Newspapers have been an essential component of democracy's fourth estate for centuries. However, as audiences increasingly shift online, the viability of traditional news media, particularly local newspapers, has declined. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated those trends, with over 200 local news contractions or closures across Australia since 2019. In April 2020 News Corp announced the suspension of print editions of several local newspapers due to declining advertising revenue. Liverpool has not been immune to that decline. We have lost two local mastheads over the past five years, with the Liverpool Champion ceasing publication entirely and the News Corp-owned Liverpool Leader becoming entirely digital and being put behind a paywall. Local news organisations play a crucial role in fostering informed and engaged communities. They encourage people to support local businesses, attend community events and stay up to date with hyperlocal current affairs.
In societies like Australia, where many powers are devolved to the local government level, accessible and independent local news is essential for ensuring transparency and accountability of councils and elected representatives. Without robust local journalism there is a real risk that community members may be less aware of local government decisions, reducing transparency and civic engagement. It strikes at the heart of local democracy. Beyond their role in providing information, local news outlets contribute to community connection and cohesion. A 2023 study by Sora Park, Jee Young Lee and Caroline Fisher found that people in areas impacted by local news closures reported feeling less attached to their communities. They concluded that trust in local news was the most significant predictor of community attachment—more so than even participation in local organisations. That suggests that local news not only informs but also reinforces a sense of belonging and identity within a community.
The effects of local news extend beyond readers. Information is mediated through discussions about issues of the day with other members of the community. Those conversations motivate participation in civic life and increased ownership of what happens within the community. Liverpool is fortunate enough to still have access to local community radio—89.3 2GLF Liverpool-Fairfield Community Radio. 2GLF is run by a fantastic group of local residents. You will find them at every community event, covering local news. There are also programs in a range of local community languages. I have been privileged to sit down with the team to chat about all things Liverpool, including at the recent brand-new Busby Fire Station open day.
However, the community radio industry faces a fraught outlook. Cost-of-living pressures, increased competition for grant funding and a decline in volunteer numbers are hitting stations hard. The Community Broadcasting Association of Australia found that 59 stations are at risk of becoming financially unviable, a 40 per cent increase in just over a year. With the decline in the provision of local news, more and more Australians are turning to alternative outlets. A recent study by the Australian Communications and Media Authority found that 20 per cent of Australians nominated social media as their main source of news, with a significantly higher percentage in younger age cohorts.
However, Stefan Stieglitz and Björn Ross showed that social media can be a double-edged sword when it comes to community cohesion. The literature finds that some practices on social media increase community cohesion and reciprocal support. Those include neighbourhood Facebook groups. On the other hand, some of the harms associated with social media include fuelling ideological divides and increasing user reliance on politically aligned sources. That phenomenon, sometimes referred to as echo chambers, can reinforce political and social polarisation, making constructive dialogue across different viewpoints more difficult. Additionally, misinformation spreads rapidly on social media, often outpacing fact-based reporting, which further complicates efforts to maintain an informed public. All those things corrode community connection and cohesion.
Indeed, social media can both bring people together and deepen existing divides. While it provides a platform for discussion and community building, it also poses risks of misinformation, polarisation and reduced trust in traditional news sources. As Liverpool and other communities navigate the evolving media landscape, it will be critical to find ways to support local journalism, whether through independent newspapers, community radio or innovative digital platforms. We are lucky to have the South West Voice and now Local Pulse Press in that space. Without those efforts, the decline of local news may have far-reaching consequences for community engagement, accountability, cohesion and, indeed, democracy itself.
