Local News Local Futures

Local News, Local Futures: New web technologies and the future of online local news in Australia

Description
New web technologies are changing the ways in which we produce and consume online news. The use of user generated content, blogs, forums and social networking tools are all said to be changing the role of the news consumer, making her both a user of online news services and simultaneously a producer of online news services. This is providing challenges for established news services and creating opportunities for new players in the news market. But what are the impacts on local news production and consumption? Access to quality local news has long been recognized as vital to building and sustaining democratic communities. Will these new modes of communicating and connecting online facilitate or undermine existing local news services? And what new opportunities will arise for the creation and sharing of quality online local news as a result of the adoption of these new web technologies.