Document details

Local Journalism, Global Challenges: News Deserts, Infodemic and the Vastness in Between

Covilhã: LabCom;Beira Interior University (2024), 203 pp.

ISBN 978-989-654-971-8 (print); 978-989-654-970-1 (pdf)

CC BY-NC-ND

"[...] Pedro Jerónimo’s anthology addresses a highly relevant topic. It offers insights into the state of local media in countries where little research has been published to date. Of the eight contributions in the volume, four focus on Europe and Latin America (Romania, Portugal, Europe, and Brazil), while the other four examine China. Thematically, the contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics within the field of local media: the impact of economic and social challenges on local journalism, automation in local journalism, transnational cooperation in investiga-tive research, and the potential of information apps for local communities. The four articles on China focus on the role of local media during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the title of the anthology may not lead readers to expect such a wide range of topics, some might have expected more research specifically on news deserts, i.e. studies examining the societal effects of local media decline [...] The anthology’s strength lies both in its detailed insights into specific aspects of local media communication in various countries and its potential to inspire further re-search. Readers seeking such inspiration will find the book valuable, whereas those expecting conceptually and methodologically rigorous case studies may be disappointed." (Review by Matthias Künzler, Global Media Journal–German Edition, Vol. 14, No. 2, 2024, pages 2-4)
MAKING THE LOCAL NEWS
Mapping the terrain of journalism: the state of local news in Romania / Carmen Neamtu, 17
Can automated news help local journalism? An exploratory study in Portugal / Adriana Gonçalves & Ricardo Morais, 33
Restoring trust in local media through journalistic collaboration: European Union level iniciatives focused on investigative journalism / David Parra Valcarce, Elvira García de Torres, Pedro Jerónimo & Giovanni Ramos, 57
Lupa NH Project: experimental strategy to combat the scarcity of local coverage in Brazil / Walter Teixeira Lima Junior, Alan Milhomem da Silva, Jéssica de Souza Carneiro & Tiago Eduardo, 83
LOCAL NEWS IN ASIAN AT TIMES OF PANDEMIC
Do media attributes determine news production? A comparative study of local and central newsrooms after the easing of pandemic restrictions in China / Carl Zhou, Linyi Gao, Jinao Li, Ranjun Hua, 103
The changing socialized role of Chinese local media in the infodemic: a case study of the Shanghai 2022 pandemic rumours / Hongxu Zhu & Mengyao, 125
The impact of local media on social psychology in an “infodemic” context: take Wenzhou Daily Newspaper Group as an example / Lin Shike & Chuchu Zhao, 143
“The Power of the Civilian Hero”: effective strategies for local media coverage in response to information epidemics / Chuchu Zhao & Rongyi Chen, 171