A few months ago, I read an article about a company I used to work for that was going through some tough times. I had read it before, so it was familiar to me.
I wasn't too worried, but I remembered the resignation I had accepted earlier. That said, the future of local news is bleak and sometimes it feels like we're working in a graveyard.
But I'm still here. I'm one of the few (ish) people who happily toddles into council meetings and finds almost every item on the agenda interesting.
It is this quality that has created the most connections with the communities I have worked in over the years—despite the drama, joy, excitement, and tragedy that comes with small town news. It is a result of what is happening in. Return to regular readers.
In two of the small towns I've worked in, print newspapers no longer have the resources to send reporters to municipal meetings, let alone cover bake sales.
But what makes independent media special? Why is it so special that it deserves to be kept?
There are many examples you can refer to, but I think this is the one that comes down to it. There is a lot of information out there, and a journalist's job is to bring order to the chaos. It extracts relevant information from a large body of facts, figures, opinions, reports, presentations, observations, comments, behind-the-scenes stories, history, speculation, etc. and provides context in a way that is meaningful and informs the reader.
The information is there and you can access it, but do you have the time? Do you know where to look, what to look for, who to ask, what is the context? Do you know what questions to ask, or if you should? Once you have all the information, what do you think about it? How can you write a story that people will understand or want to read? Or?
Alternatively, you can help your local newspaper monitor the situation.
Without that support, the attacks will become more intense with each passing year as the number of reporters dwindles, knowledge is lost, and they are replaced by people who think they can write but can't. People who think they can be trusted but haven't given any reason why they should be trusted.
There are fewer and fewer reporters as the industry is seen as operating in a hostile and unfriendly environment.
After all, why on earth would anyone want to join the media industry?
Governments want to control the message. Politicians will either become your best friend or outright try to eliminate you. Everyone has an agenda and you are the enemy. Advertisers think they have authority over what journalists think and write. Social media is full of armchair experts who think every journalist in the world knows everything.
And there are people who are dissatisfied, whether it's a politician, a business, or someone on the street.
Despite the many times people in positions of influence and desperation have tried to use their power against me through threats and intimidation, I still love working in local news. . Because we believe it's important. Every ugly story is offset by a dozen positive stories.
Every journalist I've ever met is passionate about news and believes that informed communities are critical to the smooth running of society and fulfilling ways to contribute to society on an individual level. I believe there is. But because of its ugliness, the number of journalists willing to participate dwindles over time. Why hold back?
I've long believed that even though the industry has changed and been replaced over the past few decades, everything will be maintained by the characteristic that communities value most in news: keeping an eye on things. .
I'm not sure about that anymore. I'm not pessimistic, but I'm not optimistic either.
I fear for the communities where I have lived and covered.
There are so many stories happening in every town, even though most of them are small towns that often feel forgotten, quiet, and unremarkable. Every local government is full of information that people need to know. Sports weekends are always filled with a sense of accomplishment and heartbreak. Every community group is asking for volunteers or is overwhelmed with support. These are stories worth telling, information you need to know, knowledge you need to know.
Without authentic local news sources, all of that goes down the drain.
The news desert is a depressing place, not because the industry is desperate to stay relevant, but because the community has lost the ability to reflect and reflect on itself.
I love local news. I think it's fulfilling, I think it's important, and I think society would be meaner and stupider without it, but maybe that's where we're headed.
For those who remain in the industry, at least there will be plenty to write about.
