Community Journalism in the Digital Age
Academic Level at Time of Presentation
Senior
Major
Journalism
Minor
Advertising
List all Project Mentors & Advisor(s)
Dr. Melony Shemberger
Presentation Format
Oral Presentation
Abstract/Description
Community journalism is changing with the digital age. Hyperlocal news sites—sometimes ran by journalists and other times ran by citizens—are revolutionizing the way communities are getting their news and filling in the gaps that may be left behind by traditional news sources. However, because these sites are typically independently owned and operated, little is known about them, including any agendas that may affect their reporting. Using a newspaper and a hyperlocal news site from two cities in Kentucky, this thesis will explore the relationship between hyperlocal news sites and traditional news sources such as the daily or weekly newspaper. It will aim to answer the following question: does the presence of both a traditional and non-traditional news source increase the level of coverage for a given town? In doing so, it will apply the agenda setting theory to examine if the publications are attempting to sway the public and policy agendas. It will also examine the possibility of hyperlocal news sites serving as a substitute for traditional news sources.
Fall Scholars Week 2019 Event
Honors College Senior Theses
Community Journalism in the Digital Age
Community journalism is changing with the digital age. Hyperlocal news sites—sometimes ran by journalists and other times ran by citizens—are revolutionizing the way communities are getting their news and filling in the gaps that may be left behind by traditional news sources. However, because these sites are typically independently owned and operated, little is known about them, including any agendas that may affect their reporting. Using a newspaper and a hyperlocal news site from two cities in Kentucky, this thesis will explore the relationship between hyperlocal news sites and traditional news sources such as the daily or weekly newspaper. It will aim to answer the following question: does the presence of both a traditional and non-traditional news source increase the level of coverage for a given town? In doing so, it will apply the agenda setting theory to examine if the publications are attempting to sway the public and policy agendas. It will also examine the possibility of hyperlocal news sites serving as a substitute for traditional news sources.