Description
Based on extensive research into weekly rural publishers and rural readers, Reviving Rural News demonstrates that a new financial approach to community journalism is urgently needed and viable.
This book provides historical context for the state of local news, examines the influence of journalistic identity and boundaries that have prevented change, and offers practical guidance on how to adapt the financial strategies of weekly newspapers to the habits of modern readers. Findings are grounded in robust data collection, including surveys, focus groups, and a year-long oral history study of a small weekly newspaper group in the United States. A new model known as Press Club is presented as a template via which memberships, events, and newsletters can better engage community journalism with its audiences and create a more sustainable path for the future.
Reviving Rural News will be of interest to advanced students and researchers of local, community, and rural journalism as well as practitioners looking to bring about real-world change in journalism organizations.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction. Rural Journalism in Crisis
Patrick Ferrucci and Teri Finneman
The History of How We Got Here
The Norms of Journalism
An International Problem
Project Overview
References
2. The Uniqueness of Rural News
Patrick Ferrucci
Defining Rural News
Disruption of Local News
Understanding the Rural News Weekly
Disruptive Innovation
The Urgency of a New Model
References
3. Publishers: Stuck in the Status Quo
Nick Mathews
The Survey
Tradition vs. Innovation
Resources vs. Growth
Potential vs. Perception
Summary
Acknowledgement
4. Readers: Seeking Change
Teri Finneman
Finding Rural Readers
Readers and Revenue Streams
Reader Motivation for Financial Support
Who Supports Local News?
Summary
References
5. Press Club: Implementing Change
Teri Finneman and Nick Mathews
Who is Harvey County Now?
Getting Started: Forming the Experiment
The Model: Press Club
After the Launch
The Model: E-newsletters
The Model: Events
Reflecting on the Experiment
6. Rural Journalism and Disruption
Nick Mathews and Patrick Ferrucci
Rural Journalism and Disruption
The Final Words
References
Index
