Date of Award

5-2025

Document Type

Project

Degree Name

Master of Arts in Communication Studies

Department

Communication Studies

First Reader/Committee Chair

Corrigan, Thomas

Abstract

Local U.S. journalism is in crisis. Communities across the country are suffering from a loss of local outlets, journalists, and a shortage of original coverage that addresses critical information needs. Yet, community media coalitions (CMCs) offer a promising solution. These coalitions bring together media outlets, educational institutions, and civic organizations to collaboratively support local news ecosystems. However, little is known about these coalitions or how to effectively build and operate them from the perspective of their creators.

To address this information gap, a guidebook was created titled A Best Practices Guide for Community Media Coalition Building: How to Wrangle All Your Cool Cats & Kittens to Make a Successful Clowder. The guidebook offers practical recommendations for media organizations and communities seeking to address their local journalism crisis through coalition-building. It is informed by interviews with eleven community media coalitions nationwide and an analysis of their organizational documents. It is organized around five key themes: starting with a clear mission and vision, establishing a democratic structure and culture, maintaining neutrality, building trust among stakeholders, and avoiding harmful practices. It is hoped that, by adapting these recommendations to local conditions, news outlets, educational institutions, and civic and community organizations can effectively collaborate to meet their communities’ information needs.

Keywords: Local journalism, Community media coalitions, Collaborative journalism, News deserts, Best practices

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