Already studied across the Atlantic, media deserts are now drawing the attention of the European Union. In 2022, the European Commission announced the creation of a 2 million euro fund aimed at mapping media deserts and financing solutions. This study, conducted by a network of researchers across Europe, now makes it possible to establish a first overview of the state of health of the local press and the prevalence of media deserts, which it defines as follows: « a geographical or administrative area, or a social community, where it is difficult or impossible to access sufficient, reliable and diverse information from independent local, regional and community media ». For each country, the supply of local information is evaluated on a number of risk factors, including journalist safety and editorial independence of newsrooms, rated on a scale ranging from 0% (low risk) to 100% (high risk). These results are presented in the form of an interactive map, available here. While the data allows for comparison of situations between the different states of the European Union, the study also proposes to map local media supply within a country itself, from one department to another.
Here are a few key points to remember:
1 – A Growing Phenomenon
While no study of this magnitude had previously examined this phenomenon, it is far from new; quite the opposite, in fact. The study mentions, for example, "the situation of information services in rural areas" that has become "increasingly problematic". The culprits: the gradual disappearance of retail outlets, and a digital transition taking place at the expense of older populations living in rural areas. Furthermore, the impoverishment of distribution, coupled with the progressive centralization of journalists in major cities, covering the most remote areas "only occasionally or exclusively from their desks".
The economic situation of these local media outlets is also deteriorating. The study's authors notably highlight the decline in advertising revenue, the biased allocation of advertising and state subsidies to local media. Another trend highlighted by the study: working conditions considered unsatisfactory for journalists, as well as increasingly severe cyberstalking against them.
2 – Significant disparities
The study provides data on all 27 European Union member states, a group characterized by diverse sociopolitical contexts, different languages, and media landscapes. These specificities are reflected in the study's findings, which show local press health varying from good to poor across borders. For example, while the level of risk relative to journalist safety is 78% in the Czech Republic, it is only 17% in Sweden. Regarding editorial independence, Germany is given a score of 16%, while the situation is deemed more critical in Poland (87.5%).
Yet these disparities also manifest within countries themselves. On the subject of local press distribution across territories, not all French departments are equally served. For example, while the Nord department has 63 local media outlets, Loire-Atlantique has 51 and Rhône has 49, the study counts only 4 newspapers in Alpes-de-Haute-Provence. Meuse, for its part, has only one. "In some countries, the problems and challenges facing local media are widespread across the entire country, whereas in others, these challenges are limited to specific regions or even individual cities, leaving some communities without access to local media that disseminates information of public interest," the authors explain.
3 – Risks considered "moderate" in France
Across all criteria studied in France, the risk is rated as "medium". Regarding journalist protection, for example, the study gives France a score of 46%. While it highlights the protections provided by journalist status, it points out fragile physical and psychological safety and precarious contracts for local journalists. On the local press market (44%), the study notes that revenues from regional daily newspapers (PQR) have fallen in recent years. However, it finds that despite the challenges, the number of local media outlets has remained "stable over the past 5 years". As for editorial independence, the study assigns a score of 50%, which it attributes to the presence of monopolies or opacity in the processes for allocating public subsidies.
The highest risk concerns inclusivity (54%), which the study explains for example by the lack of programs in foreign languages, as well as the infrastructure of local media, whose rating of 54% is notably due to excessive concentration of the press in urban areas.
4 – Solutions and best practices
Among the avenues identified by the study, it cites formats such as podcasts or newsletters as well as "slow-journalism", a practice that prioritizes covering topics over the long term rather than rushing to break news: "The use of alternative formats aims to engage the public proactively, restore trust, attract an audience that was not interested in news content, and increase subscriptions". In France, the study notably highlights the work of Mediacités, whose objective, according to it, "is to establish genuine proximity and a relationship of trust with their audience" through "innovative" formats or by offering readers the opportunity to become shareholders.
Through its conclusions, the study lists a series of recommendations for public authorities, media outlets and journalism professionals. It notably suggests reviewing the regulation of monopolies, strengthening legal protections for journalists, diversifying revenue sources further, and funding research projects aimed at mapping local and community media on the ground. On this last point, the study's authors clarify: "It is important to note that an urgent issue to address concerns the lack of data on the economic and financial information of local and community media, as well as audience measurement targeted at the local level and more detailed research on trust, audience prospects, perceptions and engagement within local information markets (…) In order to properly assess the issue of information deserts in Europe, efforts should be made to make this data public and accessible".
To go further:
- With Marsactu Unlimited, Marsactu now offers free access to its content in various locations, including cafés and community centers. By making its offering tangible, it hopes to reach new audiences, sometimes disconnected from news, while reducing its dependence on digital platforms.
- Operating in limited geographic areas, some media outlets practice so-called "hyperlocal" journalism, staying as close to the ground as possible. Some are now choosing to pool their efforts, for practical, economic, or journalistic reasons.
- To (re)engage your audience, reach new targets, or encourage subscriptions, editorial newsletters are a valuable tool. How can local media harness them? Three formats for building a privileged relationship with your audience and establishing trust.
