Across the country, local news organizations are struggling to survive. Many are closing their doors for good or scaling back, while others are finding new ways to connect with their communities. Despite the financial challenges, most Americans still value local news and believe it does a good job of meeting key community civic duties. In fact, those who use local broadcast and newspaper outlets most often say they do the best jobs of keeping people informed about their communities, holding community leaders accountable and amplifying positive stories in their communities compared with other sources such as social media, community-based apps and word of mouth.
Local news covers a wide range of topics, from useful daily information like weather and traffic to civic news about local government and crime, as well as cultural news about schools, the arts and sports. About two-thirds of those who consume local news about weather, traffic and sports report being highly satisfied with the news they get on these subjects. But, when it comes to news about the local economy or politics, fewer than four-in-ten say they are highly satisfied with the local news they consume.
As the future of local news unfolds, philanthropy can play an important role by helping news organizations to adapt and innovate their business models. But it’s also critical to support a sustainable local news ecosystem that is rooted in and backed by the community it serves. Providing such an ecosystem will help to fill the gap that has opened as hundreds of local newspapers have closed, and as academic research shows that communities without reliable local news face numerous challenges such as political polarization, higher rates of corruption and a lower sense of community connection.
