Interview with media adviser Clare Cook on the challenges faced by hyperlocal media
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In the context of the project Local Media For Democracy, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) interviewed Clare Cook, Media Adviser and Business Viability at International Media Support (IMS), the largest media development organisation in the Nordic region.
Clare has talked to us about the work of IMS, a partner of the project, alongside the Center For Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (ECPMF) and JournalismFund Europe. She touched upon the topics of digital natives, community and independent media, and the challenges faced by those outlets, especially in news desert areas in Europe.
According to the Center for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom, news deserts are communities with little or no access to credible and trustworthy sources of information. Risks of news deserts are higher in rural areas but also in inner cities, neighbourhoods, and suburban towns.
In this 12-minute interview, Clare gives us more insight into how can media outlets grow in those areas, the positive aspects they bring and their necessity for community and democracy.
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The Local Media For Democracy project, that will run until August 2024, aims to help media in the news desert areas in Europe and to provide financial support and organisational capacity building. Apply now!