{"id":687451,"date":"2025-08-27T17:10:23","date_gmt":"2025-08-27T14:10:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/local-news-services-need-to-adapt-or-face-extinction-australian-report-says\/"},"modified":"2025-08-27T17:10:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T14:10:23","slug":"local-news-services-need-to-adapt-or-face-extinction-australian-report-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/local-news-services-need-to-adapt-or-face-extinction-australian-report-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Local news services need to adapt or face extinction, Australian report says"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a41293e7b4d1\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a41293e7b4d1\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/local-news-services-need-to-adapt-or-face-extinction-australian-report-says\/#Audiences_trust_local_news_but_it_needs_to_be_relevant\" >Audiences trust local news, but it needs to be relevant<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/local-news-services-need-to-adapt-or-face-extinction-australian-report-says\/#Community-driven_content_could_be_key\" >Community-driven content could be key<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-gallery lightGallery\">\n<div data-thumb=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/tmb\/2025\/local-news-services-ne.jpg\" data-src=\"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2025\/local-news-services-ne.jpg\" data-sub-html=\"Photographer newsgathering in regional Australia. Credit: Dr. T.J. Thomson, RMIT University\">\n<figure class=\"article-img\">\n            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/scx1.b-cdn.net\/csz\/news\/800a\/2025\/local-news-services-ne.jpg\" alt=\"Local news services need to adapt or face extinction: report\" title=\"Photographer newsgathering in regional Australia. Credit: Dr. T.J. Thomson, RMIT University\" width=\"800\" height=\"530\"\/><figcaption class=\"text-darken text-low-up text-truncate-js text-truncate mt-3\">\n                Photographer <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/news\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"2\" title=\"News\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">news<\/a>gathering in regional Australia. Credit: Dr. T.J. Thomson, RMIT University<br \/>\n            <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Gaps are emerging in the provision of local news across Australia, but embracing community-driven content could be key to improving the viability of local news.<\/p>\n<p>A new report from the University of Canberra (UC) and RMIT University, titled &#8220;Engaged Journalism in the Heartland: Understanding Regional News Audiences,&#8221; encompassing multiple studies, <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.60836\/djte-h654\" target=\"_blank\">proposes recommendations<\/a> to turn the situation around.<\/p>\n<p>Researchers surveyed audiences, analyzed more than 3,000 news stories and interviewed more than 200 people from regional communities across the country.<\/p>\n<p>Report lead author and Director of UC&#8217;s News and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Media<\/a> Research Center, Professor Sora Park, said local news organizations risk becoming irrelevant if they don&#8217;t adapt to their audiences&#8217; shifting news habits.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The Australian regional audience profile is shifting,&#8221; said Professor Park. &#8220;Regional audiences want more hyperlocal news, human-interest stories and practical information like weather and local events. Local communities are finding ways to produce news themselves to fill information gaps relevant to their needs. If news organizations invest in local news topics and formats that resonate with audiences, they stand to better serve their communities.&#8221;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audiences_trust_local_news_but_it_needs_to_be_relevant\"><\/span>Audiences trust local news, but it needs to be relevant<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Trust in local news remained higher than in national or international media, especially when journalists had local knowledge and community ties.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;People trust local news because journalists have local knowledge and tell locally relevant stories,&#8221; said Professor Park. &#8220;This is usually because the journalists live in, understand and care about the communities they&#8217;re reporting on.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>While topics such as sport and crime dominate headlines, Professor Park said telling more human-interest stories would help re-engage audiences.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Locals can read about crime and sport on social media but turn to media outlets to learn about issues that matter to them and their community,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Boosting coverage of culture and community issues instead of relying on crime and sport would improve diversity and representation in news coverage.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Report co-author Dr. T.J. Thomson from RMIT University said visual storytelling is underused, missing opportunities for deeper audience engagement.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Visuals attract attention, spark emotional connections and help audiences make sense of news,&#8221; Dr. Thomson said. &#8220;Outlets should consider using more video, photo galleries, graphs and maps to help tell stories. When visuals are an afterthought, their full audience engagement potential isn&#8217;t realized.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.tandfonline.com\/doi\/full\/10.1080\/17512786.2025.2499882\" target=\"_blank\">Previous research led by Dr. Thomson<\/a> had found that viewers <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/general\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"General\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">general<\/a>ly consider images with other people in them, particularly images with faces, as more engaging than those without.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ads w-100 my-4 article-main__more bg-light p-3 border\" aria-hidden=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-3\">\n        Discover the latest in <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"5\" title=\"Science\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">science<\/a>, tech, and space with over <strong>100,000 subscribers<\/strong> who rely on Phys.org for daily insights.<br \/>\n        Sign up for our <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/sciencex.com\/help\/newsletter\/\" target=\"_blank\">free newsletter<\/a> and get updates on breakthroughs,<br \/>\n        innovations, and research that matter\u2014<strong>daily or weekly<\/strong>.\n    <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Community-driven_content_could_be_key\"><\/span>Community-driven content could be key<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>T<a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">app<\/a>ing into existing online communities and local content creators could help improve the relevance and value of news to the community.<\/p>\n<p>Report co-author and senior lecturer at UC, Dr. Jee Young Lee said broadening the authorship of local columns, running community reporting workshops and creating channels for tip-offs are ways to do this.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In an increasingly visual environment and shrinking attention span, staying relevant is key,&#8221; she said. &#8220;Outlets should explore ways and establish processes to involve their audience in the production and dissemination of news.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Other recommendations proposed in the report include exploring potential photo sales as an additional revenue source; covering more events outside of the newsroom, including forums, festivals and workshops; and streamlining ways in which audiences can share visuals.<\/p>\n<p>The report probes the state of local news in the regions, exploring current offerings in the space, information deficits and how regional audiences navigate the current information environment. It combines findings from the UC N&amp;MRC&#8217;s &#8220;Heartbeat of Australia: Tracking, Understanding and Engaging News Audiences&#8221; and RMIT NTS&#8217;s &#8220;Addressing the Crisis of Local Visual News in Regional and Remote Australia.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-main__more p-4\">\n<p><strong>More information:<\/strong><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tReport: <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.60836\/djte-h654\">Engaged Journalism in the Heartland: Understanding Regional News Audiences<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"d-inline-block text-medium mt-4\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tProvided by<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tRMIT University<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"icon_open\" href=\"http:\/\/www.rmit.edu.au\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<use href=\"https:\/\/phys.b-cdn.net\/tmpl\/v6\/img\/svg\/sprite.svg#icon_open\" x=\"0\" y=\"0\"\/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<!-- print only --><\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none d-print-block\">\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<strong>Citation<\/strong>:<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tLocal news services need to adapt or face extinction, Australian report says (2025, August 27)<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tretrieved 27 August 2025<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfrom https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2025-08-local-news-extinction-australian.html\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><script id=\"facebook-jssdk\" async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/sdk.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more Like this articles, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/sciencee\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Science category.<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/phys.org\/news\/2025-08-local-news-extinction-australian.html\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Photographer newsgathering in regional Australia. Credit: Dr. T.J. Thomson, RMIT University Gaps are emerging in the provision of local news across Australia, but embracing community-driven content could be key to improving the viability of local news. A new report from the University of Canberra (UC) and RMIT University, titled &#8220;Engaged Journalism in the Heartland: Understanding&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":687452,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/scx2.b-cdn.net\/gfx\/news\/hires\/2025\/local-news-services-ne.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-687451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sciencee"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/687451","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=687451"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/687451\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/687452"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=687451"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=687451"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=687451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}