Forms of local media relations in local communities - case studies

The local media market in Poland developed in very particular social conditions, conditions which Nowak (1979, 1981) described as a "social void". As a result, it might be presumed that it was more likely that the new forms of society (including local media) were formed on the basis of the "bonding" type of social capital rather than the "bridging" type. This might be one of the reasons why tight and complex relationships between the local media and other social actors still exist. On the basis of my own qualitative research (case studies conducted in four small towns in Poland), this article shows how complex the local relations are and describes the involvement of local journalists and local media owners in these networks of relations which might oft en be a cause of conflicts of interest (individual or institutional) or media bias.