Books

Local Journalism in a Digital World

Kristy Hess and Lisa Waller

This unique text addresses the gap between journalism studies, which have tended to focus on national and international news, and the fact that most journalism is practised at the local level, where people live, work, play and feel most 'at home'. Providing a rich overview of the role and place of local media in society, Hess and Waller demonstrate that, in this changing digital era, the local journalist must not only specialize in niche 'place-based' news, but also have a clear understanding of how their locality and its people 'fit' in the context of a globalised world.

Geographies of Journalism

Robert E. Gutsche Jr and Kristy Hess

Geographies of Journalism connects theoretical and practical discussions of the role of geotechnologies, social media, and boots-on-the-ground journalism in a digital age to underline the complications and challenges that place-making in the press brings to institutions and ideologies. By introducing and applying approaches to geography, cultural resistance, and power as it relates to discussions of space and place, this book takes a critical look at how online news media shapes perceptions of locales.

Selected Journal Articles

  • Hess, K., Ross, A., McAdam, A., Blakston, A., Forde, S., Ricketson, M., & Martin, H. (2026). Putting news in its place: An index measurement tool to evaluate local news access. Journalism, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/14648849261427802

  • McAdam, A., & Hess, K. (2026). Re-asserting the value of local “news presence” for small-town news outlets in a digital era. Journalism Practice, 20(6), 1843-1858. https://doi.org/10.1080/17512786.2024.2433659

  • Hess, K., Ross, A., McAdam, A., Forde, S., Blakston, A., Ricketson, M., & Martin, H. (2025). The importance of collaboration in meeting Australia’s local news challenges. Australian Journalism Review, 47(2), 143-150. https://doi.org/10.1386/ajr_00189_7

  • McAdam, A. (2025). Exploring the role of community newsletters in news deserts. Communication Research and Practice, 11(2), 266-282. https://doi.org/10.1080/22041451.2025.2511492

  • McAdam, A. (2025). Rethinking “Sustainability” as a Multidimensional Conceptual Framework for Local Journalism Studies. Journalism Studies, 26(10), 1208-1223. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2025.2492738

  • Hess, K., & McAdam, A. (2024). Degradation and 'desertification' of digital local news ecosystems. In S. A. Eldridge II, D. Cheruiyot, S. Banjac, & J. Swart (Eds.), The Routledge companion to digital journalism studies (2nd ed., pp. 40–49). Routledge.

  • Gulyas, A., & Hess, K. (2024). The three “Cs” of digital local journalism: Community, commitment and continuity. Digital Journalism, 12(1), 6-12. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2023.2211639

  • Hess, K., & Ross, A. (2022). Exploring small newspaper attitudes to a collaborative approach with Australia’s primary public broadcaster (ABC). Australian Journalism Review, 44(2), 229-243. https://doi.org/10.1386/ajr_00105_1

  • Hess, K. (2015). Making Connections: “Mediated” social capital and the small-town press. Journalism Studies, 16(4), 482–496. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2014.922293

Selected Book Chapters

  • Hess, K., & McAdam, A. (2024) Degradation and ‘Desertification’ of Digital Local News Ecosystems. In Eldridge II, S.A., Cheruiyot, D., Banjac, S., & Swart, J. (Eds.). The Routledge Companion to Digital Journalism Studies, (2nd ed.) (pp. 40-49). Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003334774

  • Hess, K., & Waller, L. (2016a). Community and Hyperlocal Journalism: A ‘sustainable’ model? In The Routledge companion to digital journalism studies (pp. 194-204): Routledge.

  • Hess, K., & Waller, L. (2020). Local journalism in Australia: policy debates. In The Routledge Companion to Local Media and Journalism (pp. 102-111).

Selected Media

  • Hess, K., & Ross, A. (2025, October 6). Local news is dwindling globally. Here’s how other countries are trying to fix it. The Conversation.

  • Hess, K., & Ross, A. (2025, December 14). How AI could hurt — and help — local journalism. 360info.