23 June 2021: The closure of regional newspapers in many parts of Australia has led to concerns about the rise of ‘news deserts’, which are parts of the country that are not serviced by local news media.
The Digital News Report (DNR): Australia 2021 released by the News and Media Research Centre (N&MRC) at the University of Canberra, surveyed more than 2,000 adult Australian news consumers and found that local news continues to be an important part of people’s news diets, with 81 per cent of Australians accessing local news and information regularly.
“The study shows that consumers are increasingly turning to online sources for a range of information, but still consider the local newspaper and TV news service to be the best place to get important civic news about their community,” said lead author of the report Professor Sora Park.
“While online sources are now the top destination for those looking for a job or a weather update, audiences are still relying on traditional news outlets to find out what happened on the local sports field, in the council chambers, or court room,” she said.
The study also highlights the important role of local newspapers in generating a sense of community, particularly among older news consumers. People who primarily get their news from print publications are more likely to say they feel attached to the local community (73 per cent), than those who rely on other news sources.
“We also found that a sense of attachment to the local community is an indicator of engagement with news,” said Professor Park.
“Those who feel attached to the people who live in their city, district, town or village are more likely to be interested in news (61 per cent) than those who do not feel attached (43 per cent).”
This year’s DNR data highlights the important role of local TV news and newspapers in providing core local democratic and social information to communities.
“2020 was a difficult year in the Australian news sector, with news companies closing, contracting or suspending their print editions,” said Professor Park.
“This is in part a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but also reflects a longer-term gradual decline in newspaper consumption that is replaced by online offerings.”
The study shows print news consumption has halved since 2016. 80 per cent of Australians say they have not read a newspaper or magazine in the past week and only four per cent say they primarily get news from print publications. Access to a regional or local newspaper has declined from 19 per cent to 11 per cent in the same period.
“It is important for industry and government to remember that the closure of a local newspaper or TV news service not only leaves a gap in the provision of quality news, but is also a loss of critical information that is connected to people’s sense of attachment to their community.”
The report is available in full here.
The DNR: Australia 2021 provides annual in-depth analysis of the state of news consumption in Australia. It is part of a global research project involving 46 countries co-ordinated by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford. The survey was conducted by YouGov at the end of January/beginning of February 2021.