Towards (Hyper)local public sphere : Comparison of civic engagement across the global north
The role of hyperlocal media is of increasing relevance as traditional local journalism experiences a decline due to centrali-sation and consolidation. The affordances of Internet and digital technologies also enable hyperlocal initiatives to enhance civic engagement in localities and serve as a pla...
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ftunivtampere:oai:trepo.tuni.fi:10024/133604 2024-01-07T09:45:24+01:00 Towards (Hyper)local public sphere : Comparison of civic engagement across the global north Hujanen, Jaana Dovbysh, Olga Jangdal, Lottie Lehtisaari, Katja Tampere University Communication Sciences 2021 11 249439 fulltext https://trepo.tuni.fi/handle/10024/133604 https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v9i3.3929 en eng 3 9 2183-2439 ORCID: /0000-0003-2234-240X/work/99249585 https://trepo.tuni.fi/handle/10024/133604 URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202108096488 doi:10.17645/mac.v9i3.3929 cc by 4.0 openAccess 518 Media and communications article 2021 ftunivtampere https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v9i3.3929 2023-12-14T00:07:33Z The role of hyperlocal media is of increasing relevance as traditional local journalism experiences a decline due to centrali-sation and consolidation. The affordances of Internet and digital technologies also enable hyperlocal initiatives to enhance civic engagement in localities and serve as a place and resource for local deliberative processes. This study examines how the aims, perceptions and practices of hyperlocal media vary in three countries of the Global North—Sweden, Finland and Russia—and what implications this has for connectedness and civic engagement in local public spheres. The context of different media systems and local political regimes help to explore possibilities and limitations of hyperlocals as agents of place‐oriented civic engagement. The data includes interviews with practitioners and analysis of selected hyperlocal media. Our results indicate that hyperlocal media practitioners in all three countries aim to provide local people and com-munities with a voice, and to enhance resident engagement in local life. We reveal three civic roles of hyperlocal media: (i) information provider, (ii) community builder, and (iii) civic mediator. Practices of civic engagement used by hyperlocal media range from relying on civic journalism to fostering civic debates and can be classified in two main categories: civic information and civic debate and interaction. The perceptions and practices of these hyperlocal media are, to some extent, similar because of comparable changes and challenges regarding the local media and public spheres. At the same time, the perceptions of civic roles vary, reflecting both the developments and differences in the countries’ media spheres and political regimes. This research raises a critical question about hyperlocal practitioners’ understanding of their own roles and aims, and in addition, how differences in media cultures and local regimes affect their performance as agents of local public spheres. Peer reviewed Article in Journal/Newspaper North Sweden Tampere University: Trepo Media and Communication 9 3 74 84 |
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Tampere University: Trepo |
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ftunivtampere |
language |
English |
topic |
518 Media and communications |
spellingShingle |
518 Media and communications Hujanen, Jaana Dovbysh, Olga Jangdal, Lottie Lehtisaari, Katja Towards (Hyper)local public sphere : Comparison of civic engagement across the global north |
topic_facet |
518 Media and communications |
description |
The role of hyperlocal media is of increasing relevance as traditional local journalism experiences a decline due to centrali-sation and consolidation. The affordances of Internet and digital technologies also enable hyperlocal initiatives to enhance civic engagement in localities and serve as a place and resource for local deliberative processes. This study examines how the aims, perceptions and practices of hyperlocal media vary in three countries of the Global North—Sweden, Finland and Russia—and what implications this has for connectedness and civic engagement in local public spheres. The context of different media systems and local political regimes help to explore possibilities and limitations of hyperlocals as agents of place‐oriented civic engagement. The data includes interviews with practitioners and analysis of selected hyperlocal media. Our results indicate that hyperlocal media practitioners in all three countries aim to provide local people and com-munities with a voice, and to enhance resident engagement in local life. We reveal three civic roles of hyperlocal media: (i) information provider, (ii) community builder, and (iii) civic mediator. Practices of civic engagement used by hyperlocal media range from relying on civic journalism to fostering civic debates and can be classified in two main categories: civic information and civic debate and interaction. The perceptions and practices of these hyperlocal media are, to some extent, similar because of comparable changes and challenges regarding the local media and public spheres. At the same time, the perceptions of civic roles vary, reflecting both the developments and differences in the countries’ media spheres and political regimes. This research raises a critical question about hyperlocal practitioners’ understanding of their own roles and aims, and in addition, how differences in media cultures and local regimes affect their performance as agents of local public spheres. Peer reviewed |
author2 |
Tampere University Communication Sciences |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Hujanen, Jaana Dovbysh, Olga Jangdal, Lottie Lehtisaari, Katja |
author_facet |
Hujanen, Jaana Dovbysh, Olga Jangdal, Lottie Lehtisaari, Katja |
author_sort |
Hujanen, Jaana |
title |
Towards (Hyper)local public sphere : Comparison of civic engagement across the global north |
title_short |
Towards (Hyper)local public sphere : Comparison of civic engagement across the global north |
title_full |
Towards (Hyper)local public sphere : Comparison of civic engagement across the global north |
title_fullStr |
Towards (Hyper)local public sphere : Comparison of civic engagement across the global north |
title_full_unstemmed |
Towards (Hyper)local public sphere : Comparison of civic engagement across the global north |
title_sort |
towards (hyper)local public sphere : comparison of civic engagement across the global north |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://trepo.tuni.fi/handle/10024/133604 https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v9i3.3929 |
genre |
North Sweden |
genre_facet |
North Sweden |
op_relation |
3 9 2183-2439 ORCID: /0000-0003-2234-240X/work/99249585 https://trepo.tuni.fi/handle/10024/133604 URN:NBN:fi:tuni-202108096488 doi:10.17645/mac.v9i3.3929 |
op_rights |
cc by 4.0 openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v9i3.3929 |
container_title |
Media and Communication |
container_volume |
9 |
container_issue |
3 |
container_start_page |
74 |
op_container_end_page |
84 |
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1787426917040783360 |