Localradiowithout borders: The experiment of a small Portuguese broadcaster on the internet

Abstract

Hyperlocal journalism, understood as the type of journalism practiced and undertaken in small communities around the world, is part of the media ecosystem, but its importance is rarely recognized. With the withdrawal of media companies from smaller locations in the early 21st century, hyperlocal journalism has regained its space thanks to the internet, exploiting the streak of community news to reach audiences in various parts of the world. This study focuses on Portugal and investigates how hyperlocal news is reported on a radio station in the interior of the country: Rádio Cova da Beira (RCB). The results of an analysis of the website's content, interviews, and participant observation in the newsroom of the broadcaster, based in Fundão, in the district of Castelo Branco (Portugal), show that this model of local journalism values culture, but faces serious structural and financial problems.