Biography summary
Kristy's research focuses on the relationship between journalism, place-making and social order, especially in local and digital settings. She is interested in issues of media power and how everyday media-related practices inform understandings of news sustainability in the digital era. She also examines centre/periphery tensions, especially in regards to perceptions of the rural, local and agricultural issues. Kristy is the co-author of two books (Palgrave, Routledge), co-editor of two published edited collections (Routledge) and is the associate editor of Digital Journalism (Routledge). She is currently a chief investigator on two projects funded by the Australian Research Council. Kristy is especially passionate about education and training of practicing journalists in local/regional settings and encouraging media professionals to pursue life-long learning.
Research interests
local, hyperlocal and community news; media power and society, media, social capital and civic participation, journalistic place-making, media, rurality and agriculture.
Teaching interests
Units taught
ALJ111
ALJ304
Honours supervision
Phd supervision in areas of digital journalism, local, rural and agricultural communication, media and place-making, media, social order and civic participation.
Awards
- Deakin University Faculty of Arts and Education Mid Career Researcher Award - 2019
- Deakin University Faculty of Arts and Education Early Career Researcher Award - 2018
- National Teaching Excellence Award nomination, 2015
- OLT Citation for teaching excellence, 2014
- APA Scholarship PhD University of South Australia 2010-2013
- Deakin University Vice Chancellor Award for Teaching Excellence ,2009
- Deakin University Vice Chancellor Award for Contribution to Rural and Regional Engagement, 2009
- Dean's award for excellence in team teaching 2009
- Deakin University Faculty of Arts & Education teaching award for an early career
teacher, 2008.
Projects
FOR RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS PLEASE VIEW https://deakin.academia.edu/KristyHess
CURRENT ARC PROJECTS
Lead investigator LP18010013 'Media Innovation and the civic future of Australia's country press 2019-2022 (with Prof. Lisa Waller (RMIT), Prof. Matthew Ricketson (Deakin).
Chief Investigator DP190101282 'Breaking Silences: Media and the Child Abuse Royal Commission' 2019-2022 (with Prof. Kerry McCallum (University of Canberra), Assoc Prof Tanya Dreher (UNSW), Prof. Lisa Waller (RMIT).
OTHER CURRENT FUNDED PROJECTS
Chief investigator 'Social impact of war in a regional Australian setting', Department of Veteran Affairs Saluting their Sevice Community Commenorative Grant 2019-2020 (with Dr Sarah Pinto (Deakin)).
Publications
"It's New to Us": Exploring Authentic Innovation in Local News Settings
Ragnhild Olsen, Kristy Hess
(2024), Vol. 12, pp. 1-15, Media and Communication, Lisbon, Portugal, C1
Kristy Hess, Alison McAdam
(2024), pp. 1-14, Media International Australia, London, Eng., C1
K Hess, K McCallum
(2023), Vol. 29, pp. 401-416, Media History, London, Eng., C1
Untapped Potential? Exploring the 'Latent' Local Newspaper Reader in Digital Spaces
Kristy Hess, Angela Blakston, Jerry Lai, Alison McAdam, Lisa Waller
(2023), Journal of Communication Inquiry, London, Eng., C1
Examining the Social, Civic, and Political Impact of Local Newspaper Closure in Outback Australia
Marco Magasic, Kristy Hess, Julie Freeman
(2023), Vol. 11, pp. 404-413, Media and Communication, Lisbon, Portugal, C1
Supporting Media Diversity: Nordic Lessons
Maria Rae, Ebony Bennett, Kristy Hess
(2023), Canberra, A.C.T., A6-1
Media Innovation and the Civic Future of Australia's Country Press: FInal report
Kristy Hess, Alison Mcadam, Angela Blakston, matthew Ricketson, LIsa Waller, Jerry Lai
(2023), Melbourne, Vic., A6
Bargaining with local journalism's value
Kristy Hess, Lisa Waller
(2022), pp. 80-90, The Routledge Companion to News and Journalism, London, Eng., B1
Gabi Mocatta, Eve Mayes, Kristy Hess, Michael Everitt Hartup
(2022), pp. 1-21, Media Culture and Society, London, Eng., C1
Alison Mcadam, Kristy Hess
(2022), pp. 1-13, Media International Australia, London, Eng., C1
Examining audience perspectives on local newspaper futures
Kristy Hess, Lisa Waller, Jerry Lai
(2022), pp. 1-19, Journalism, London, Eng., C1
Kristy Hess, Angela Ross
(2022), Vol. 44, pp. 229-243, Australian Journalism Review, Bristol, Eng., C1
Navigating the terrain: a typology of mapping in journalism studies
Alison McAdam, Kristy Hess
(2022), Vol. 8, pp. 278-290, Communication Research and Practice, London, Eng., C1
Local newspapers and coronavirus: conceptualising connections, comparisons and cures
K Hess, L Waller
(2021), Vol. 178, pp. 21-35, Media International Australia, C1
M Magasic, K Hess
(2021), Vol. 43, pp. 99-114, Australian Journalism Review, C1
Local journalism and the ethics of inquiry
Kristy Hess, Kerry McCallum, Lisa Waller, Alanna Myers
(2021), Vol. 18, pp. 20-35, Ethical Space: the international journal of communication ethics, Suffolk, Eng., C1
Local newspaper audience survey National report 2021
Kristy Hess, LISA WALLER, A Blakston, J Lai
(2021), Geelong, Vic, A6
Exploring the social. A report on Facebook users who don't read local newspapers
Kristy Hess, LISA WALLER, A Blakston, J Lai
(2021), Geelong, Vic., A6
Local journalism in Australia: policy debates
Kristy Hess, Lisa Waller
(2020), pp. 102-111, Routledge companion to local media and journalism, Abingdon, Eng., B1
Contesting communities: Reimagining journalism and social order
Robert Gutsche, Kristy Hess
(2020), pp. 473-482, Reimagining Journalism and Social Order in a Fragmented Media World., London, Eng., B1
Going glocal: Local journalism and global ethics
Kristy Hess, Ian Richards
(2020), pp. 635-654, Handbook of Global Media Ethics, Berlin, Germany, B1
Kristy Hess, Sarah Pinto
(2020), Vol. 26, pp. 105-121, Media history, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Lisa Waller, Tania Dreher, Kristy Hess, Kerry McCallum, Eli Skogerbo
(2020), Vol. 21, pp. 180-196, Journalism studies, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Moral compass: How a small-town newspaper used silence in a hyper-charged controversy
K Hess, L Waller
(2020), Vol. 21, pp. 574-590, Journalism, C1
Placeification: The Transformation of Digital News Spaces into "Places" of Meaning
R Gutsche,, K Hess
(2020), Vol. 8, pp. 586-595, Digital Journalism, C1
Charting the media innovations landscape for regional and rural newspapers
K Hess, L Waller
(2020), Vol. 42, pp. 59-75, Australian Journalism Review, C1
Geographies of journalism: the imaginative power of place in making digital news
Robert Gutsche Jr., K Hess
(2019), Abingdon, Eng., A1
K Hess
(2019), pp. 88-99, Digitizing democracy, Abingdon, Eng., B1
LIsa Waller, Kristy Hess
(2019), pp. 1-6, International encyclopaedia of journalism studies, Hoboken, N.J., B1
Navigating the scholarly terrain: introducing the digital journalism studies compass
S Eldridge, K Hess, E Tandoc, O Westlund
(2019), Vol. 7, pp. 386-403, Digital journalism, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Total eclipse of the social: what journalism can learn from the fundamentals of Facebook*
K Hess, R Gutsche
(2019), Vol. 13, pp. 1013-1017, Journalism practice, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Local and hyperlocal journalism
K Hess, Lisa Waller
(2018), pp. 144-159, Oxford research encyclopedia of communication, Oxford, Eng., B1
K Hess, R Gutsche
(2018), pp. 1-16, Journalism Studies, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Communication life line? ABC emergency broadcasting in rural/regional Australia
J Freeman, K Hess, L Waller
(2018), Vol. 4, pp. 342-360, Communication research and practice, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Contesting Communities: The problem of journalism and social order
R Gutsche, K Hess
(2018), Vol. 12, pp. 136-145, Journalism Practice, C1
Community and hyperlocal journalism: a 'sustainable' model?
K Hess, L waller
(2017), pp. 194-203, Routledge companion to digital journalism studies, Abingdon, Eng., B1
Shifting foundations: journalism and the power of the 'common good'
K Hess
(2017), Vol. 18, pp. 801-816, Journalism, London, Eng., C1
Making inroads: a critical examination of the ABC's commitment to local news
J Freeman, K Hess, L Waller
(2017), Vol. 165, pp. 117-130, Media international Australia, London, Eng., C1
L Waller, K Hess, J Freeman, M Ricketson
(2017), Geelong, Vic., A6
Mixed fortunes: examining circulation rise and decline in two Victorian news communities
K Hess
(2017), Flemington, Vic., A6
Witness, judge or watchdog?: Journalism and regional courts
K Hess, L Waller
(2016), pp. 120-128, Locating crime in context and place, Sydney, N.S.W., B1
River Flows and Profit Flows. The powerful logic driving local news
K Hess, K Hess, L Waller, L Waller
(2016), Vol. 17, pp. 263-276, Journalism Studies, United Kingdom, C1-1
Hip to be Hyper: The subculture of excessively local news
K Hess, L Waller
(2016), Vol. 4, pp. 193-210, Digital Journalism, C1
Ritual power: Illuminating the blind spot of births, deaths and marriages in news media research
K Hess
(2016), Vol. 17, pp. 511-526, Journalism, C1
Power to the virtuous? Civic culture in the changing digital terrain
K Hess
(2016), Vol. 17, pp. 925-934, Journalism studies, Abingdon, Eng., C1
Rethinking news media and local government: journalism, politics and symbolic power
K Hess, L waller
(2016), Vol. 38, pp. 5-17, Australian journalism review, Bathurst, N.S.W., C1
L Waller, K Hess, K Demetrious
(2016), Vol. 38, pp. 47-60, Australian journalism review, Adelaide, Sth. Aust., C1
Community journalism in Australia: a media power perspective
K Hess, L Waller
(2015), Vol. 4, pp. 2-9, Community journalism, Texas, U.S., C1
Friend or foe? Regional newspapers and the power of Facebook
K Hess, K Bowd
(2015), Vol. 156, pp. 19-28, Media international Australia, Thousand Oaks, Calif., C1
Indelible shame? News reporting of non-convictions in digital space
K Hess, L Waller
(2015), pp. 1-10, Proceedings of the 2015 ANZCA Conference: Rethinking Communication, Space and Identity, Queenstown, New Zealand, E1
The digital pillory: media shaming of 'ordinary' people for minor crimes
K Hess, L Waller
(2014), Vol. 28, pp. 101-111, Continuum: journal of media & cultural studies, Abingdon, England, C1
Geo-social journalism: reorienting the study of small commercial newspapers in a digital environment
K Hess, L Waller
(2014), Vol. 8, pp. 121-136, Journalism practice, Abingdon, England, C1
Are there news gaps in rural/regional Australia? Researching media plurality beyond Finkelstein
L Waller, K Hess, M Ricketson
(2014), Vol. 36, pp. 157-169, Australian journalism review, Adelaide, S.Aust., C1
Making connections: mediated social capital and the small town press
K Hess
(2014), Vol. 16, pp. 482-496, Journalism studies, London, Eng., C1-1
Naming and shaming: a report on media shaming for minor crimes in Victoria
K Hess, L Waller
(2014), Geelong, Vic., A6-1
Breaking Boundaries : recasting the "local" newspaper as "geo-social" news in a digital landscape
K Hess
(2013), Vol. 1, pp. 48-63, Digital journalism, Abingdon, Eng., C1
K Hess
(2013), Vol. 23, pp. 112-130, Communication theory, London, England, C1
News judgements: a critical examination of reporting non-convictions for minor crimes
K Hess, L Waller
(2013), Vol. 35, pp. 59-70, Australian journalism review, Magill, South Australia, C1
Honk against homophobia : rethinking relations between media and sexual minorities
P Venzo, K Hess
(2013), Vol. 60, pp. 1539-1556, Journal of homosexuality, Abingdon, England, C1
'The Snowtown we know and love' : small newspapers and heinous crimes
K Hess, L Waller
(2012), Vol. 21, pp. 116-125, Rural society, Maleny, Qld., C1
Blockbusters for the youtube generation : a new product of convergence culture
K Hess, L Waller
(2011), Vol. 19, pp. 1-12, Refractory : a journal of entertainment media, Melbourne, Vic., C1
Packaged good : responses from Australian journalism educators on the Reporting Diversity project
K Hess, L Waller
(2011), Vol. 17, pp. 11-26, Pacific journalism review, Auckland, New Zealand, C1
The pillory effect : media, the courts and the punitive role of public shaming in Australia
L Waller, K Hess
(2011), Vol. 16, pp. 229-240, Media and arts law review, Chatswood, N.S.W., C1
Teaching journalism students and regional reporters how to work with cultural diversity
K Hess, L Waller
(2010), pp. 137-152, Asia Pacific media educator, Wollongong, N.S.W., C1
Play it again, Sam : How journalists cashed in on Youtube's favourite koala
K Hess, L Waller
(2009), Vol. 31, pp. 75-84, Australian journalism review, St. Lucia, Qld., C1
K Hess, L Waller
(2008), Vol. 9, pp. 151-159, Asia Pacific public relations journal, Geelong, Vic., C1-1
L Waller, K Hess
(2008), pp. 1-21, ICOME 2008 : Communications and media : contemporary roles and challenges : Proceedings of the 2008 International Conference on Communication and Media, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, E1
Funded Projects at Deakin
Australian Competitive Grants
Breaking silences: Media, marginalised voices and the child abuse royal commission
A/Prof Kerry McCallum, Dr Tanja Dreher, Prof Kristy Hess, Prof Lisa Waller, Prof Eli Skogerbo
ARC - Discovery Projects
- 2022: $700
- 2021: $9,948
- 2020: $16,344
- 2019: $10,120
Media innovation and the civic future of Australia's country press
Prof Kristy Hess, Prof Lisa Waller, Prof Matthew Ricketson, Bruce Morgan
ARC Linkage - Projects
- 2021: $47,689
- 2020: $72,432
- 2019: $35,025
Supporting the sustainability of Australia's local news ecosystem
Prof Kristy Hess, Prof Matthew Ricketson, Prof Susan Forde, Dr Angela Ross, Mr Hugh Martin
ARC Linkage - Projects
- 2024: $36,093
- 2023: $135,611
Other Public Sector Funding
Taking notice: the social and emotional impact of war in a regional Australian community
Dr Sarah Pinto, Prof Kristy Hess
Saluting Their Service Commemorative Grants Program
- 2019: $2,844
Victorian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub.
Prof Rebecca Lester, Dr Ashley Macqueen, Mr David Downie, Prof Kristy Hess
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
- 2024: $125,000
- 2023: $250,000
- 2022: $250,000
- 2021: $375,000
Supporting the sustainability of Australia's local news ecosystem
Prof Kristy Hess, Prof Matthew Ricketson, Prof Susan Forde, Dr Angela Ross, Mr Hugh Martin
Aust Broadcasting Corporation
- 2023: $40,000
Victorian Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub - Agri - innovation extension.
Prof Rebecca Lester, Dr Ashley Macqueen, Prof Kristy Hess, Ms Kirsten Diprose
Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment
- 2023: $22,890
- 2022: $549,361
Industry and Other Funding
Naming and shaming: A multi-perspectival view of media shaming for minor crimes and its relationship to the courts
A/Prof Lisa Waller, Prof Kristy Hess
VIC Law Foundation Grant - Research
- 2014: $2,000
- 2013: $3,000
Mixed Fortunes: An examination of circulation rise and decline in two Victorian news communities
Prof Kristy Hess
Country Press Australia Incorporated
- 2016: $4,558
Media innovation and the civic future of Australia's country press
Prof Kristy Hess, Prof Lisa Waller, Prof Matthew Ricketson, Bruce Morgan
Country Press Australia Incorporated
- 2020: $20,000
- 2019: $20,000
Brophy-Deakin Research and Evaluation partnership-key deliverables.
Prof Vincent Versace, A/Prof Kevin Mc Namara, Prof Kristy Hess, Ms Kate Schlicht, Mr Chris Healey, Dr Hannah Beks, Dr Anna Wong Shee
Brophy Family & Youth Services Incorporated
- 2024: $45,000
- 2022: $45,000
Awareness, education and communications for compound natural hazard events.
Dr Gabi Mocatta, Dr Erin Hawley, Prof Kristy Hess, Prof Joshua Newton, A/Prof Timothy Neale
Natural Hazards Research Australia
- 2023: $59,842
Covering the Planet ? Investigating the state of climate and environmental journalism globally.
Dr Gabi Mocatta, Prof Kristy Hess
Internews Network
- 2023: $68,649
Exploring the local news needs of existing news consumers and new residents in the regional city of Mildura.
Dr Alison McAdam, Prof Kristy Hess
Sunraysia Publishing Company Pty Ltd
- 2024: $2,000
- 2023: $8,000
Central Connection: Examining a novel approach to supporting local news diversity in Alice Springs.
Prof Kristy Hess, Dr Alison McAdam
Mparntwe Alice Springs Community Foundation Ltd
- 2023: $10,000
Supervisions
Alison McAdam
Thesis entitled: Against the grain: Exploring the sustainability of Australia¿s traditional rural mastheads
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Communication and Creative Arts
Marco Magasic
Thesis entitled: Mining for News: Examining the impacts of a local newspaper¿s closure in the Australian town of Lightning Ridge
Doctor of Philosophy, School of Communication and Creative Arts