Reappraising Local and Community News in the UK: Media, Practice, and Policy (Disruptions)

"Drawing on expert contributions from around the UK, this collection brings together a series of insights into the contemporary local and community news media landscape in the UK. Offering an analysis of the ongoing 'crisis' in the provision of local news, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, the book provides a critical space for practitioners and scholars to reflect on emerging models for economically sustainable, participatory local news services. It showcases new scholarly analyses of local news provision and community news practices, giving voice to the experiences of practitioners from across the local news ecology. In a set of diverse contributing chapters, campaigners and practitioners map out the period of recent rapid change for local news, questioning contemporary government initiatives and highlighting the advent of diverse, entrepreneurial reactions to the spaces created by a decline in local mainstream news services. This book is a timely examination of what we can learn from the variety of approaches being taken across the local media landscape in the commercial, subsidised and non-profit sector, shining new light on how practices that place the engagement of citizens at their centre might be propagated within this policy and funding landscape. Reappraising Local and Community News in the UK is a valuable resource for students and scholars interested in local news and journalism, as well as for anyone interested in the evolving local media landscape in the UK"-- Provided by publisher Cover Half Title Series Information Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents Figures Tables Contributors Introduction: Local Public Service Journalism and the BBC Introduction Reappraising Local and Community News Private and Public Funding for Local Public Interest News Localism and the BBC Cementing Local News Partnerships Critical Regionalism About this Book References 1 Local News Deserts Defining Local News Deserts Approaches to Studying Local News Deserts Case Study: Spatial Inequalities in Local News Provisions and Reach in England Availability of Local Newspapers Reach of Local News Media Ownership Emergence of Independent Hyperlocal Providers Presence of a Local Court Significance of General Deprivation Conclusion References 2 All In, All Together? Government Subsidy for News Introduction Context All In, All Together Government Subsidy for News Conclusion – Lessons to Be Learnt Note References 3 British Community Journalism’s Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic Background: the Fragility of Community Journalism Methodology Findings: the Challenges of Community Journalism in a Pandemic The Coronavirus Pandemic as an Opportunity for Positive Transformation Conclusion Notes References 4 Supporting Hyperlocal Reporting: Global Funding, Local Voices Introduction Context The COVID-19 Community Reporting Project, Portsmouth The Experiences of the COVID-19 Community Reporters Storytelling in a Different Way and Prioritising Marginalised Voices Personal and Professional Impact The Perceived Impact of the Project Being Grant Funded Reflections On the Value of Project Funding Conclusion: Supporting Local News in the Public Interest References 5 Who’s Cashing In? Reappraising the Economic Value of Independent Community News Introduction Methodology Revenues for Independent and Community Media Economic Opportunities for Syndication Supply Chain Values Mechanisms for Economic Redress Conclusions Acknowledgements References 6 Community Radio as Citizen Journalism Context Community Radio Method Findings Local News Provision as a Moral Duty Challenges in Local News Provision Upping the Game Automated Newsgathering Expanding and Branching Out Discussion Conclusion References 7 Local Data Journalism Practice in the UK Introduction The Rise of Data Journalism in the UK and Its Context Data Journalism Practice at the Local Level in the UK Collaboration Model One: In-House “Data Wire” Collaboration Model Two: Providing “Story Packs” and Training Collaboration Model Three: Mobilising Collaborations and Networking Why Collaboration? The Extent of Collaboration-Generated Local Data Journalism Coverage The Challenges to the Sustainability of the Three Collaboration Models Conclusion References 8 Considering Slow Local News Understanding the Local A Different Approach Voice Reclaiming Lost Content Digital Storytelling Photovoice Participatory Video Conclusions References Index Local news deserts / Jonathan Heawood -- British community journalism's response to the COVID 19 pandemic / Karin Wahl-Jorgensen, Iñaki Garcia-Blanco and Julia Boelle -- Supporting hyperlocal reporting: global funding, local voices / Sarah Cheverton -- Who's cashing in? reappraising the economic value of independent community news / Clare Cook and Coral Milburn-Curtis -- Community radio and citizen journalism / Aleksandar Kocic, Josephine Coleman, Jerry Padfield, Jelena Milicev -- Local data journalism practice in the UK / Jinrong Tong -- Considering slow local news / Mark Dunford