The future of local newspapers is in jeopardy, according to a report released last month by the digital, culture, media, and sport committee of parliament (DCMS).
This analysis on the viability of local journalism is published at a time when public faith in the national media is declining and online disinformation, polarization, and prejudice against minorities are on the rise.
My research indicates, however, that local journalism can provide a crucial antidote. Consequently, it should be acknowledged as a crucial factor in fostering our diverse civic communities.
Research demonstrates that the media frequently portray Muslims in an unfavorable light. They are frequently characterized through the use of stereotypes or as “a threat to the west” as the troublesome outsider of British society.
Recent polls on Islamophobia in Britain revealed that Muslims are seen as the second “least liked” minority in the country. Statistics issued by the Home Office in October 2022 indicate that Muslims are far more likely to be victims of religiously motivated crimes than any other religious group.
THE LOCAL PRESS AND COMMUNITY SPIRIT
My research has revealed that the local media has the capacity to give more inclusive coverage of stories impacting Muslims.
I conducted interviews with local journalists employed by publications in cities with relatively big Muslim populations, such as London and Blackburn. The results indicated that conscious efforts were made to ensure that their reports did not affect Muslims in the areas they served. I discovered that local media viewed Muslims as vital members of their community, as opposed to outsiders.
Local journalists reported on Muslim holidays and festivals. There were reports on both terrorist incidents and Islamophobic violence against local Muslims. And Muslims’ contributions to civic life, as well as crimes and wrongdoings, were reported in the same manner as those of everyone else.
A pilot was killed in a light aircraft crash along the N14 in Gauteng.
One local journalist told me, “I go the extra mile in my reporting to get a more accurate picture of where the community is and the real lives of the people who live there.” “For me, it’s about pushing back against the atomized nonsense we see coming back online. To combat this prevalent dehumanizing narrative, it is essential to relate tales truthfully and properly.
Obviously, it would be an oversimplification to apply the lessons acquired from these individual journalists to the entire local media. However, numerous studies of local journalism have also highlighted the frequently unique newsroom cultures of small newspapers. Journalists and their readers are viewed as members of a community with shared values and objectives. This proximity to the people they serve frequently results in a more measured approach to reporting and a greater unwillingness to sensationalize or demonize.
Research also indicates that local journalists are committed to fostering and defending a feeling of community.
DANGERS LIE AHEAD
Nonetheless, as highlighted by the DCMS committee report, the landscape of local media is shifting in a negative way. Between 2009 and 2019, over three hundred regional newspaper titles ceased publication. It was announced during the week of February 6, 2023, that 300 workers of publisher DC Thomson will be laid off. The corporation publishes publications such as the Press & Journal of Aberdeen and The Courier of Dundee.
There are grave fears in the same research that the collapse of local journalism will have a negative effect on civic life if the government does not intervene significantly. Communities in the poorest regions of the United Kingdom are most likely to be affected.
Local publishers are struggling to stay up with larger media organizations in the transition to online news services, according to the DCMS assessment. This is resulting in revenue and resource losses. To fight this, the DCMS committee has urged the government to assist local news organizations in obtaining nonprofit status and to encourage innovation, entrepreneurs, and new technologies.
Media experts will closely monitor the forthcoming digital markets, competition, and consumer bill in Westminster to determine how it may affect smaller publications.
Concerns for local journalism extend beyond its survival in a news industry that is becoming increasingly digital. It is more a matter of recognizing that fostering a sense of community is one way to combat widespread hostility, deception, and polarization.
According to research conducted by the Media Reform Coalition, over 84% of local newspapers are currently owned by only six corporations. And although consolidation has been a lifeline for some newspapers, for others it threatens to sever the intimate community ties that appear to be indispensable for the inclusive and balanced civic journalism we require.
Article authored by Nadia Haq. Cardiff University Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ESRC