[2] It provides local news through independent investigative journalism,[3] in a quarterly print publication and website, both free.

[8][9] In 2021 the Press Gazette again noted the investigative journalism and successful development of The Bristol Cable, with membership at 2,600.

[10] The Bristol Cable has broken stories on workplace abuses in the catering sector (October 2014);[2] Bristol University's holdings in fossil fuels, which was used by people campaigning for its divestment and prompted a change by the University (June 2015);[2][6][11] ownership of property in the city by offshore companies based in tax havens (January 2016 and January 2018);[2] the Mayor and senior council officials hiding the potential for deep well fracking from councillors and the public, to prevent disruption to the sale of Bristol Port land (May 2016);[2][12] the use by local police of mass surveillance devices, known as IMSI-catchers or Stingray phone trackers, that eavesdrop on mobile phone and other devices,[13] which became a national news story (October 2016);[14][15][16][17][18][19] local companies' links to the arms trade (February 2017);[2] poor working conditions (March 2017);[20] racial bias in Immigration Enforcement officers' stop and checks of people on the street they suspect of immigration offences (October 2017, with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism);[21][22] and the small share of new property developments given over to affordable housing, in comparison with the official policy of Bristol City Council (March 2018).

[6][11][23] To set up, produce its first issue, and launch citizen journalism workshops, it raised £3,300 in a crowdfunding campaign, was given £1,500 by Co-operatives UK and £1,600 by Lush.

[7] In 2017 it received a grant of £40,000 from the Reva and David Logan Foundation to expand its capacity in the local community.