Local news deserts: Definition briefing
Definitions of news deserts include communities where residents are facing significantly diminished access to the sort of important information that feeds “grassroots democracy”.
Local news should include local news outlets that maintain independence from those they cover and are devoted primarily to produce news in a defined geographic area. Hyperlocal is typically much narrower, relating to a small town, village or suburb, or sometimes even a particular group of streets. For example, hyperlocals are defined as online news or content services pertaining to a town, village or single postcode or other geographically defined community. Media or news gaps make up a large part of the understanding of news deserts.
