"Media's woeful lack of localism is matched by lack of definition about what the term really means. Ali's brilliant dissection of localism in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada provides a foundation for developing strategies to restore our vanished local media." Michael Copps, former Commissioner of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission
"This landmark book offers a fascinating and invaluable analysis for anyone seeking a critical understanding of 'the local' in our digital age. With elegance and clarity, Ali draws from comparative case studies and key historical contexts to show why democracy still requires media localism--and why an unfettered market can't support it. This is a must-read for policymakers, journalists, and concerned citizens everywhere." Victor Pickard, author of America's Battle for Media Democracy: The Triumph of Corporate Libertarianism and the Future of Media Reform
"Bold and innovative. A scholarly interrogation of significant moves to think through the meaning of community and how various policymakers, politicians, activists, and indeed entrepreneurs have sought to mobilize these concerns." Des Freedman, author of The Contradictions of Media Power