Research Article

Boundaries of Distance. Local Media Relevance for Citizens: Measuring Consumption, Digital Extensions and Information Levels

Fábio Ribeiro 1 2 * , Luís Bonixe 3 *
More Detail
1 University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD), Communication and Society Research Centre, PORTUGAL2 University of Minho (UM), PORTUGAL3 Polytechnic Institute of Portalegre, ICNOVA, PORTUGAL* Corresponding Author
Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 11(3), July 2021, e202115, https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/11108
OPEN ACCESS   1435 Views   840 Downloads
Download Full Text (PDF)

ABSTRACT

Local media are decisive for communities in the context of a global culture. In Portugal, communicating for a more geographically restricted area deals with permanent hazards, especially in the journalistic scope, from both structural and organizational points of view. Arguably weakened and lacking from institutional support, Portuguese local media, ranging from printed media, radio, and television to online broadcasts, still thrive on uncertainty. Also, from an academic point view, little is known about the audiences’ perceptions towards these local media. In doing so, this article presents the data collected from an online survey of 139 consumers of local media, thus concluding: traditional media (printed and FM) are still the most consumed formats, compared to the online scope; the COVID-19 pandemic was not decisive to increase local media consumption habits; seeking for information is the fundamental reason to follow local media; participants understand that websites and Facebook, mainly, are the most dynamic digital spaces that local media foster, thus giving them a very good evaluation; half of the sample have already interacted with broadcasters, especially to suggest ideas for journalistic approaches; in a global perspective, participants are pleased with the news coverage of local media towards local matters. Future research should implement complementary scientific approaches, based on in-depth perspectives to fully understand motivations to engage with local media and other social representations towards these mass media.
Keywords: local media, audiences, relevance, digital, consumption, information

CITATION (APA)

Ribeiro, F., & Bonixe, L. (2021). Boundaries of Distance. Local Media Relevance for Citizens: Measuring Consumption, Digital Extensions and Information Levels. Online Journal of Communication and Media Technologies, 11(3), e202115. https://doi.org/10.30935/ojcmt/11108

REFERENCES

  1. Arnstein, S (1969). A Ladder of Citizen Participation. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, 35(4), 216-224. https://doi.org/10.1080/01944366908977225
  2. Bonixe, L. (2017). As rádios locais portuguesas na transição para a Internet [Portuguese local radio stations in the transition to the Internet]. In P. Jerónimo (Ed.), Media e Jornalismo de Proximidade na Era Digital (pp. 47-86). http://www.labcom-ifp.ubi.pt/book/298
  3. Bonixe, L. (2021). Resiliência e crise – a rádio portuguesa na pandemia do novo coronavírus [Resilience and crisis – Portuguese radio in the new coronavirus pandemic]. Estudos em Comunicação, 32, 69-93. https://doi.org/10.25768/21.04.03.32.04
  4. Branco, S. (Setubalense, 2020, May 20). Na Imprensa regional vai um país [In the regional press there is a country]. O Setubalense. https://www.osetubalense.com/opiniao/2020/05/20/na-imprensa-regional-vai-um-pais/
  5. Cardoso, G., Baldi, V., Quintanilha, T., Paisana, M. & Pais, P. (2018b). Jornais regionais - A análise de perfis de utilização. Actividade, desafios e políticas públicas para o sector [Regional newspapers - Analysis of usage profiles. Activity, challenges and public policies for the sector]. Observatório da Comunicação. https://obercom.pt/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/CIUL-CV-OberCom2018-Jornais-regionais-Ana%CC%81lise-de-perfis-de-utilizac%CC%A7a%CC%83o.pdf
  6. Cardoso, G., Baldi, V., Quintanilha, T., Paisana, M., & Pais, P. (2018a). As Rádios Locais em Portugal - Caracterização, tendências e futuros [Local Radios in Portugal - Characterization, trends and futures]. https://obercom.pt/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/CIUL-CV-OberCom2018-Ra%CC%81dios-Locais-Caracterizac%CC%A7a%CC%83o-tende%CC%82ncias-e-futuros-.pdf
  7. Cardoso, G., Paisana, M., & Martinho, P. A. (2021). Digital news report Portugal 2021. https://obercom.pt/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/DNR_PT_2021_final.pdf
  8. Carvalho, A., Faustino, P. & Martins, M. (2010). Estudo de Impacto dos Incentivos diretos concebidos pelo Estado aos órgãos de comunicação social regional e local [Impact Study of Direct Incentives Designed by the State for Regional and Local Media]. Media XXI.
  9. Castells, M. (2003). O Poder da Identidade [The Power of Identity]. Calouste Gulbenkian.
  10. Dolnicar, S., Grün, B., & Yanamandram, V. (2013). Dynamic, interactive survey questions can increase survey data quality. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 30(7), 690-699. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2013.827546
  11. ERC (2020). Relatório de Avaliação do impacto da pandemia de COVID-19 sobre o setor da comunicação social em Portugal [COVID-19 pandemic impact assessment report on the media sector in Portugal]. https://www.flipsnack.com/ERCpt/avalia-o-do-impacto-da-pandemia-COVID-19-no-setor-dos-media/full-view.html
  12. García, X. (2012). Ciberperiodismo en la proximidad [Cyberjournalism in proximity]. Comunicación Social ediciones y publicaciones.
  13. Jenkins, J., & Graves, L. (2019). Case studies in collaborative local journalism. https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/our-research/case-studies-collaborative-local-journalism
  14. Jenkins, J., & Jerónimo, P. (2021). Changing the beat? Local online newsmaking in Finland, France, Germany, Portugal, and the U.K. Journalism Practice. Published online: 26 Apr 2021. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2021.1913626
  15. Jenkins, J., & Nielsen, R. (2018). The digital transition of local news. https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/our-research/digital-transition-local-news
  16. Jerónimo, P., Morais, R., & Correia, J.C. (2020). Jornalismo na Região Centro- trabalho, tecnologia e negócio [Journalism in the Central Region - work, technology and business]. Labcom. http://www.labcom.ubi.pt/ficheiros/202105211357202011_jornalismoregiaocentro_rmoraispjeronimojccorreia.pdf
  17. Kropf, M. E., & Blair, J. (2005). Eliciting survey cooperation: Incentives, self-interest, and norms of cooperation. Evaluation Review, 29(6), 559-575. https://doi.org/10.1177/0193841X05278770
  18. Piñeiro-Otero, T. (2015). La mediamorfosis de la radio local. Una perspectiva desde el contexto de la Eurorregión Galicia – Norte de Portugal [The mediamorphosis of local radio. A perspective from the context of the Euroregion Galicia - North of Portugal]. Quaderns del CAC, 41, 35-45. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281112829
  19. Piñeiro-Otero, T., & Ribeiro, F. (2015). Radio mobility in the digital era: interactivity, participation and content share possibilities in Iberian broadcasters. Comunicação e Sociedade, 28, 291-308. https://doi.org/10.17231/comsoc.28(2015).2282
  20. Portela, P. (2011). Rádio na Internet em Portugal – A abertura à participação num meio em mudança [Internet Radio in Portugal – Opening up to participation in a changing environment]. Edições Húmus.
  21. Quivy, R., & Campenhoudt, L. (1992). Manual de investigação em ciências sociais [Social science research manual]. Gradiva.
  22. Ribeiro, F. (2020). Book review “Images of immigrants and refugees in Western Europe. Media representations, public opinion, and refugees experiences”. Comunicação e Sociedade, 38, 257-264. https://doi.org/10.17231/comsoc.38(2020).2559
  23. Wasko, J., & Mosco, V. (1992). Democratic communications in the information age. Garamond Press & Ablex.