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Community journalism is locally-oriented, professional news coverage that typically focuses on city neighborhoods, individual suburbs or small towns, rather than metropolitan, state, national or world news.
If it covers wider topics, community journalism concentrates on the effect they have on local readers. Community newspapers, often but not always publish weekly, and also tend to cover subjects larger news media do not. Some examples of topics are students on the honor roll at the local high school, school sports, crimes such as vandalism, zoning issues and other details of community life. However, such "hyperlocal" articles are sometimes dismissed as "chicken dinner" stories.
Leo Lerner, founder of Chicago's erstwhile Lerner Newspapers, used to say, "A fistfight on Clark Street is more important to our readers than a war in Europe."[1]
An increasing number of community newspapers are now owned by large media organizations, although many rural papers are still "mom and pop" operations.
Most community journalists are professionally trained reporters and editors. Some specialized training programs in community journalism have recently emerged at established undergraduate and graduate journalism programs. Community journalism should not be confused with the work of citizen journalists, who are often unpaid amateurs, or with civic journalism, although many community newspapers practice that.
At the "Emerging Mind of Community Journalism" conference in Anniston, Ala., in 2006, participants created a list characterizing community journalism: community journalism is intimate, caring, and personal; it reflects the community and tells its stories; and it embraces a leadership role.[2]
If you want more of a definition, I'm afraid it's like when someone asked Louie Armstrong for a definition of jazz. The great Satchmo is reputed to have replied something like this: 'Man, if you have to ask, it won't do me any good to try to explain.' You know community journalism when you see it; it is the heartbeat of American journalism, journalism in its natural state."
— Jock Lauterer
- ^ Cleburne News, "John Alred: Remember — This is your newspaper," July 31, 2010, accessed August 13, 2010
- ^ Lowrey, Wilson, Amanda Brozana, and Jenn B. Mackay. "Toward a Measure of Community Journalism." Mass Communication & Society 11.3 (2008). Print.