75% of Southern counties are “news deserts,” counties with no or only one newspaper, compared to 50% of non-Southern counties.
Counties with no or only one newspaper (“news deserts”)
News deserts as of 2022
Local journalism, a critical source of trusted information, has been in rapid decline in recent years, and it is estimated that by 2025, a third of local news rooms will have shuttered their doors since 2005. “News deserts”, counties that have zero or just one newspaper, make up 75% of Southern counties, compared to 50% of non-Southern counties.[1]
The disappearance of local news presents a number of challenges, especially as the prevalence of mis- and dis-information strains the public’s trust.[2] Several studies have demonstrated local news is one of the most trusted sources of information across party lines.[3] Climate change, often polarized between party lines, can be perceived more openly with local news as its medium.[4] A Louisiana case study focusing on citizens’ attitudes toward climate change mitigation efforts found that Republicans were far more likely to perceive local news sources as accurate than national, and were more willing to engage in mitigation efforts when presented with local reporting.[5]
Responding to the local news crisis requires creative solutions. The American Journalism Project recently made a $2 million grant to Deep South Today, and The National Trust for Local News launched a subsidiary for the state of Georgia in December, 2023.[6],[7] Each of these efforts demonstrates the vital role that philanthropy can play in ensuring that communities have access to reporting that directly impacts them, and that those communities retain control of their own local news. At the state and federal level, legislation such as the Local Journalism Sustainability Act (a bipartisan bill that would provide tax credits for subscriptions and employment at local news organizations) could provide needed support to the struggling industry.[8],[9],[10]
Abernathy, P. (2022, June 29). The State of Local News. Local News Initiative. https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/research/state-of-local-news/report/
Sanchez, G., & Middlemass, K. (2022, July 26). Misinformation is eroding the public’s confidence in democracy. Brookings. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/misinformation-is-eroding-the-publics-confidence-in-democracy/
Fioroni, S. (2022, May 19). Local News Most Trusted in Keeping Americans Informed About Their Communities. Knight Foundation. https://knightfoundation.org/articles/local-news-most-trusted-in-keeping-americans-informed-about-their-communities/
Carter, K. (2020, December 30). How local media affects climate change understanding | National Center for Science Education. National Center for Science Education. https://ncse.ngo/how-local-media-affects-climate-change-understanding
Andrews, T., Kim, C., & Kim, J. H. (2023). News from Home: How Local Media Shapes Climate Change Attitudes. Public Opinion Quarterly, 87(4). https://doi.org/10.1093/poq/nfad049
Deep South Today Receives $2 Million Grant from American Journalism Project. (2024, January 17). Verite News. https://veritenews.org/2024/01/17/dst-receives-grant-from-american-journalism-project/
GEORGIA TRUST FOR LOCAL NEWS LAUNCHES. (2023, December 16). National Trust for Local News. https://www.nationaltrustforlocalnews.org/post/georgia-trust-for-local-news-launches
H.R.3940 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Local Journalism Sustainability Act. (2021, June 16). https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3940
Rebuild Local News: Our Plan. (n.d.). Rebuild Local News. https://www.rebuildlocalnews.org/solutions/our-plan/
Caro, M. (2023, March 1). The case for government support of local journalism. Local News Initiative; Northwestern. https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2023/03/01/anna-brugmann-rebuild-local-news/index.html
