Local journalists and the construction of social identities. A phenomenological approach

Research broadly agrees that geographical and social proximity to local inhabitants determines the embeddedness of local journalists in the communities they cover. Yet, the role of such proximity in local journalists’ understanding of local inhabitants–both as potential sources and audience members–has been less investigated. Understanding how journalists form their ideas of local inhabitants is essential, as it greatly influences their work. To address this gap, this paper reports the findings of an exploratory case study of a local Italian newsroom, studied through the lens of phenomenological sociology. The paper argues that Sartre’s concept of the look is a useful conceptual category to understand journalists’ perspectives of their work. The results show that, even in the digital era, local journalists still consider it crucial to physically look at local inhabitants to grasp them. Further, being physically looked at in the towns they cover is a strategic way for local journalists to be perceived favorably. However, the possibilities for locals and journalists to physically look at each other are complicated by the Italian journalistic culture, which can hinder proximity between journalists and audiences, particularly for outlets covering large and heterogeneous territories.