Baltimore Blog Posts

Keeping Local News Flowing

Local news was a focal point at the recent FTC workshop, “How Will Journalism Survive the Internet Age?" Reed Hundt reported on the Knight Commission recommendations and emphasized the role of local news in promoting the traditional U.S. policy goal of localism both in newspapers and in broadcasting. Matthew Gentzkow reported on his study that the entry and exit of newspapers from local communities have the most pronounced effect on voter participation in local elections. Tom Rosenstiel emphasized again that local newspapers have more reporters on the ground to cover local news stories than all other local news entities combined, and drew the logical conclusion: Economic threats to local newspapers strike at the heart of the availability of information concerning the issues of public importance to local communities.

Free Press is a national, nonpartisan, nonprofit organization working to reform the media. Through education, organizing and advocacy, we promote diverse and independent media ownership, strong public media, quality journalism, and universal access to communications.

Learn More »

close [x]

The Free Press Action Fund is member-supported. We don't take money from government, political parties or businesses. Member contributions fuel our work lobbying Congress and the FCC, filing lawsuits and legal complaints, and aggressively advocating for real changes in media policymaking that benefit the public.

Donate To the Free Press Action Fund »

close [x]