ABSTRACT
Discussions about the connections which bind the different agencies within local communication are often marked by insupportable claims on the one hand and unrealistic expectations on the other. The relationships between local media, local journalists and local audiences are dogmatically described and assumed to be stronger, closer and more emotional than at the national level. Crucial to an understanding of local media performance is an appreciation of the complex and variable relationships between all its aspects. ‘Local’ is a concept that connects geography and place with a sense of belonging. Local journalists value similar characteristics in the local news and local media: they regard the latter as enshrining the specific attitudes and conditions of their professional practice. Local journalists reflect the strong and mainly emotional relationship to the local which characterises the local audience.
