Local Newsrooms Are Vanishing - Here's Why You Should Care
Consider This from NPR
NPR
4.2 • 6.2K Ratings
🗓️ 22 April 2023
⏱️ 14 minutes
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Summary
But in recent decades, the rise of digital news has led to the steady decline of print. And while big papers like The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post still distribute print editions – small, local papers have been disappearing at an alarming rate.
Add to that the consolidation of news outlets by big companies like Gannett and Alden Global Capital. Both companies have been buying regional newspapers, only to reduce the reporting staff, or completely dismantle an operation, focusing on turning a profit.
Research has shown that when local newspapers are lost affected communities experience lower voter turnout, decreased civic engagement, and increased polarization.
Host Adrian Florido speaks with Joshua Benton of the Nieman Journalism Lab at Harvard University on the increasing number of news deserts.
And we hear from journalist Ashley White about the difficulties of providing a Louisiana community with news and information at a newspaper undergoing drastic reductions.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Extra extra extra, we all about it. We and I flag one in trouble again. |
| 0:04.6 | He's that really your idea. Have hope to run a newspaper. |
| 0:07.5 | I don't know how to run a newspaper, Mr. Petch. I just try everything I can think of. |
| 0:11.0 | Roger. |
| 0:11.7 | My words, first eat. Get in here. |
| 0:15.1 | We've got to write a story that says the former attorney general, |
| 0:17.6 | the highest ranking law enforcement officer in this country is a crook. |
| 0:20.9 | If I reveal my sources, you wouldn't talk to me. |
| 0:22.9 | Yeah, that'd be terrible. |
| 0:24.0 | Come on, Ellie. If the public has a right to know a few things. |
| 0:26.6 | Where's to say that? |
| 0:28.2 | Newspapers and plucky reporters who get the news have always been a big part of |
| 0:32.9 | American culture, thinks citizen Kane and all the presidents men. |
| 0:37.2 | In recent decades, the rise of digital news has led to the steady decline of print. |
| 0:42.6 | And while big papers like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and |
| 0:45.8 | the Washington Post still distribute print editions, small local papers have |
| 0:50.5 | been disappearing at an alarming rate. |
| 0:52.9 | There's a pretty big body of research that shows that when a local newspaper |
| 0:58.2 | vanishes or is dramatically gutted, it tends to correspond with lower voter turnout, |
| 1:04.0 | increased polarization, a general erosion of civic engagement. |
| 1:08.4 | It makes it easier for misinformation to spread for conspiracy theories to spread. |
| 1:13.4 | McKay Coppins is a staff writer at the Atlantic after the hedge fund, |
... |
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