Local Journalism in a Digital World Theory and Practice in the Digital Age [Hardcover]

This unique text addresses the gap between journalism studies, which have tended to focus on national and international news, and the fact that most journalism is practised at the local level, where people live, work, play and feel most at home. Providing a rich overview of the role and place of local media in society, Hess and Waller demonstrate that, in this changing digital era, the local journalist must not only specialize in niche place-based news, but also have a clear understanding of how their locality and its people fit in the context of a globalized world.

Equipping readers with a nuanced and well-rounded understanding of the field today, this is an essential resource for students of journalism, media and communication studies, as well as for practising and aspiring journalists.

The majority of journalism graduates find themselves working in local settings at some point during their careers; this book will equip them with an excellent understanding of the field today, and will also provide rich theoretical insights for students and scholars who are investigating the role and future of local journalism in a digital world.

1. Understanding Local Journalism.- 2. Defining the local in a geo-social context.- 3. Local media around the world.- 4. Shaping 'local' news.- 5. Connectors, champions and advocates.- 6. Changing journalistic practices.- 7. Subsidise or commercialise? The economics of local journalism.- Conclusion.

Kristy Hess is a Senior Lecturer in Communication at Deakin University, Australia. She researches local media and its relationship to elites and everyday people, is an editorial board member of Digital Journalism, and her work has been published in leading journalism, media and communication journals. She has also worked as a journalist and is the academic director of Australia's largest university-industry training program for prl³q