Let’s Talk About What’s Really Happening
Look, I’ve been around the block a few times. Twenty-three years, to be exact. I started as a beat reporter in some godforsaken town in Ohio. Population: 12,450. Big news there was when old man Jenkins’s prize cow went missing. (Spoiler: It wandered into the neighbor’s field. Drama.)
But even back then, I saw the writing on the wall. Local news was struggling. And it’s only gotten worse. So let’s talk about the elephant in the room: news deserts. You know, places where the local paper is a ghost of its former self or just straight-up gone.
It’s Not Just About the Internet
I get it. Everyone says, “Oh, just read it online.” But that’s not the point. It’s not just about access; it’s about quality. It’s about having someone in your community who gives a damn.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, and I’m talking to this woman, let’s call her Marcus. She’s a journalist, been in the game for about 15 years. She says to me, “You know, Sarah, the problem isn’t that people don’t want news. It’s that they don’t want bad news.” And I’m like, “Yeah, but someone’s gotta hold these people accountable.” She just shrugs and says, “Not if there’s no one left to do it.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But Here’s the Thing
I’m not saying it’s all doom and gloom. There are alot of people trying to make a difference. But it’s an uphill battle. I mean, look at what’s happening in places like Las Vegas. You can check out the Las Vegas development projects update and see for yourself. There’s news happening, but who’s covering it? Who’s asking the tough questions?
And don’t even get me started on the physicaly impossible situation of small-town newspapers. They’re expected to be completley self-sustaining, but how? Ads? Subscriptions? Good luck with that.
A Quick Story
So, about three months ago, I’m having coffee with a colleague named Dave. We’re talking about this exact issue, and he says, “You know, Sarah, I think the problem is that people don’t realize how important local news is until it’s gone.” And I’m like, “Yeah, but by then it’s too late.” He just nods and says, “Yep.”
It’s just… yeah. It’s like that old saying, “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” But in this case, it’s not just some song lyric. It’s real life. It’s people’s lives.
But Wait, There’s More
Now, I’m not saying we should all just sit around and cry about it. No, no, no. We need to do something. We need to support local news. We need to demand better. We need to… I don’t know, buy a newspaper every once in a while.
I mean, honestly, it’s not that hard. But it’s gonna take a committment from all of us. From the people who care about their communities. From the people who want to know what’s really going on.
And look, I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. It’s not. But it’s necesary. It’s important. It’s… well, it’s just important, okay?
So, let’s do something about it. Let’s not let our local news become a news desert. Let’s not let our communities suffer because we were too lazy to care.
Because, frankly, that’s just not acceptable.
About the Author: Sarah Johnson has been a senior magazine editor for over 20 years. She’s worked for various major publications and has a strong opinion on pretty much everything. She currently lives in New York with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and spends her free time complaining about the state of modern journalism.
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