Final

 The fall-off of local newspapers in the United States is driving an increasing crisis of civic participation and access to reliable information. With the disappearance of local journalism, many communities, particularly rural areas and low-income urban centers, are turning into "information deserts," as termed by researchers. These areas lack access to reliable information about news and events related to their local community, including school boards, city councils, and other important local notifications. Without information, citizens will have decreased knowledge, and therefore a decreased likelihood of engaging in democratic functions or community conversation.

Local newspapers have always been integral to supporting democracy by informing its residents about issues relevant to their lives. Local news provides a thorough examination of local happenings, public policy across diverse issues, and various aspects of a community's evolution that could be ignored by national or social media. The destruction of local journalism has transferred the news consumption burden to social media, which is filled with inaccurate, misleading information lacking journalistic rigor. There is a huge distortion of public discourse that is contributing to polarization and distrust within communities.

This decline does not have equal impact across all parts of society. Rural communities, older individuals, low-income families, and immigrants who do not speak English are experiencing this decline to the greatest extent. These communities often have no access to broadband or other news sources, and they also have tremendous disparities in terms of access to credible, informative news. When newspapers shut down, they experience a double-whammy barrier; the proximity of increasingly limited information sources and facing greater exposure to misinformation. This exacerbates an already deep social divide, undermining democratic participation.

Addressing the issue will require systemic and community-based solutions. The presentation put forth several viable paths to restore local journalism, including support for nonprofit journalism, investment in community-owned news rooms, and expanding existing media literacy educational efforts. These approaches may help to return reliable information to communities and restore their trust in local news sources. And steps to disseminate verified news and subscribing to neighborhood newspapers are small individual actions that can also be part of the solution.

In conclusion, the decline of local journalism threatens the health of democracy in the United States. Without trusted local news, communities are not as informed, engaged, and are more polarized. The good news is that we can recognize the problem, and acting together, from the collective level to the individual level can help protect the role of local news in creating strong and informed communities.