Self-Government Activity On Social Media As An Information Source To Cover Local Issues: Slovak And Ukrainian Journalists’ Views
Self-Government Activity On Social Media As An Information Source To Cover Local Issues: Slovak And Ukrainian Journalists’ Views

Summary/Abstract: For the media, local self-government organizations are an important source of information when the public needs to know about local matters. In turn, for local self-governments, the media is one of the most useful means of communicating with residents. Citizens’ understanding and awareness of local self-government and local issues are particularly important with in decentralization resulting in the enhancement of local authorities' capacity. Under the second it ions, local self-governments are becoming key communicators within their communities and are significant sources of information for local news reporting. It is evident that governments should use all available modern communication tools, including social media. The data from surveyed journalists from two countries – the Slovak Republic, where decentralization processes have already taken place, and Ukraine, which is still developing them – proves that local governments’ social presence serves as an information source to cover local issues. The survey findings show that journalists integrate local governments’ social media sourcing into their professional practices. Using local self-governments’ sites on social media as journalistic sources provides journalists with important opportunities for extending their agenda, informing and updating people, and reflecting life at the local level.

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