Uncovering news deserts in Europe : risks and opportunities for local and community media in the EU

Abstract

This study investigates the state of local and community media in the 27 EU Member States, with the final aim of identifying the relevant theoretical and practical dimensions for understanding the phenomenon of “news deserts” in the European context. Europe is composed of a variety of socio-political contexts, languages, and media systems. These differences relate, for example, to the size and demographics of a country, the extension of rural areas, internet penetration and digital literacy; the relevance of minorities or marginalised communities; the size and characteristics of the media market, the guarantees entrusted to local journalists in terms of working and physical safety; the independence from political and economic pressures on a local level; investments on innovation in terms of formats, or audience engagement. In the framework of the Local Media for Democracy project, the research is also aimed at triggering advocacy and policy actions to safeguard local and community media, recognising them as key actors to guarantee the right to be critically informed.