Unconventional Practices and Boundary Work in Small Town Newspapers: The Case for a Rural Journalism Subfield
Abstract
Local rural newspapers live a precarious existence in Alberta, Canada. In a declining economic situation, rural journalists have adopted unconventional practices to continue their work. Based on fieldwork in four communities, we show how rural journalists negotiate between the dominant metropolitan-based doxa and habitus of the journalistic field and their own position within communities. The analysis reveals rural-specific reporting practices, atypical business practices, and unconventional approaches to innovation. We argue that rural journalism is not merely a deviation from dominant metropolitan norms but a subfield actively redefining the boundaries of journalistic practice in response to economic precarity and community obligations.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Media Studies and Communication
Rural development and sustainability
Canadian Identity and History
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Volume
- 103
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 615–639
- Publication date
- 30 January 2026
- Language
- EN