Why local news is important | Monitor

Can the same be said for broadcast media? Yes and no! Many FM radio stations in Uganda simply take content from newspapers or the Internet and read it at the top of the hour as “their” news.

Thus, radios cannot be considered news sources, so their relationship to local news, especially in terms of space allocation, cannot be accurately assessed. On the other hand, television is an active collector and processor of news, so it can be given a fair assessment. In general, Ugandan TVs tend to pay much more attention to local news.

Indeed, the most popular news bulletins with the largest audience are those that have a local brand: Akawungeezi, Agatalikonfufu, Agacwencire, etc. are typical news programs aired in the evenings.

The decline in local news coverage is not just a Ugandan problem, it is a global journalism problem. Why does local news seem to be in retreat? For Ugandan newspapers, this is due to several reasons: one is the cost of newsgathering in rural areas, and another is that up to 80 percent of newspapers are sold in the capital Kampala and only a few copies are sold in towns and villages in rural areas. . Therefore, newspapers tend to focus more on the Kampala audience.

Critics argue that this imbalance, while largely economic, is also exacerbated by the choice of content. Outback audiences read very little about themselves in newspapers and are therefore less inclined to buy copies. This perpetuates circulatory imbalance.

On the other hand, TVs seem to attract more attention in rural areas, which helps them attract advertising and therefore segment their newsletters better. Thus, the predominantly local news bulletins mentioned above tend to be longer and more visual than the city news bulletins that typically appear at 9 p.m.

How sustainable this is in the face of declining revenues throughout the industry is a big question.

It is important to note that the network of news gathering through bureaus, correspondents and stringers who use both print and broadcast media to obtain news across the country has shrunk from what it was many years ago. This reinforces inequalities in coverage and perpetuates “news deserts” in communities and across the country. In any case, what are we missing when the media doesn’t cover local news enough?

While we may want to present ourselves as global citizens today, American journalist Alison Hill points out that ultimately, “we don’t live in a global community, we don’t live online (at least not physically), and we don’t even live in a ‘country’.” as such. We live in small communities within our country, be it a city, town, village or region. Wherever you call home is your square mile.

“When the media doesn’t cover our square mile, we miss opportunities to hold local governments accountable. What we lack is that what we do in our communities is projected nationally. We lack the ability to project local voices beyond villages and households. We miss learning from each other’s problems and successes that are featured in the news. Ms. Hill goes on to point out five reasons why local news is important: Local journalism is a great training ground for newbies and gives local people a voice!

Local journalism encourages civic engagement

Local journalism covers important and timely news from the region.

Local journalism provides a strong sense of community

Local journalism promotes local culture

So, in a nutshell, “Local news is an important lever of a healthy democracy; it helps communities understand what’s at stake in local elections, empowers them to participate in the political process by voting, contacting officials and running for office, reduces political polarization and holds public officials accountable.” – www.theajp.orgbyline-credit: