EOTO #2: News Deserts

    For EOTO #2, my topic was News Deserts. In today's digital era, access to reliable, local news should be easier than it has ever been. Yet, numerous communities in the United States and worldwide find themselves in what many have come to describe as "news deserts". These are areas where the local news outlets have either disappeared or diminished, leaving residents to know very little of what is occurring within their communities. This reality carries with it profound implications for democracy, civic engagement, and informed decision-making.

    News deserts refer to communities where there is virtually no local journalism. In large part, this occurs when newspapers close, decline in circulation, or are absorbed into large media chains that put the bottom line above reporting. According to research from UNC's Hussman School of Journalism, the U.S. has lost more than a quarter of its newspapers since 2004, while over 2,500 counties have only one or no newspaper serving them locally. This trend has been driven by economic pressures, with advertising revenues often too low for operations in rural areas. Digital platforms like Facebook and Google only make matters worse by sucking up all of the ad dollars without replacing any of the local news coverage. Without access to local journalism, information gaps around matters integral to community well-being widen.

     Where local journalists are missing, corruption and mismanagement go unchecked, and voter turnout shrinks because residents don't know anything about local elections or issues. Moreover, local news plays a unifying role by helping residents connect and build interest in their neighbors. This sense of communion quickly disappears without it, as communities in news deserts lack a shared sense of identity and purpose. People in news deserts regularly turn to social media or non-verified sources for information, being highly susceptible to misinformation and fake news. Without advertising opportunities in local outlets, local businesses struggle to reach their communities, further weakening the fabric of the community. News deserts present challenges that cannot be surmounted without innovative solutions and collective action. Funding from governments and private foundations can give grants or subsidies for independent local news outlets as a way to soften financial constraints on small publishers.

    Nonprofit news organizations, such as ProPublica, have proved that successful journalism does not have to be solely supported by advertising revenue. Growing nonprofit newsrooms in areas of news deserts would help bridge vital gaps. Subscriptions or donations from residents can also help to subsidize and save local newspapers. Cooperative ownership models are grassroots initiatives where communities can own their news. But leveraging technology to reduce production costs and improve access can help revive local journalism, too. Hyperlocal digital platforms can create news that is specific to smaller communities with reduced costs. News deserts represent a growing crisis that threatens democracy, civic engagement, and community identity. Though the challenges are great, solutions exist. By fostering local journalism through innovative funding, nonprofit models, and community engagement, we can rebuild the vital networks that connect and inform our communities. Providing every citizen with access to credible, local news is not a luxury; it's absolutely critical to the proper functioning of our society.