Local journalism is in crisis, off and online. Years of downsizing in the face of digital disruption have weakened regional and local news organizations. The problem is growing worse, as advertising continues to shift in substantial measure to Facebook and Google.

This paper seeks to draw together what is known about the quantum of local news journalism in the regions of Australia and how this is changing, as well as making an original contribution to this knowledge. It is a consolidation of information gleaned from government inquiries, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and previous academic research...

In local communities, the civically engaged – the people who vote, volunteer and connect with those around them – play a key role in community life. Thus, how and to what degree they stay informed about their communities carries added weight. A new study by Pew Research Center in association with the John S. and...