The many reasons to support local journalism
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Special to the News
National Newspaper Week
Many adults can likely recall mornings during their childhood when newspapers were tossed into the driveways of many homes throughout their neighborhoods. Some adults might even have delivered papers from their bicycles each morning.
Such scenes may now be a relic of the past, thanks in large part to wide reliance on the internet as a source for news. But the benefits of reading a newspaper are no less substantial today than they were when enterprising youngsters could be seen tossing newspapers into driveways in neighborhoods across the nation in the wee hours of the morning.
In fact, the American Journalism Project reports that the loss of local news is adversely affecting democracy by contributing to polarization, a decline in voting participation and less government accountability.
Readers concerned by such a report can take note of the following reasons why it’s so vital to support local journalism.
- Local newspapers drive political engagement, particularly among younger voters. Young people are often characterized as the future of the nation, and that’s one notable reason to support local journalism. According to the CIRCLE/Tisch College Post-Election Poll conducted between November 3 and December 2, 2020, 50 percent of youth reported feeling more prepared to vote in the 2020 elections thanks to local news media. Local journalism can contribute to a more knowledgeable and engaged electorate, which is an invaluable benefit at a time of waning voter participation and reduced accountability of government.
- Local journalism helps build communities. Community-building is another benefit of strong local journalism. In their book, “News Hole: The Demise of Local Journalism and Political Engagement,” authors Danny Hayes and Jennifer Lawless connect a decline in local news with decreased participation in local elections. When voters participate less in local elections, they’re less likely to learn about issues affecting their communities, whereas greater voter participation increases civic engagement and helps to build stronger communities.
- Local journalism keeps people up-to-date on their own communities. Cable news networks and their affiliated websites primarily focus on national and international news, leaving viewers and readers who rely exclusively on these mediums for their news with little or no access to information regarding issues affecting their own communities. Local newspapers have long filled that void, providing an invaluable benefit and a means for readers to learn what’s being done and what can be done about issues affecting their daily lives and the communities they call home.
- Local journalism holds local government officials accountable. In early 2025, the Richmond (Calif.) City Council voted to give themselves 80 percent increases in their monthly salaries. Though the merits of those increases were open to debate from both sides, chances are strong Richmond residents might not have learned about the salary adjustments had it not been for local journalists’ reporting. The Richmond example underscores the vital role local journalism plays in relation to keeping an eye on local governments and holding them accountable.
Local journalism is vital to a thriving democracy, and readers are urged to support the many local newspapers working hard to keep their communities well-informed.
