Tracking local news is harder than it sounds. Most big news sites bury local stories, and checking ten different local sources every day gets old fast. You can set up an AIDular report that does the searching for you and drops a clean summary in your inbox on whatever schedule you pick.
Why Local News Is Tricky to Track
National news apps are built for national news. Your city council vote, the new business opening on your street, or the road closure that wrecks your commute, those things rarely make it into a big app's feed.
The fix is being specific in how you ask. Vague prompts get vague results. Specific prompts get the stuff you actually care about.
Step-by-Step: Setting Up a Local News Report
Step 1: Write down exactly what "local" means to you
Before you open AIDular, think about the geography. Are you tracking:
- A city ("Austin, Texas")
- A neighborhood ("Williamsburg, Brooklyn")
- A school district or county
- A local sports team or venue
The tighter the boundary, the better your report will be.
Step 2: List 2 to 4 topics you want covered
One prompt that does everything gets messy. Pick a short, clear list. For example:
- Local government decisions
- Crime and safety updates
- New businesses or closures
- Upcoming community events
You do not need to cover every possible thing. A focused report is easier to read.
Step 3: Write your AIDular prompt
Here is a copy-paste example you can edit for your own town:
Search for recent news about Austin, Texas covering these topics: city council decisions, road closures or construction updates, new business openings or closures in central Austin, and any notable community events in the next two weeks. Summarize each item in 2 to 3 sentences and include the source.
That is it. Plain English, specific location, clear topics, and a note to include sources so you can verify anything that looks important.
Step 4: Choose your schedule
For local news, a daily schedule works well if you follow something fast-moving, like a local election or a big construction project near you. A weekly schedule is fine for general community updates, since local news rarely changes hour by hour. Monthly is too slow for news.
A good rule: if you would check the topic more than twice a week on your own, pick daily. If once a week feels right, go weekly.
Step 5: Add the right recipient
If the report is just for you, add your own email. If you share a house with roommates or run a local community group, you can add a few email addresses so everyone gets the same update. AIDular lets you set recipients when you create the report.
Step 6: Read the report with one question in mind
When your report arrives, ask yourself: "Does anything here require action today?" Mark those items. Everything else is just useful context. Do not feel like you need to read every line in depth, that is what the summary format is for.
A Few Prompt Tips for Better Local Results
- Name the city and state. "Springfield" could be anywhere. "Springfield, Missouri" is clear.
- Ask for sources. AIDular includes them, and they make it easy to click through for the full story.
- Be honest about what you do not want. You can add a line like "Skip national politics unless it directly affects the city budget."
- Update your prompt every month or two. Your interests change. A prompt you wrote in January might not match what you care about in August.
Try It Free
AIDular's Lite plan is free and a great way to test a local news prompt before committing to anything. Head to aidular.com, write your prompt, pick your schedule, and your first report will be in your inbox before you know it. No technical setup needed.