Local journalism in crisis: Why America must revive its local newsrooms

Thousands of local newspapers have closed in recent years. Their disappearance has left millions of Americans without a vital source of local news and deprived communities of an institution essential for exposing wrongdoing and encouraging civic engagement. Of those still surviving, many have laid off reporters, reduced coverage, and pulled back circulation. Over 65 million Americans live in counties with only one local newspaper—or none at all. The traditional business model that once supported local newspapers–relying on print subscribers and advertising to generate revenue–has become difficult to sustain as the audience for local news continues to shrink and advertising dollars disappear. Few newspapers today send journalists to statehouses or maintain Washington bureaus, and issues from public health to education are often under-covered. The declining capacity of newsrooms to investigate potential stories not only renders newspapers less valuable to news consumers, but also results in a newspaper that is less valuable to its community. When important stories are not told, community members lack the information they need to participate in the political process and hold government and powerful private actors accountable. Policymakers should intervene: 1) Provide public funding for local journalism and 2) Address the ways large online platforms undercut the business model for local news.