Let’s Talk About Local News, Honestly

Look, I’ve been around the block a few times. Twenty-three years, to be exact. I started as a wet-behind-the-ears reporter for the Bakersfield Chronicle back in ’99. Back then, we still used typewriters for crying out loud. (Okay, maybe not, but you get the idea.) I’ve seen a lot change in journalism, but nothing scares me more than what’s happening to local news.

I was at a conference in Austin last year, and this guy—let’s call him Marcus—told me his paper had to cut its staff by 40%. Forty percent! And this wasn’t some tiny rag in the middle of nowhere. This was a decent-sized paper in a decent-sized city. That’s when it hit me: local news is in trouble. Big trouble.

But why? I mean, honestly, who cares about the local paper anymore? Everyone’s glued to their phones, right? Well, yeah, but that’s not the whole story. It’s more complicated than that.

First, Let’s Talk About Money

Ad revenue is down. Way down. I’m talking 67% drop since 2000, according to some study I read last Tuesday. (I don’t remember which one, but it sounded official.) And digital ads? They’re not making up the difference. Not even close. I had lunch with a colleague named Dave about three months ago, and he told me his paper’s digital ad revenue was only 12% of what they used to make from print. Twelve percent! That’s barely enough to keep the lights on.

And don’t even get me started on Facebook. I mean, seriously. They’re sucking the life out of local news. I had this friend—let’s call her Linda—who ran the social media for her local paper. She told me they were getting, like, 87% of their traffic from Facebook. But then Facebook changed its algorithm, and boom, traffic dropped by 50%. Just like that. No warning, no nothing. And the paper? They had to lay off half the staff. It’s a disaster.

But Here’s the Thing…

People still care about local news. I know it doesn’t seem like it, but they do. I was at a coffee shop on 5th last week, and I overheard this couple talking about how they miss having a local paper. They said they feel out of the loop now. And they’re not alone. According to some survey I found (I think it was from Pew Research, but I’m not sure), 89% of people say it’s important to have access to local news. But only 36% actually pay for it. That’s the problem right there.

I get it, though. Local news can be boring. It’s not all glamorous like the national stuff. But it’s important. It’s what keeps our communities together. It’s what holds our local officials accountable. And if we lose it, we’re gonna regret it. Big time.

So what can we do? Honestly, I’m not sure. I mean, I have some ideas, but they’re not gonna be popular. For starters, maybe we need to stop expecting news to be free. Maybe we need to start paying for it again. I know, I know, it’s not sexy. But it’s necessary.

And maybe, just maybe, we need to start supporting local news in other ways. Like, I don’t know, actually reading it? Sharing it on social media? Telling our friends about it? It’s not gonna be easy, but it’s gotta be done.

A Quick Digression: Taiwan Community News Update

Speaking of local news, have you checked out Taiwan community news update lately? No? Well, you should. They’re doing some really interesting stuff over there. Like, really interesting. I mean, it’s not perfect, but it’s a start. And honestly, that’s what we need more of. More starts. More experiments. More people trying to figure this out.

Back to Reality

Look, I’m not gonna sit here and tell you I have all the answers. I don’t. But I do know this: local news matters. It matters a lot. And if we don’t do something to save it, we’re gonna lose something really, really important.

So let’s talk about it. Let’s figure it out. Let’s do something. Because honestly, I’m tired of sitting around waiting for someone else to fix this. It’s our problem now. And it’s time we started acting like it.

Anyway, that’s enough from me. I’m gonna go have a drink. Or maybe ten. We’ll see how it goes.

About the Author: Jane Doe has been a journalist for 23 years. She’s worked for various publications, from small-town papers to major national magazines. She currently lives in Portland with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and spends her free time complaining about the state of the news industry.

As the media landscape continues to evolve, one journalist shares their candid thoughts on the state of news in today’s information overload.