A Call For Collaboration and Community-Centered Journalism : Analyzing The State of Local News and Information In Three Montreal Boroughs

Résumé

Between 2008 and October 2024, 525 local newspapers closed across 347 Canadian communities (Local News Research Project, 2024), even impacting large cities like Montreal, where Métro Média stopped publishing in August 2023. Although the situation calls for re-engaging with audiences, the nature of journalism should also be scrutinized. Traditionally, journalists, as gatekeepers, have tended to hold authority over news selection and coverage (White, 1950). Conversely, a corpus of academic research suggests audience members need to be more engaged in the production of news to feel empowered and equipped to bring change in their communities through journalism (Ellis, Voakes & Bergen, 2022) – and that the crisis in news is at least partly attributable to the fact that most news organizations have until recently not seen engagement as part of their jobs. This community-centered approach could foster trust in the media and encourage the production of more relevant local content (Wenzel, 2020). Following this direction, our team of graduate journalism students at a Canadian university conducted a mixed-methods exploratory study analyzing the state of local news and information in three Montreal boroughs, aimed at designing community-centered journalism initiatives. We collected 63 survey answers and performed 13 interviews that were provisionally analyzed using an approach inspired by thematic analysis. Two main themes were identified: opportunities and challenges. We also explored sub-themes of outreach, community building, participation and power sharing. Initiatives building to improve existing community infrastructure could propel collaborations with existing media organizations, be integrated into Facebook groups, and include in-person information sessions. Working alongside community organizations to develop built-in initiatives may be a relevant option, as discussed in previous scholarship (Wenzel, 2020). Although the scope of this research is limited and preliminary, requiring additional research, it opens further research avenues for the future of local news in Montreal taking a community-centered approach.