Trust and ethics in local journalism: a distinctive orientation towards responsible journalism and ethical practices

This chapter compares the perceptions and experiences of local journalists with those of other types of journalists in six European countries to advance our understanding of ethics in local journalism in different journalism cultures and contexts. As cross-national insights are rare, the interviews with 31 journalists shed light on journalists’ ethical practices in these contexts. We find that local journalists are united by a shared identification with a distinctive set of values regarding their responsibilities to the public. A commitment to creating and defending the community differentiates them from other types of journalists, indicating that journalistic specialism is a more prominent definer of role perceptions than country context. Local journalists describe having a particularly close relationship with their audience due to geographical proximity, a co-dependence on the community and notions of a shared sense of place. Coupled with the heightened accountability that comes with the greater visibility of local journalists within communities, it is incumbent upon them to strive for high ethical standards. Our findings add to existing evidence that the culture of the newsroom and the news organisation is at least as important (and possibly more) as formal codes of ethics in influencing ethical practices.