A London news publication founded by former Guardian media editor Jim Waterson, publishing investigations and stories on London through a subscription newsletter.
London Centric is a news title about London, published through Substack by the journalist Jim Waterson. It publishes newsletters and stories on the whole city: investigations into things that affect Londoners, plus lighter stories. Examples reported in the press include the effect of rental bikes, Harry Potter gift shops, scams on Westminster Bridge and illegal ice cream vans.
Waterson launched it in September 2024 after working as media editor at The Guardian. He has said he wants top-down, pan-London coverage that complements local and borough news outlets rather than replacing them, aiming for a big story every couple of days, and he describes his main target as getting people to pay to subscribe and 'actually enjoy reading it'. A November 2025 interview headline quotes him saying 'you've got to have a bit of joy'.
As the name suggests, the publication is London-focused. It is a small independent publication that does not have its own office address in the sources we found. Press Gazette reported about 18,000 free subscribers soon after launch, and a later interview said it had 3.9 thousand paying members. Waterson also appears at industry events and on media podcasts. Press Gazette described the group of new London titles, including The Londoner, On London and London Daily Digital, as a renaissance for London news, which shows the kind of local journalism ecosystem London Centric sits within. On London was founded by Dave Hill in 2017 and London Daily Digital launched in February 2025 with 18 staff, according to Press Gazette.
The culture is that of a one-person start-up: the journalist who started it sets the tone, takes risks on stories and works directly with readers. Other staff were not named in the sources we read. Humour and scoops are part of how it grows, according to the interview coverage. This comes from press accounts, not the company's own site.
Jobs in a publication like this are mainly reporting, editing, audience and subscription work, and freelance commissioning. Because the team is tiny and unnamed in what we read, this is a good example of how an independent newsroom can start with one person. Check its Substack for any open roles or freelance calls.
Website: www.londoncentric.media
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