Abstract

This chapter considers the implications of the rise of global media for local journalism and the ethical values which underlie it. Despite many variations, there is considerable evidence that in many parts of the world this form of journalism plays a central part in community building and contributes to local meaning-making. The chapter argues that this role is especially potent when audiences see themselves as part of a “community,” real or imagined, under threat or under challenge. As a result, the relationship between morality, ethics and journalism practice at the local level is more complex than generally acknowledged. The chapter suggests that the notion of the common good, with some recalibration, can facilitate our understanding of this complexity and its implications. Further, the chapter argues, viewing local journalism as a moral centre and meaning-maker through a Bourdieusian lens can help balance issues of media power and self-interest against notions of community, social and moral order and tradition.