Tshering Dorji, Freelance journalist and co-founder of OxMedia

Bhutan Press Mirror – Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Alex Jones, in his book ‘Losing the News’, revealed that nearly 85 percent of what is known as ‘accountability journalism’ came from local newspapers.

Local stories matter because they provide the community with information on how their tax money is being used, how a new bill could affect their jobs or rights, and how a decision made in the Gewog Tshogde could impact their livelihoods. This is accountability at the grassroots, steered by community journalism.

The value of community journalism rests in the role it fulfills. It is rooted in issues that matter to the people and in safeguarding the community’s interests. Besides informing and educating the people, it is a repository of local stories, replete with customs and ethos of the people, place and time, that we risk losing. It also offers a vital forum for debate, exchange of ideas, and echoes the voices of the commons. This indeed reflects the journalistic commitment to democratic values.

Community journalism has long been regarded as a practice of “gathering, packaging, and distributing news in predominantly small, distinct geographic markets, with emphasis on local news and information about community life.” In the West, it was synonymous with ‘small-town newspapers.’ By that token, Bhutan’s mainstream media predominantly operates through a community-focused lens.

The concept, however, expanded in the first decade of the 21st century, driven by the proliferation of digital media. It is now grounded on the aspects of connectivity but still rooted in the relationship between journalists and the communities they serve. It was perceived to promote media pluralism, ensuring that local, marginalised and diverse voices are not concealed under the loud urban, political and corporate narratives.

However, local news now has to compete for attention in a swarming and unforgiving online environment, where everything gets measured. Across newsrooms around the world, news decisions are made in consideration of algorithmic outputs, which prioritize speed, virality, and engagement over depth, nuance, or locality. Thus, producing high-quality local journalism becomes difficult and economically unviable as businesses that pay for journalism migrate to online platforms.

Studies show that over the past 50 years, public trust in journalism and news media has slumped. While the theoretical value of journalism and news media remains widely acknowledged, their practice is increasingly challenged. Therefore, at a time when the very essence of journalism is in peril, community journalism is faced with an existential threat.

With little or no local reporting, many rural pockets in Bhutan have become the so-called ‘news deserts.’ In the mainstream media, issues and voices of these communities are often buried either under bigger national headlines or political drama. Global affairs, war, celebrity gossip, algorithmic clickbait, and commercials, on the other hand, dictate the digital space. This can potentially lead to a decline in public accountability and civic participation while fueling misinformation. In a small community like Bhutan, the consequences are grave.

It is time that we collectively reinvent the future of community journalism, because the strength of journalism is best exhibited when journalists hold public institutions and officials accountable for their actions. Likewise, the press must be accountable to the people.

In a nutshell, community journalism and local news still matter, particularly in an environment crammed with misinformation. In an era where viral content is a daily affair, it fosters trust and civic engagement. It offers authenticity.

The social media wave

If the entire data that is available on the digital space were stored in a DVD drive and stacked on each other, it would go around the globe 222 times. What is even more revealing is that 90 percent of these data were created in the past few years, and 60 percent of them are generated from social media platforms, where almost all contents are user-generated.

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and X serve as primary sources of news for millions of people across the globe. The threat, however, is that these platforms, propelled by their algorithms, dictate the content, (mis)using billions of data they have in their possession. They act as a gatekeeper. Amid this unforgiving environment, what sets true journalism apart is journalistic ethics, professional conduct, and a sense of public responsibility.

However, social media platforms have changed the way news is produced, consumed, and distributed. Journalism is experiencing a significant transformation, often finding itself competing with the widespread role of citizen journalism.

A 2024 Pew Research study found that 37% of adults under 30 in the United States regularly get news from influencers, who are perceived as trustworthy and accessible. In pursuit of rebuilding the trust of local audiences, newsrooms often find themselves verifying social media claims and challenging opinionated authors and publishers on social media.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has given rise to a new form of journalism, called ‘automated journalism’, which is gaining popularity to meet the insatiable demand for information in today’s age. It brings other dimensions like speed, scalability, and cost-effectiveness to the newsroom. Combined with social media, it becomes a powerful weapon that, if misused, can tear societies apart.

These digital platforms, however, present enormous opportunities. They allow journalists to reach a global audience in real time at no cost. If looked at from another perspective, social media itself is a platform for civic engagement, giving voice to the underrepresented.

Seen that way, public trust is what matters and this is intrinsic to good journalism.

Can journalism survive?

Yes. But emerging technologies and tools must be embraced while staying true to the journalistic principles. It requires a collective effort because a democratic society has every stake in ensuring a free press survives at all costs. What must change is the way we practice and conduct business.

Across the globe, innovative approaches to community journalism are being experimented with. For instance, public-interest journalism has become a thriving model for nonprofits. Small-scale digital newsrooms are emerging to fill the gaps with ‘hyper-local’ content. Some traditional media outlets are reinventing themselves through partnerships with universities and tech companies. Others are turning to data journalism, live streaming, or mobile-first content strategies. Recognising the role of journalism, governments and NGOs are stepping in to support local journalism.

However, media outlets must first accept that the advertisement-driven model is no longer sustainable. Funding must be channeled towards enhancing quality journalism and investment in talent and technology. Policy support must come from the government to create an enabling environment for community journalism to thrive.

With the increasing reliance on social media for information, there’s also a growing need for digital literacy programs to help users critically assess content and navigate online spaces responsibly. Citizen journalists and influencers ought to be taught media ethics.

The future of local news, therefore, must be reinvented. For Bhutan, which now faces an ‘existential threat,’ community journalism can reinforce the sense of identity and belonging. In that sense, excellence in journalism underpins the quality of democracy because the health of a society depends on the quality of the information it receives.