A functioning and sustainable community relies on a healthy news ecosystem to support information needs. For the past two decades, understanding of the scale of digital disruption in journalism work in post-industrialised countries has relied on data about newspaper closures, newsroom job losses, and the creation of new full-time jobs in journalism. Many have raised concerns that the collapse of local journalism, with the decline and disappearance of traditional news outlets, leaves unfilled gaps, where communities’ critical information needs are not met.

This study examined the impact of news coverage as a result of the loss of legacy media institutions. As the decline of Australian regional newspapers has widely been seen as having deleterious effects on democratic participation at every level of government, this project looked particularly at what the critical information needs of local news audiences are, and the type of news that is distributed to a local news audience. The project took a case study approach to provide a rich examination of news coverage and the provision of critical information in the Sunshine Coast and Gympie regions.

The findings emphasise that it is vital for communities to be appropriately informed if they are to participate fully in society. Results show a variety of different approaches to covering local news, including substantial variations in topics being reported (for example, crime, court, local government, and community events).

These findings have implications for audiences and their news literacy, as well as their ability to access news and other information considered relevant in regional areas.

Four youth research team members were part of this project.