Live the Local: Exploring the Relationship between Local News Media and Cities Undergoing Downtown Revitalization

<p>The rise in suburban development has caused many downtowns across the United States to lose residents, businesses, attractions and community engagement. City officials and planners work to create policies, designs and urban development that help to revitalize downtowns. However, how do we bring people into our downtowns to live, work and play? That is where local news coverage can have an impact. The question arises: What can city officials, event organizers, business leaders do to foster a vibrant downtown? News outlets (e.g., television, print, digital) and their corresponding social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, can act as " megaphones " to share updates, stories, promote public events and disseminate information.</p> <p>With qualitative research that includes in-depth interviews with city officials, nonprofit leaders, business owners, residents and former journalists, we discover how city stakeholders in Rogers, Arkansas, use local television news outlets and their digital platforms to promote and showcase a thriving, yet changing downtown. This project seeks to give insight into how cities can use news reporters and local media outlets to shape their image by looking through the lens of the revitalization efforts in downtown Rogers, Arkansas. Through these in-person interviews and past research, we find a unique public/private partnership and strategy that should include local news coverage and digital media as a critical component, to encourage people to “ live the local.”</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts in Journalism (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Year dc:date.available

2021

Author dc:creator

• Wise, Allison

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Foley, Larry D.

Contributors dc:contributor

• King, Tiffany
• Mitchell, Joshua

• Arkansas
• Broadcast Television
• City Government
• Local News
• Media Strategy
• TV News
• Broadcast and Video Studies
• Critical and Cultural Studies
• Journalism Studies
• Social Influence and Political Communication
• Social Media

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/4235

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarworks.uark.edu:etd-5785