'Why isn't my town on the map?' (Keillor 1985, p.90) The lament of residents of the mythical Lake Wobegon, when fifty square miles of central Minnesota were mistakenly omitted by government surveyors. This content analysis of statewide television news reveals a number of Lake Wobegons missing from Queensland's television news map. Distance from a newsroom (not from the capital) appears to be a major factor contributing to the 'invisibility' of certain cities and towns. A local news service appears to enhance a region's chances of 'balanced' statewide coverage. Based on this study the hidden impact of local TV news closures could be a Lake Wobegon fate for regional Australia on the state and national news maps
