Digital media and local democracy: news media, local governments and civic action
Freeman, Julie and Hutchins, Brett 2016, Digital media and local democracy: news media, local governments and civic action, Australian journalism review, vol. 38, no. 2, pp. 19-30.
Journalism Education and Research Association of Australia
Place of publication
St. Lucia, Qld.
Publication date
2016
ISSN
0810-2686
Summary
The study of digital media and political action must consider variations in media ecologies to account for the ways in which contextually specific circumstances influence the character of local democratic participation. This article argues for this need by synthesising the disconnected literatures on Australian communications infrastructures, municipal governments and local news media. It reveals uneven levels of connectivity, restricted digital government practices and a decreasing capacity of local newsrooms and journalists to cover local politics. These problems coalesce to create risks of ill-informed citizenries, illegitimate local decision making, and minimally accountable local governments. This situation contributes to the democratic marginalisation of communities, with political power remaining embedded within the hierarchal decision making system of Australian local government.
Language
eng
Field of Research
200102 Communication Technology and Digital Media Studies 200104 Media Studies 2001 Communication And Media Studies
Socio Economic Objective
890404 Publishing and Print Services (incl. Internet Publishing)
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