ABSTRACT
This chapter considers whether virtual and connected communities on the Internet mean that the authors do not need mainstream media for democracy any more. It discusses whether mainstream media are still important in people's identity construction and for their belonging to and engagement in a community. The chapter argues that there are several reasons for being critical of the idea that the Internet and social media technology on its own is the solution to integrating and engaging citizens in democracies. It also argues that the traditional journalistic news media and public service broadcasters are still important for producing social cohesion and politically skilled citizens and that traditional journalism still plays an important role both online and offline. The chapter shows that the students from the United Kingdom and Norway visited social media before they got out of bed in the morning, and several of them expressed a ritualistic and near-compulsive attachment to social media.
