Differences over difference: Journalism beyond the metropolis

Regional/rural journalism is often praised for connecting people and empowering local communities. For this reason, it appears to be closer to performing what Christians et al. (2009) call a facilitative role than most other journalistic forms. If this is the case, the news values which guide regional journalists differ from those underlying mainstream metropolitan journalism. However, the paucity of research in this area means the extent of any differences is far from clear. This paper reports a project which attempted to shed light on this situation by investigating the approach of journalists located in regional South Australia to the reporting of cultural and ethnic difference. The research was approached from three directions: local journalists, established residents, and a section of the population located at the cutting edge between diversity and inclusivity - recently arrived refugees. The paper concludes by considering the implications of the findings for regional journalists' ability to perform a genuinely facilitative role.