The Rhetoric of Trust in Local News Media: Proximity as a Quintessential News Quality

Abstract

Abstract: In this paper we argue that in local news media - different than in national news media - proximity is an important concept that can function as a rhetorical device to establish reliability and trust. In times of extreme pressure on local journalism, local reporters can and should benefit from the knowledge they have of the local situation. For this qualitative research we analyzed 52 interviews with local journalists from Dutch local news media to explore how they value and establish this concept of proximity as a rhetorical device in their daily practice to argue the reliability and trust in their medium. Key words: ethos, local journalism, proximity, trust, social cohesion, news qualities, rhetoric.