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Breaking Boundaries : recasting the “local” newspaper as “geo-social” news in a digital landscape

journal contribution
posted on 2013-01-01, 00:00 authored by Kristy HessKristy Hess
This paper reconceptualises the role of the small “local” newspaper in a new media environment and argues that definitions and concepts currently used to describe and define such publications are becoming increasingly problematic as newspapers shift into both print and online formats. The paper highlights the continued importance of geography for such newspapers at a time when there is wide academic debate on the relevance of territory and boundaries and the impact of time–space compression in a new media world. It argues, however, that a focus on a newspaper’s geographic connection must also acknowledge the increasing boundlessness and openness of the social space in which a newspaper operates. Ultimately this paper suggests the concept of “geo-social” news may be a more appropriate framework for scholars to consider such publications. I draw on the work of geography scholars, and discussions around “space” and “place” to construct the notion of “geo-social” news, highlighting some exemplars of small commercial newsroom practices in Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada and discussions with newspaper editors in Australia to demonstrate the relevance of the “geo-social” concept.

History

Journal

Digital journalism

Volume

1

Issue

1

Pagination

48 - 63

Publisher

Routledge

Location

Abingdon, Eng.

ISSN

2167-0811

eISSN

2167-082X

Language

eng

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal; C Journal article

Copyright notice

2013, Taylor & Francis

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