Download full text
(external source)
Citation Suggestion
Please use the following Persistent Identifier (PID) to cite this document:
https://doi.org/10.17645/mac.v11i3.6807
Exports for your reference manager
Dealing With Covid-19 in Casual Democracies
[journal article]
Abstract This article reports findings from an in-depth, autoethnographic study of local communities in Denmark and England left behind by local journalism. The study was conducted during - and is thematically framed by - the Covid-19 pandemic, and it investigates how news, information, and deliberation rela... view more
This article reports findings from an in-depth, autoethnographic study of local communities in Denmark and England left behind by local journalism. The study was conducted during - and is thematically framed by - the Covid-19 pandemic, and it investigates how news, information, and deliberation related to this crisis were facilitated in the communities. The article embarks from ideas of informed citizenship and problems of misinformation and free speech related to the pandemic, and it aims to uncover developments in local democracy in places left behind by local journalism and dominated by platforms. The article argues that “news desert” is not an accurate term describing such places. Instead, such places and their social media platform dependency constitute what is identified as "casual democracies." In casual local democracies, who and what gets to dominate the local public spheres is difficult to predict, as are the credibility and trustworthiness of local news and information and the interests that local news and information providers serve. Such local democracies are, to a large degree, shaped by informal power structures, individual agency, and the infrastructure of platforms.... view less
Keywords
disinformation; journalism; Denmark; Great Britain; false report; democracy; news; epidemic
Classification
Impact Research, Recipient Research
Free Keywords
Covid-19; free speech; infodemic; local democracy; local journalism; misinformation; news deserts
Document language
English
Publication Year
2023
Page/Pages
p. 414-425
Journal
Media and Communication, 11 (2023) 3
Issue topic
News Deserts: Places and Spaces Without News
ISSN
2183-2439
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed