The multiple sides of the portuguese regional press: the regional journalism in the context of community communication

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to analyze the means of proximity (regional, local) as privileged actors in the development of an interaction with the public to act as construction of general welfare. The sustainable development of the community is discussed from the communitarian, participatory and deliberative views, originated from the European and American tradition, as well as from the theoretical framework of the Latin American community communication, which developed its own approach. The promotion of a dialogue between public and media is discussed, understood as social actors committed to the promotion of development, though not coincident in their concession on it. The proximity articulates with concepts such as those of 'community', 'civil society', 'development' and 'citizenship', which help to structure the analysis of struggles and processes of discussion on models of development. However, it is recognized that the regional media have specific settings that show a tension between the roots of the community and its organizational nature. Thus, throughout the text, is resorted to a study case prepared in Portugal along with several regional means to illustrate this tension.