The existence of a vibrant and independent local media ecosystem that serves the public interest of its local communities is a cornerstone for our democratic societies.

Local, regional and community media are the key to empowering citizens to grasp and exercise their rights in the communities where they live, and they are better placed to gain the trust of their native audience. The robustness of these media ecosystems also serves as a meaningful indicator of media capture, a growing and worrying phenomenon in Europe.

Today, however, the very existence of local, regional and community media has become uncertain in many areas of the European Union.

Against this backdrop, the project will contribute to building an enabling environment where a pluralistic and independent media landscape can thrive.

In addition to improved knowledge about regional, local and community news media, the project aims to provide high-quality and comprehensive data as a basis for media policy decisions. Furthermore, both financial and technical support for local and regional media in underserved communities and target groups will be provided with the aim of ensuring resilience and independence.

One of the key activities will be a research and mapping of news deserts in the 27 EU Member States with the aim of defining and identifying existing and emerging news deserts in Europe, highlighting both challenges and good practices, as well as developing policy recommendations for media stakeholders and national and European policy-makers.