10/23/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 10/23/2024 11:35
Growth in local digital sites provides hope
Erin Karter
EVANSTON, Ill. --- The number of local news deserts expanded in the U.S. this year with 127 newspapers shuttering, leaving nearly 55 million Americans with limited to no access to local news, according to the Medill State of Local News Report 2024 released today.
Medill researchers also discovered some reasons for optimism in their annual study of local news outlets: There's been a net increase of more than 80 stand-alone local digital news sites in the past year.
For the third consecutive year, the Medill Local News Initiative at Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications, conducted a nationwide, county-by-county study of local news outlets to help quantify trends in the fast-changing local media landscape.
This year's report is the most comprehensive undertaken by Medill, with the research including the growing number of national network news sites providing local coverage. The Medill database includes newspapers, digital-only local sites, ethnic media and public radio stations providing original local reporting.
Key findings from the Medill study:
"This research shows that the crisis in local news is deepening, and fewer Americans have access to news they need about their communities to be informed citizens," said Tim Franklin, director of the Medill Local News Initiative and John M. Mutz Chair in Local News. "At the same, this report includes glimmers of hope in the growing number of local digital news sites across the country."
Zach Metzger, director of the Medill State of Local News Project, said, "The gulf between journalism haves and have-nots is continuing to grow. Yet there remains a strong desire for original local reporting. The need now is to match that desire with support, investment and policy."
The Medill State of Local News Project is funded by grants and gifts from the Knight Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, Joyce Foundation, Lilly Endowment, Microsoft, the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation, the Myrta J. Pulliam Charitable Trust and Medill alum Mark Ferguson.