Considering the consequences: Australian country newspapers and news impact on communities

The news media are often criticised for not considering the impact of their reporting on audiences. Journalism conventions and market demands are seen as militating against concern with the consequences of news coverage, and this is frequently highlighted as one of the reasons for decreasing public trust in the media. However, such criticisms may apply primarily to news outlets in metropolitan areas, where media environments are competitive and the risk of alienating or offending some readers, viewers or listeners must be balanced against the need to attract as wide an audience as possible. Outside cities, the news media environment tends to be less competitive, and this, along with factors such as individual journalists' greater public visibility and accessibility, may encourage a greater concern with the impacts and effects of news reporting. This conclusion is supported by the findings of a study into relationships between Australian country non-daily newspapers and community in Victoria and South Australia, suggesting that journalistic conventions such as objectivity may require reinterpretation in non-metropolitan environments.