Bite Size Comms

At the start of Advent, I want to take a lighthearted look at the possible future of local news media. The Crewkerne Gazette describes itself as “Bold, unapologetic journalism from Somerset to the nation. Where common sense meets headlines”. Now you know where Crewkerne is!

The Crewkerne Gazette is an anonymous, one-man-led satirical AI video outlet, distributed almost entirely via social platforms. Public information provides only partial clues about its ownership and no precise figures for average views or platform earnings per post, so all estimates are necessarily rough. The Crewkerne Gazette functions as an online publisher of political satire videos created using AI, rather than as a traditional local newspaper with a publicly listed editor and publisher in the mastheads. A recent profile in The Spectator describes “the Crewkerne Man” as a single, anonymous founder in his mid-30s from Somerset with a ginger beard and glasses, who runs the outlet full-time, after returning from several years working in crypto, AI, and Republican politics in the US. The Spectator article states that the main figure insists on remaining anonymous, refusing to share his real name and only appearing in public wearing a distinctive cap, thus avoiding formal identification. He is somewhat like Banksy. It also mentions that he writes and produces songs and sketches with one collaborator, using a proprietary workflow that combines outputs from multiple AI platforms, indicating a small team rather than a full staff. There is no publicly visible editor or “about us” staff listing on the main social channels, reinforcing the impression of a very small, personality-driven operation.

The Crewkerne Gazette’s reach is notably large for what appears to be local media, but public metrics reveal a wide variation in performance rather than a consistent average per video. For instance, its Facebook presence shows tens of thousands of page likes and hundreds of thousands of people talking about it, while individual videos range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of views. One Angela Rayner video reportedly reached about 11 million views across social media. Considering this variation, a cautious estimate for typical output might range from low five-figure views for lesser posts to mid- or high-six-figure views for more prominent ones on major platforms, with occasional outliers in the multi-millions when something goes viral.

The Gazette runs a YouTube channel called “The Official Crewkerne Gazette”, clearly describing its content as satirical and parody. It often uses AI to depict politicians and celebrities. Clips and short videos are widely shared on Facebook, where descriptions and engagement suggest this is its main distribution channel. Recent posts attract view counts ranging from tens to hundreds of thousands and generate considerable comment activity. Mainstream media, including Sky News and The Spectator, view it as part of a new wave of AI-driven political satire, with most audience discovery happening through social feeds rather than a dedicated website.

There is no public reporting of the Gazette’s own monetisation figures. Typical YouTube advertising revenue for creators in comparable niches is around a few US dollars per 1,000 monetised views, while revenue for Facebook videos can be similar or lower, and creators often rely on a mix of ad-share, sponsorship, donations, or merchandise rather than ad-share alone. It is an income stream, and as long as viewer analytics remain robust and the Gazette continues producing videos, it remains profitable.

So, what are the topics or victims of the Crewkerne Gazette’s satire? I spent a good hour this morning laughing through the content so that you don’t have to. Terrible job, I know. We have “Farage like Garage”, which has had over 5 million views across the video platforms. Yes, the politician Nigel Farage is doing a grime/garage fusion, thanks to AI. “How many homes can Rayner buy?” is credited with the resignation of the Housing Minister Angela Rayner and has amassed over 10 million views. We also have “Sweet Border-line,” with the Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood playing guitar and singing a rewritten version of Sweet Caroline, with backing singers wearing orange life vests. My favourite was the leader of the opposition, Kemi Badenoch, rapping a response to the budget from the despatch box, while wearing a Nike gillet and bandana, and with two front bench conservatives slapping their legs in time to the rap. There isn’t a new satirical video every day; some days there are a few, and on others, none.

There is creativity, advanced AI technology, and above all, a lot of satire. Is this the future of local journalism? Well, it is engaging young people and those who have become disinterested in politics. That’s good. You could also say that it is putting Crewkerne on the map. Where was that place again? Will it become a mainstream trend for local journalism? No! It’s fun as a one-off. A Spitting Image for our times.

[Image of “Farage like Garage” from the Crewkerne Gazette]