Undercovered, Underinformed: Local News, Local Elections, and U.S. Sheriffs

Gubernatorial Elections Change Demand for Local Newspapers

“…However, it seems not all winning partisans change their news consumption in the same way: we show that Democrats may shift their attention to independent newspapers in the wake of a gubernatorial win more so than Republicans. Rather than consistent effort and equal interest across partisans following elections, we find asymmetric changes in media consumption behavior that could influence mechanisms of accountability and representation given the central role played by local media in that process (Hopkins & Pettingill, 2018; Meeks, 2020). This is particularly noteworthy considering the surges in independent newspaper circulations after a Democratic victory compared to a Republican one in the current era, which suggests differential rates of news consumption and political learning by party.…”

Outdated or innovative? Examining news practices that have stood the test of time at one of Australia's longest-serving local newspapers

“…More recently, Willis (2021) has explored traditions in Australia's local newspapers, specifically how local mastheads have contributed to community identity in the past. Using historic case studies from rural New South Wales, he charts the growth and changes of local newspapers, their owner-editors, and how they promoted parochialism.…”

“…Using historic case studies from rural New South Wales, he charts the growth and changes of local newspapers, their owner-editors, and how they promoted parochialism. These mastheads were the essence of localism, ‘a cultural form that promoted local identity and place’ through storytelling (Willis, 2021: p197). Richardson (2014) meanwhile charts the evolution of Australia's suburban newspapers, suggesting this sector has played an important historical role but has been mostly overlooked in industry and academic debates.…”

“…We opted to use circulation figures because the AMAA provides regular, credible, comparable and accessible data on approximately 140 mastheads across the country. This approach follows other scholars in the field, such as Meeks (2020), who have relied on audited circulation figures to provide parameters for their case studies. Our data collection identified five independent news mastheads that had increased or maintained their paying audience during our timeframe: The Monaro Post in New South Wales ( + 56.3%), the Phillip Island and San Remo Advertiser ( + 18.5%), The Buloke Times ( + 4.46%) and the Bairnsdale Advertiser ( + 1.99%) all in Victoria and the Huon Valley News in Tasmania (−0.18%).…”

“…Australia's local news outlets play an important role in the small rural communities they serve by ensuring an informed citizenry and fostering connections among people and places (Freeman and Hutchins, 2016; Hess and Waller, 2017; Meeks 2020; Wenzel, 2019). The local news sector has, however, struggled with financial viability in the wake of the digital disruption that has transformed the media industry globally (Alfani, 2020; Franklin, 2006; Williams, 2006).…”