The fall of newspaper

The Future. Across the country, local newspapers are taking a serious hit. As digital becomes king, it’s no surprise that analog media is declining. But the issue may be more complex than that — local journalism isn’t simply being eaten by smartphones… they’re vanishing without a replacement.

Extra, extra read all about it?
Local newspapers are shuttering across the country.

• According to a new report from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, two US newspapers are closing weekly.
• Around 7% of America’s counties no longer have a local news outlet, and about a fifth are at risk of becoming news deserts — a community with limited access to credible and comprehensive news information.

News desert
Without reliable news outlets, communities (especially hyperlocal rural communities) become less informed, which leads to less efficient governance.

“This is a crisis for our democracy and our society,” said Penelope Muse Abernathy, a visiting professor at Medill. “At a minimum, the loss of local news worsens the political, cultural and economic divisions in this country.”