48.01

CONTENTS

VOLUME 48 NUMBER 01 – SPRING 2019

1 AVOIDING A STATE OF SOLITUDE RACHAEL JOLLEY

Keeping local news going is not just about nostalgia but about keeping an eye on local institutions

IS THIS ALL THE LOCAL NEWS? What happens if local journalism no longer holds power to account?

8 THE FUTURE IS ROBOTIC MARK FRARY

Would journalists have more time to investigate news stories if robots did the easy bits?

11 TERRORISING THE TRUTH STEPHEN WOODMAN

Journalists on the US border are too intimidated by drug cartels to report what is happening

14 SWITCHED OFF IRENE CASELLI

After years as a political football, Argentinian papers are closing as people turn to the internet for news

18 EIGHT INNOVATIVE WAYS OF REPORTING

LOCAL NEWS SALLY GIMSON How different organisations are responding to the global decline of community newspapers

20 NEWS LOSES JAN FOX

Thousands of US communities have lost their daily papers. What is the cost to their area?

23 TURKS RETREAT ONLINE FOR NEWS KAYA GENÇ

Turkish journalists are using social media to get their stories out

26 STRIPSEARCH MARTIN ROWSON

On the death of local news

4INDEXONCENSORSHIP.ORG

29 WHAT HAPPENS WHEN OUR LOCAL

NEWS DISAPPEARS TRACEY BAGSHAW How UK local newspapers are closing and coverage of court proceedings is not happening

32 SLIP SLIDING AWAY ANDREW MORTON,

JULIE POSETTI AND RICHARD LITTLEJOHN Well-known journalists reflect on their early careers in local journalism and warn about its decline today

36 WHO WILL DO THE DIFFICULT

STORIES NOW? RACHAEL JOLLEY British local newspaper editors fear a future where powerful figures are not held to account, plus a poll of public opinion on journalism

40 “PEOPLE FEEL TOO SMALL TO

BE HEARD” RACHAEL JOLLEY Columnist Libby Purves tells Index fewer workingclass voices are being heard and wonders whether this contributed to Brexit

42 FIGHTING FOR FUNDING PETER SANDS

UK newspapers editors talk about the pressures on local newspapers in Britain today

45 STAYING ALIVE LAURA SILVIA BATTAGLIA

Reporter Sandro Ruotolo reveals how local news reporters in southern Italy are threatened by the Mafia

46 PUBLIC INTEREST NEWS IS

SUFFERING JOHN WHITTINGDALE A British MP says it is dangerous when local newspapers no longer hold public bodies to account

48 DEARTH OF NEWS KAROLINE KAN

Some local newspapers in China no longer dig into corruption or give a voice to local people as Communist Party scrutiny increases

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