US politics, society damaged by decline of local news

In the US, many important policies are determined at the state and local levels, rather than the national level. The pandemic highlighted this reality, as state and local governments played a larger role in responding to COVID-19 than the federal government. While the pandemic led more Americans to turn to local news outlets for information, it also exacerbated the trend of declining local and state news coverage, with negative consequences for the country.

A new study from the Pew Research Center found that “the total number of reporters assigned to the 50 state capitols... has increased by 11 percent since 2014.” However, Pew also found that the increase reflected more reporters covering the state governments on a part-time basis; in fact, in 2022, there are fewer full-time reporters assigned to the capitols than in 2014. Pew’s report also notes that the percentage of statehouse reporters employed by newspapers has declined, while nonprofit organizations are now playing a larger role.

The Pew study reinforces other research that shows a severe decline in local and state newspapers in the last 20 years. A study by the University of North Carolina’s Hussman School of Journalism and Media found that nearly 1,800 newspapers in the US have closed since 2004, creating local “news deserts,” where people lack coverage of local issues. The report also notes reduced competition, with “fewer than a dozen cities of any size” hosting more than one daily newspaper. The Brookings Institution has reported that more than 65 million Americans “live in counties with only one local newspaper — or none at all.”

Pew reports from 2021 found a 57 percent reduction in the number of people working in the newspaper industry between 2004 and 2020. Those lost jobs primarily come from print media. Digital media employment has increased, but not nearly enough to make up for the loss of jobs in the traditional print media. Much of the decline in print media jobs occurred between 2008 and 2014.

Multiple factors have driven the decline of local print newspapers and the decline or stagnation of some other forms of local and state media. The business model has come under heavy pressure. Print newspapers traditionally depended on advertisement and subscriptions, and advertising in print newspapers has fallen significantly in the last 20 years. Pew noted a decline of 25 percent in advertising revenue from 2019 to 2020 alone for publicly traded newspaper companies.

While some newspapers have turned to digital advertising, it has been insufficient. Many media outlets struggle to compete with digital advertising juggernauts such as Facebook and Google. Other developments in the economy and media industry, such as consolidation, have put many media outlets in the hands of investors who prioritize cutting costs, which has undermined the ability of newsrooms to provide original coverage of local and state issues. While newspapers usually have been businesses, many local outlets were initially established with community-minded goals, as well as an interest in profit. However, many owners and investors today have little interest in serving a community where they often do not live.

Local and state news outlets also face declining demand, as readers have become less likely to subscribe and read local news. This trend partly reflects the wider shift away from newspaper consumption, as many Americans turn more to TV and social media for information. There is also a self-reinforcing cycle in which efforts to cut costs reduce an outlet’s ability to provide original, local news reporting, which in turn reduces the outlet’s relevance to readers, who lose interest in the publication. A 2018 study from Duke University found that only a minority of coverage in local news outlets were actually local or original stories.

The decline of local and state reporting has negative implications for US politics and society. Multiple studies have demonstrated that local news consumption can be a tonic against political polarization. Local issues can be very contentious, but they also remind people of what they share and provide an opportunity for nonpartisan problem-solving. Addressing concerns such as traffic congestion, safety, schools, local infrastructure, state and local taxation, city finances, zoning and architectural preservation, hospitals and local healthcare, pollution, and community events requires people to work together and go beyond ideological positions. There is a clear link between the increasing polarization of politics and society in the US and an increased focus on national news and often deeply partisan national media outlets.

Research has also found links between access to local news and civic engagement. For example, studies have found that fewer candidates run for local positions and fewer people vote in local elections when there is a decline in local news coverage. Furthermore, local reporters play a role in combating corruption and ensuring accountability among local and state governments, but this requires sufficient newsroom funding.

Researchers and practitioners have proposed a range of potential solutions, including tax incentives, a public fund that provides grants to local newsrooms or other types of subsidies, and allowing publishers to collectively bargain with online platforms. The government can and should take some steps toward ensuring a level playing field for media outlets, but its ability to revive local news outlets is limited. Furthermore, the question remains whether Americans would readily consume local news again or whether they are too drawn into TV and online national media outlets that successfully use outrage, partisanship and other tactics to attract clicks and viewers.

• Kerry Boyd Anderson is a writer and political risk consultant with more than 18 years of experience as a professional analyst of international security issues and Middle East political and business risk. Her previous positions include deputy director for advisory with Oxford Analytica. Twitter: @KBAresearch