Our News, For Us, From Us: Social Identity and Rural News and Information
2022-07
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Our News, For Us, From Us: Social Identity and Rural News and Information
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2022-07
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This dissertation explores how rural residents obtain news and information that is salient in their everyday lives and what guides their evaluations of their choices. Utilizing 40 in-depth interviews with residents of Nelson County, Virginia, this study finds, participants express a rejection of the weekly newspaper that has covered the county for almost 150 years and an acceptance of a location-based Facebook group that serves as a supplement, if not an outright replacement, to the traditional news organization. The participants perceive the weekly news organization to be “not local” on three levels — the organizational level, the content level and the journalist level. Participants express that they want their news and information to be about them and from them, meaning from a person who lives in the county, is engaged in the county and cares about the county. Alternatively, participants turn to a location-based Facebook group, created by county residents, moderated by county residents and sourced by county residents. Participants perceive the Facebook group content is useful news and information, meaning real-time, immediate tools for daily living. They also value the democratic nature of the platform, how everyone potentially can have a voice. Theoretically, drawing from social identity theory, rural social identity and collective psychological ownership, I argue that participants perceive “local” as “ours,” or a “shared sense of ownership.” In this vein, the participants do not perceive the county news organization is “ours.” In response, I conclude that news organizations should strive toward a theoretical notion of Our Good Neighbor.
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University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. 2022. Major: Mass Communication. Advisor: Valérie Bélair-Gagnon. 1 computer file (PDF); 255 pages.
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Mathews, Nick. (2022). Our News, For Us, From Us: Social Identity and Rural News and Information. Retrieved from the University Digital Conservancy, https://hdl.handle.net/11299/241726.
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