Local news is the reporting of events, issues and activities that directly impact a defined local community or geographic area. It plays a significant role in fostering community identity by covering stories that resonate with residents, reflecting their values, culture and concerns. By informing citizens about government decisions, public services and local events, it encourages civic participation and engagement.
While national and state-level events may be covered by local news outlets, it’s often the community level coverage that has the greatest impact. Take, for example, the recent battle over textbooks in Seminole County schools in Florida. While there was plenty of media coverage on the broader issue, it was The Blueprint – Hagerty High School’s student newspaper – that stepped in to cover the story and give local students a hands-on education in journalism.
A large number of Americans report following local news at least sometimes, with the majority saying they follow news about weather, crime and government. However, some communities have been left without any local news at all, a situation known as being in a “news desert.”
Local news is typically broadcast on television by commercial broadcasting channels (some of which are network affiliates). It can be either a standalone local newscast that runs for at least a half-hour or short segments that air attached to national morning newscasts. For instance, Norway’s national public broadcaster NRK TV shows a 13-minute local news program called NRK Distriktsnyheter every weekday evening on channel 3, and it also airs a shortened version of the same show as an opt-out during a simulcast of the nation-wide morning news program Dagsrevyen on channel 2. Local news is also shown on local cable channels.