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Differentiating distance in local and hyperlocal news

journal contribution
posted on 2020-04-01, 00:00 authored by Julie FreemanJulie Freeman
Journalism studies has undergone a geographic turn in which considerable research has sought to reconceptualise understandings of place and space in the digitally networked environment. This article argues that the concept of distance, as the physical spaces between places, has largely been overlooked in journalism research but could add a useful dimension when examining the construction and consumption of local and hyperlocal news. Empirical research into the news contexts of a geographically large rural Australian municipality, and the diverse experiences of two towns situated a sizable distance apart, reveals a paradox in the place-making value of news. While closeness between newsrooms and audiences benefits the development of a sense of community, outlets at a greater distance from smaller towns are more likely to offer balanced political coverage of public interest matters. These findings suggest that there is a need for a well-developed theory of distance that can account for the complexities of news contexts within and between ruralities.

History

Journal

Journalism

Volume

21

Article number

ARTN 1464884919886440

Pagination

524-540

Location

London, Eng.

ISSN

1464-8849

eISSN

1741-3001

Language

English

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Issue

4

Publisher

SAGE PUBLICATIONS INC