A Erosão da Proximidade: Questões e Desafios do Jornalismo Local na Sociedade Contemporânea

Dora Mota

doi:10.17231/comsoc.44(2023).4744

Authors

Dora Mota Centro de Estudos de Comunicação e Sociedade, Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5308-4568

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17231/comsoc.44(2023).4744

Keywords:

proximity, audience, local journalism, news deserts, platforms

Abstract

The decline of local journalism, which has lost resources and influence, is reflected in phenomena such as “news deserts” that are increasingly prevalent worldwide. A recent study suggests that over half of the municipalities lack local news coverage in Portugal. This article proposes an analysis and reflection on the issues and challenges currently affecting local journalism, drawing on a review of recent literature. It is presented as the weakest link in the global media crisis, grappling with traditional business bankruptcies and platform competition. However, it is also uniquely adaptable to endure in an adverse context. The closure of local media, the struggle for survival among the remaining outlets, and the reluctance of journalists to involve audiences in defining news contribute to the erosion of proximity, albeit with some positive signs. Among these signs is a widespread acknowledgement of the significance of local journalism and a growing academic interest in this domain.

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Author Biography

Dora Mota, Centro de Estudos de Comunicação e Sociedade, Instituto de Ciências Sociais, Universidade do Minho, Braga, Portugal

Dora Mota has been a journalist since 1999 and is currently a PhD candidate in communication sciences at the University of Minho. Her research focuses on the relationship between local journalism and its audiences, particularly the new Portuguese proximity projects. After graduating in media, she worked for national newspapers and magazines, with her recent career years spent in the Oporto newsroom of Jornal de Notícias, one of the country’s major publications. Starting October 2023, she secured a PhD scholarship from the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia.

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