CATEGORIZATION OF WEB-BASED LOCAL MEDIA BASED ON ORGANIZERS AND ACTIVITIES

This study aims to elucidate the characteristics of local media in Japan by categorizing web-based local media according to their organizers and activities. We analyzed 169 local media companies, extracted six evaluation axes, and categorized them into seven categories. The results showed that their operational purposes were diverse and unrelated to the organizer type, whereas their financial resources and operational challenges reflected the characteristics of the organizer. Thus, it is important to systematize the actual situation of the local media to develop guidelines for organizing new media types in the future.