How is our democracy threatened by the lack of local journalism?
How do accountability and transparency play into journalism today?
Do you live in a news desert?
Do people trust journalism less now than ever before?
What happens if local journalism dies out?
Local Journalism is in Trouble
A brief introduction, with Michael Humphrey Ph.D. Discussing why local journalism is so important and why its decline is so concerning.
Local Journalism is not dying, but it needs to evolve.
Newspapers have historically been the primary source of local news and journalism. According to the Hussman School of Journalism and Media, one in five newspapers has closed in the last decade and a half. Simply put this is concerning because newspapers have been the cornerstone of local journalism and the main form in which elected, public officials have been held accountable. This is the main reason journalism is referred to as the fourth estate. It is a vital check and balance for the branches of our government.
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From my earliest memories to now, driving south on I-25 to Denver, CO, my local NPR station was always playing. Today I heard Allison Sherry the justice reporter for CPR discuss the midterm election results for Colorado’s attorney general. I grew more nervous as I realized in 30 short minutes, I would be face-to-face with the same Allison Sherry interviewing her. I would also be given the opportunity to see Ryan Warner host of the Colorado Matters radio show work his magic.
As I arrived at Colorado Public Radio’s newsroom, Allison Sherry the picture of a busy journalist, made quick introductions between me and the production manager Michael Hughes. I was able to see what local journalism takes to be successful in the moment and all the work that goes into our news.
Every person is working together to ensure that the public is well informed and entertained with no technical issues or human error. This means that Hughes, pictured above, needs to be able to work padding into each segment to ensure that if the interview Warner is conducting runs long they have time to do that.
Hughes explained that as the production manager, he enjoys it when that happens because it means that the interview is going well and the person is sharing more valuable information that the public should know.
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Warner beckons me into the studio and energetically tells me how always focusing on the person he is interviewing is his goal no matter what. To be engaged and respectful in his conversation with them. Now the reason I am telling you all of this is to show exactly how human journalism is. There is no sinister ulterior motive when journalists interview sources and put together stories to inform the public on important matters. However, according to Gallup 2022 poll, 38% of Americans have no trust in mass media sources at all, and 28% have “not very much” trust in the media.
This is concerning because, without trust in media sources and access to local news like newspapers, there are fewer watchdog institutions and a shared idea of community. According to Michael Humphrey, a professor of journalism at Colorado State University, when there are no new mediums aside from newspapers to continue journalism's role as the fourth estate, it is a great day for corruption.