Local Newspapers, Facebook and Local Civic Engagement: A Study of Media Use in Two Norwegian Communities

The European decline in newspaper circulation has fuelled debates on the consequences for civic engagement and democratic participation. Based on a qualitative interview study with 29 inhabitants of two Norwegian communities, this article examines the importance of the local press and of Facebook in the civic actions of ordinary citizens. Overall, the study suggests that both media are important and enable citizens’ involvement in collective problem-solving. However, their importance lies on different levels, as the two media play complementary roles: Whilst Facebook’s networking possibilities enable new forms of online volunteering and mobilisation, the local press constitutes a shared public sphere in which interviewees can gather information and create awareness of local happenings, politics and volunteering.