream media from the town.

Trinity Mirror closed the Port Talbot Guardian in 2009. The council terminated its freesheet. And the community radio station stopped broadcasting.

Run by eight journalistic volunteers who work part-time, the Magnet carries their stories along with others provided by members of the community.

One of the board members, Rachel Howells, says the P!tch-In! initiative solicits both story ideas and funding through donations.

She explains that the £150 daily fee for a court reporter is a recognition that "reporting from an ongoing court case is a highly specialised job that requires training and experience."

These kinds of innovations will be discussed at a conference later this year hosted by the London freelance branch of the National Union of Journalists. It's a follow-up to their 2010 conference "New ways to make journalism pay".

Sources: NUJ freelance bulletin/Magnet