The Troubling State of Local Journalism

The New York Times recently published a series of stories about a problem plaguing the journalism industry: the rapid decline of the local news media.

In the piece, several reporters from across the country wrote about some of the primary issues affecting local newsrooms around the county and some possible solutions to help combat the continual drying up of funds. As an aspiring journalist that will likely start out at the local level, these are important issues that need to be addressed.

One section of the story that stuck out me was entitled “A Pledge to Ante Up for the Community.” Journalist Douglas Smith expressed the inability of smaller news outlets to keep up with the advertising juggernauts like Facebook and Google.

“Healthy local democracy requires healthy local journalism,” wrote Smith. “For decades, however, the tsunami-like forces of search and social platforms, political polarization, income inequality, and social and demographic disruption have pummeled local news enterprises while weakening community ties.”

As a possible solution to such issues, Smith pointed to a recent “table stakes” movement initiated by the Knight Foundation and American Press Institute. Comparing local journalism buy-in costs to the “ante up” required in a game of poker, the movement highlights seven key “stakes” that can be met to increase the sustainability of local journalism.

The “stakes” range from earning the financial support of the local audience to innovating and making local communities better places to live, and if they can be met, then local newsrooms can become viable again.

In addition to small news operations meeting the stakes, another resolution idea came from a prominent New York Times reader, writing in response to the piece:

“When the market fails and critical services go wanting,” Charles H. Revson Foundation President Julie Sandford wrote in response to the NYT. “Philanthropy must step up as a loss leader to help finance the reinvention of local news as a public service.”

Likely, the ultimate solution will require all parties — investors, readers and journalists — all playing their part in supporting local news. Some areas of the country, like in New Jersey, are already seeing a move in the right direction, but more will be needed to allow flourishing in the local news media in the future.

Just as Smith wrote, democracy hinges on good journalism, and that starts at the local level.