Arc hi v e d v ersi o n fr o m N C D O C K S I nstit uti o n al R e p osit or y h tt p: / /li br es. u nc g. e d u /ir / as u / It' s N ot H at e B ut . . . ": M ar gi n al C at e g ori e s I n R ur al J o ur n ali s m B y: Gr e g or y P err e a ult , R ut h M o o n, J essic a F ar g e n W als h, a n d Mil dr e d F. P err e a ult A b str a ct J o ur n alists w h o c o v er r ur al ar e as i n t h e U nit e d St at es s a y t h e y ar e afr ai d t o r e p ort o n h at e gr o u ps, a n d t his f e ar is e x ac er b at e d b y cl os e c o m m u nit y ti es a n d li mit e d r es o urc es a m o n g r ur al j o ur n alists. W e e x a mi n e t h e c o nc e pt of " h at e s p e ec h" as a b o u n d ar y o bj ect, a n al y zi n g i n-d e pt h i nt er vi e ws wit h U. S. j o ur n alists r e p orti n g i n r ur al c o m m u niti es ( n = 3 3) t o b ett er u n d erst a n d h o w r ur al j o ur n alists r e p ort o n h at e. W e fi n d t h at r ur al j o ur n alists artic ul at e a cl e ar d efi niti o n f or h at e s p e ec h b ut str u g gl e t o a p pl y t h at d efi niti o n t o e v e nts wit hi n t h eir c o m m u niti es, e v e n as t h e y artic ul at e n u m er o us f or ms of h at e. J o ur n alists oft e n dis miss e d acts of h at e usi n g t h e r esi d u al c at e g or y of " n ot h at e, b ut ... " t o si g n al s o m et hi n g t h at t h e y f elt w as o ut of pl ac e or u ns uit a bl e b ut di d n ot ris e t o t h e l e g al d efi niti o n of h at e s p e ec h a n d t h us w as n ot w ort h r e p orti n g o n. T his a p pr o ac h e n ds u p c h all e n gi n g j o ur n alists' n or m ati v e c o m mit m e nts t o t h eir c o m m u niti es a n d e x e m plifi es t h eir d esir e t o a v oi d a n o bj ecti vit y tr a p. Gr e g or y P err e a ult , R ut h M o o n, J essic a F ar g e n W als h & Mil dr e d F. P err e a ult ( 2 0 2 2): "It's N ot H at e b ut ... ": M ar gi n al C at e g ori es i n R ur al J o ur n alis m, J o ur n alis m Pr actic e, D OI:

This article examines how 22 Nebraska newspapers and a wire service covered nitrate contamination in Nebraska’s groundwater over nearly 4 years. We found coverage lacked depth and examined a few solutions although 88% of Nebraskans get drinking water from the ground. Reliance on fertilizer and irrigation for crop production leads to groundwater contamination, making this a concerning coverage gap as climate change impacts promise to make farming more challenging and increase environmental risks.

Everything else is public relations'": How rural journalists draw the boundary between journalism and public relations in rural communities. Mass Communication & Society.