Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the sole of local newspaper for community development in Korea. Specific objectives of the study were : 1) to identify the role of local newspaper in community development, 2) to analyze problems and situations on local newspapers in Korea, and 3) to suggest desirable roles of local newspaper for the community development. To attain the above objectives, this study was carried out through literature review, contest analysis of selected local newspapers, and the questionnaire survey of selected readers of local newspaper. The data were collected from 267 readers of local newspaper who participated in the farmers` training session in the Rural Development Administration, by using questionnaires developed by the researcher, and total of 263 questionnaires were analyzed. The statistical techniques used for the study were frequence, percentile, standard deviation utilizing the $SPSS/PC^+$. The major findings of the study were as follows : 1. The major roles of functions of local newspapers identified in this study were summarized as to reinforce the community consciousness, to form community opinion, to watch and to monitor community environment, to provide education and entertainment, and to contribute to the conveyance and promotion of community culture. 2. The general characteristic of local newspaper readers surveyed were; a) average distance from town to their village was 9.3 Km, b) average age was 29 years, c) about 75% of them were senior high school graduates, and d) about 96% of them participated in group activities. 3. About 45% of the respondents used television or radio for their moor sources of local news were TV or radio, while about 31% respondents used immunity newspaper for their moor sources of local news. About 67% of the respondents kept their readership over two years, and about 40% of them read community newspaper regularly at their home. 4. The results of content analysis showed drat the local newspapers were dealing with articles on cultural affairs, community consciousness, administrative and civic affairs, however, there were not enough educational news, and various kinds of general news in the community. 5. Survey also showed the most needed news were ; 1) political news including administrative and civic affairs, 2) economic news including sales and distribution, 3) social news including social problems on environmental pollution and community development works, 4) educational news including technology and information, 5) cultural news including guide to cultural and historical sites and local brief news. 6. In the evaluation of local newspaper, the readers were generally positive in valued roles of local newspaper in community relations, community development, promoting community cohesion and understanding of community members, and about 40% of the respondents were positive in predicting the bright future perspectives of local newspapers. 7. In the readers` evaluation of local newspaper, readers responded that local newspapers were very closely related to the community and residents, reflecting the current concerns of local population and recognizing the value of community media, and the contents of local newspaper were positively related to daily lives of community residents and opinions of overall community.