Scott Downman is a journalist and lecturer at the University of Queensland. For the past 15 years he has been involved in community development projects in Southeast Asia and Australia that use media and journalism to address complex social issues and that experiment with alternative forms of storytelling Richard Murray is a former journalist. He is now a PhD student and sessional lecturer in journalism at the University of Queensland.
'There should be much more academic hype around hyperlocal news given the powerful insights it offers our understanding of journalism's changing role in digital spaces. Downman and Murray produce a refined, detailed account of several case studies to highlight the important role media at the local level can play in bringing people together - from those divided by family and neighbourhood feuds to bridging cultural, social and racial differences.' - Kristy Hess, Senior Lecturer in Communication, Deakin University, Australia