Issues and Challenges of Local Journalism in Iran: Evidence from Content Analysis and Journalistic Elites

Local media are considered among the most significant indicators of development, as they play critical roles analogous to those of national media in informing, raising awareness, and monitoring power at the local level. The purpose of this study is to investigate the main issues and challenges of Iran’s local media and press. To achieve this, both quantitative content analysis and qualitative research methods were employed. In the quantitative content analysis, aimed at obtaining an initial description of the content, a single issue from 21 local newspapers across the country was purposefully selected. All 721 media items (units of analysis) published on these local media were analyzed using a researcher-developed coding scheme. In the qualitative method, in-depth interviews were conducted with eight local journalists. Based on the findings from these interviews, the most critical issues and topics in local journalism were identified. The quantitative results indicate that, of a total of 721 media items, 538 were “news-informational” and 183 were “non-news” (advertisements/announcements). While only 146 items were “original” content produced by the media outlets themselves, 213 other “news items” lacked any cited source. The majority of “news-informational” content was published in the form of pure “news” or descriptive “reports.” Furthermore, 61.2% of the news items were “event-driven” and primarily structured in the “inverted pyramid” style. In terms of orientation, over 80% of “news items” exhibited a “concordant” or “neutral” stance, largely reflecting the news or statements of local officials. Additionally, out of a total of 335 news items “accompanied by photos,” only 17 featured professional “captions.” Based on the qualitative findings of the research, the issues and challenges of the local journalism can be categorized into six main themes: “Political Dependency and the Challenge of Interaction with Local Officials”, “Financial and Economic Challenges”, “Technological Transformations and the Lagging Behind of the Local Press”, “Professional Weaknesses of Local Journalism”, “Legal and Civil Issues,” and “Competitive Advantages of Local Press,” along with 20 sub themes. The synthesis of this research suggests that local journalism in Iran, despite its advantages and potential, is in a paradoxical and declining state, both in terms of content and in facing a multitude of surrounding challenges. Only symbolic capital has contributed to their preservation and survival in a state of “agony.”