prof. dr. Y. (Yael de Haan ) de Haan

Local Media for Democracy

The existence of a vibrant and independent local media landscape serving the interests of the public in local communities is a cornerstone of our democratic societies. However, today the survival of local, regional, and community media has become uncertain in many areas of the European Union. This study analyzes the state of local journalism in all EU countries.

The project aims to enhance the knowledge base of regional, local, and community news media in the EU. This research produces a report on the state of local journalism in Europe, with each country also publishing an individual report.

Through desk research and interviews, answers to 55 indicators are provided in all 27 EU countries. The following topics are addressed: the market of local, regional, and community media, financing, independence, social inclusivity, and the safety of local journalists.

This is a collaboration with the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF), International Media Support (IMS), Journalismfund.eu, and 27 researchers from different EU countries.

Responsible AI in local newsrooms

AI applications for various activities in the journalistic production process offer opportunities for local media to better address economic and societal challenges. In this project, we develop and evaluate prototypes of responsible AI applications in local newsrooms and investigate the innovation processes to analyze intra-organizational conditions that promote or limit responsible AI.

This project delivers AI prototypes applicable to local journalistic newsrooms and provides insights into how to implement AI in local newsrooms. Design-oriented design methods are employed in this project, involving an interdisciplinary team of legal, journalistic, and AI researchers collaborating with local/regional journalists.

This is a collaboration with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, University of Amsterdam, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (Germany), University of Leipzig (Germany), and University of Stavanger (Norway).

Local Journalism According to the Engaged Citizen

News deserts influence democratic societies. Local and regional media play a crucial role in a healthy democracy; they monitor local officials and authorities, bring issues to the (political) agenda, and inform citizens about what is happening in their neighborhoods and regions. Additionally, local journalism also acts as 'community glue' by contributing to the formation of collective identity and emotion.

In the current dynamic media landscape, it is essential to ask fundamental questions about the state of local and regional journalism and news deserts from the perspective of the citizen. The research focuses on how the public uses and experiences local and regional media. Fifteen focus groups were conducted in eight different municipalities.

Broken Connection – how can we design conversation AI to promote trust between journalists and their audience

In this research project, experts from journalism, technology, and design collaborate with public broadcasting editors at the national, regional, and local levels to explore how news media can employ conversational AI to better align news provision with the information needs of citizens while simultaneously considering journalistic values and standards. In partnership with NOS, Omroep Brabant, and Omroep Venlo, we investigate through design-oriented research how conversational AI can play a role in this context. The research not only yields working prototypes but also provides design principles that can guide editorial teams in various journalistic contexts toward the development of their own conversational AI.