An Ecosystem Off-kilter

The consolidation and decimation of local news outlets across the country has thrown the journalism ecosystem out of balance. Yet it also exposes the dearth of critical information that many communities have been navigating for decades and offers an opportunity to radically rethink who makes news and whom it serves.

One of the most significant threats to a robust, independent press in the U.S. is the decimation and consolidation of local journalism. Local news outlets play a fundamental role in holding institutions and individuals accountable and providing critical information — on key areas such as health, education, and local government — that individuals and communities need in order to make informed decisions and participate fully in civic life. The local news ecosystem — from print newspapers to digital sites, TV, and radio operating at the hyperlocal, local, state, and regional level — serves as a key conduit of this information. Emerging economic pressures are radically changing the local news landscape in ways that fundamentally undermine its civic value. The consolidation and decimation of newspapers, TV, and radio stations, the rise of technology and social media giants, and a decline in readership have diminished the availability, specificity, and informativeness of local news and left the ecosystem ailing, with serious consequences. When local news declines, so does a community’s civic participation, good government practices, and sense of social cohesion, threatening our democracy. And yet the reality is that many communities have been navigating a dearth of critical information for decades. The local news crisis offer an opportunity to rebalance the ecosystem to ensure greater equity and sustainability.