Personal Storytelling and Subjective Narratives of Local Reporters through Private Newsletters

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study explores the emergence of personal, subjective narratives in private, digital newsletters, focusing on the SIDINL network’s role in transforming citizens into local news reporters in Sub-Saharan Africa. By analysing cases of newsletters in Nigeria and Cameroon, this study investigates how these local reporters can develop a distinctive personal style of reporting, engaging with niche Western audiences in an informal and affective manner. It highlights the significance of personalised storytelling in conveying the nuanced realities of local communities, emphasising the power of subjective voices in enriching the global conventional understanding of social and environmental issues. Through this lens, the study underscores the potential of these carefully monitored digital platforms in facilitating a deeper, interactive connection between local reporters and their small niche audiences, fostering a stronger sense of empowerment through shared narratives and discussions between the local people and the external audience.