a national disaster

PEN, a professional association of writers and editors, has issued a report on the critial, growing loss of local news outlets in print, online and in radio and TV. This is an edited version of their argument.

Local news is in a state of crisis. For more than a decade, there has been a steady succession of local news outlets closing, reporters laid off, publication days cut and resources tightened. As a result, thousands of communities across the country have less access to critical information on numerous issues specific to their neighborhoods. Local journalism is a cornerstone of democracy to guarantee government integrity. While the appetite for watchdog reporting has never been more urgent, the business model for local news has collapsed.

With the rise of the internet, the behavior of news audiences shifted and powerful tech giants have siphoned off the ad revenue that long subsidized local reporting. Local newspapers, TV and radio are being bought and consolidated into larger, often national media conglomerates to survive financially. And a new generation of media owners – private equity and hedge fund investors – are cutting reporters and costs and increase profit margins. This diminishes the quality of local news available. Most Americans do not realize their local news sources are on the brink of collapse. Polling suggests a majority think their local outlets are doing well financially, and only a small minority pay for local news. Saving local news will require action from the media industry, tech giants, philanthropists and the government, working together to acknowledge and uphold the vital role that local journalism plays.

Why does local news matter? The media is composed of interconnected networks of print newspapers, digital news sites, TV and radio that represent the full spectrum of professional journalism that communities can access. Studies indicate that Americans deeply value and trust their local news sources more than national ones. As political polarization grows and fake news proliferates, trusted sources of information and analysis are more precious than ever.

Local news plays a vital role in safeguarding local health and welfare by:

• Providing critical information.

• Holding local government and corporate actors accountable.

• Fostering a sense of belonging. Without local news, studies show we are:

• Less likely to vote.

• Less politically informed.

•Less likely to run for public office. Studies show that with the decline of local news and watchdog journalism:

• Public officials act with less integrity, efficiency, and effectiveness.

• Corruption and costs increase as salaries, taxes and deficit spending go up and federal funding goes down.