In recent years, many popular media reports have observed a new phenomenon in news known as hyperlocal online news. While some accounts suggest that hyperlocal is different from community news in that it focuses on news at the neighborhood level or on areas that are often less frequently covered by the mainstream media, little research has examined the validity of such claims. The purpose of this research was to first gather some systematic data that would allow us to generalize about the current state of hyperlocal news. The findings provide insights into the demographic characteristics of individuals working in hyperlocal news, the adoption practices and uses of technology, the news values of hyperlocal journalists, and the economic strategies for sustaining hyperlocal ventures. Findings show that the majority of hyperlocal news sites are not as "hyper" local as media accounts would have us to believe. Overall, the data shows that in many ways hyperlocal sites are less diverse and have few strategies for generating a sustainable business model. However, the data also suggests that among the hyperlocal sites, the sites that emerged as more technologically innovative and more supportive of democratic forms of communication were often sites that either focused on news at the neighborhood level or sites that received private subsidies. The findings have practical implications for recent media policy experts who have advocated for increased subsidies for U.S. newspapers. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]