Across America, local news outlets have been hit particularly hard in the past decade. Thousands of newspapers have closed, advertising revenue has plummeted and private equity has gutted once-profitable newsrooms. But it’s not just newspapers that are struggling; the entire journalism industry is in crisis.
While Americans still value and use local news, they are engaged less with it than in the past. Many are turning to social media, local community apps and personal networks for their news. While these sources can play a valuable role, they cannot replace the civic functions that local news fulfills in communities. These include informing and connecting people, promoting accountability and transparency and supporting local businesses.
Most Americans say local news is important to them and believe that their local news outlets perform well in several areas. In particular, a majority say that their local news outlets do a good job of reporting the news accurately and of providing important details about the community they serve.
Local news provides useful daily information such as weather, traffic and event calendars. It also provides civic information about local government, crime and the economy and cultural news such as sports and the arts. Regardless of what type of local news you publish, it is critical to focus on meeting the needs of your audience and positioning yourself as their one-stop source for all of their local news. This may mean expanding the reach of your online content or offering new ways to help local businesses promote themselves on your site.