| This study focuses on an in-depth case of a commons model of online hyperlocal journalism, a movement beginning in 2005 to do reporting at the level of neighborhoods in local communities as traditional newspapers withdrew this coverage. This case is an empirical development of two major concepts: the idea of a communication commons and the local communication ecology. This dissertation examines three phases of the local project in depth, tracing a trajectory from few readers to a sustainable model. Using interviews and participant observation, the study demonstrates how news is tied to a physical community through the lens of a commons resource. My findings suggest that in the first and second phases, the hyperlocal journalism project lacked some key commons principles and faced collective action challenges that may have contributed to the struggles of the commons model of hyperlocal journalism. The final phase studied draws on a conventional newsroom-staffing model but works closely with community members to develop intensely local coverage. The finding is that while a number of key commons principles were realized in the hyperlocal project during this third phase, small numbers of participants still threaten sustainability, suggesting that new principles of outreach and recruitment will be necessary. |
