This study explores how evolving audience preferences and national media trends are shaping local news organizations in Nigeria, with a particular focus on Enugu State. It examines the growing influence of national media content on local journalism and how this shift affects the relevance, structure, and sustainability of community-based news coverage. The research is guided by three key objectives: to assess changing audience preferences for local news in Enugu; to analyze the impact of national media trends on local news priorities and content structure; and to evaluate the implications of these changes for local journalism practice and sustainability. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was adopted. Quantitative data were collected from 400 audience members selected through cluster sampling across the three senatorial zones of Enugu State and 208 journalists drawn from local media organizations using multistage sampling. In addition, 15 in-depth interviews were conducted with selected editors, reporters, and audience members. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative responses were examined using thematic analysis. Findings show that audiences in Enugu strongly prefer community-focused news content, particularly stories that reflect local issues, everyday experiences, and indigenous language reporting. However, local news production is increasingly influenced by national media trends due to economic and competitive pressures, leading to a dominance of national political coverage over grassroots reporting. This shift has contributed to reduced audience trust and poses challenges to the sustainability of local journalism. The study concludes that local media survival in Enugu depends on maintaining strong community-centered reporting that distinguishes it from national outlets. It recommends that local news organizations invest in audience research, adopt hybrid content strategies that balance national and local priorities, and strengthen capacity in community journalism and indigenous language reporting to enhance relevance, trust, and long-term sustainability.
Chinwe Stella Ojula (Mon,) studied this question.