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NewsGuild President Schleuss to tell lawmakers: “The crisis in local news is a crisis of democracy.”

NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss will tell a House subcommittee on Friday that local news is facing “an extinction-level” threat that jeopardizes American democracy.

In his planned testimony, he will urge the committee to adopt legislation to stop the unprecedented, dangerous decline.

“The crisis in local news is a crisis of jobs and of communities not getting the information they need,” Schleuss will say. “It is a crisis of democracy.”

Being owned by a billionaire is a struggling newsroom's dream. But it can turn into a nightmare

Philippou, the Courant reporter, said an ideal owner for the Connecticut paper would be someone who wants to "hire staff, invest in the newsroom. People always talk about how the newspaper model is broken. I would hope for an owner who is willing to experiment."

'Thank God for The Texas Tribune': Power crisis shines light on local news

"I really feel that both elected officials and appointed bodies failed to adequately or effectively communicate with the public in what was truly a natural disaster. Thank God for The Texas Tribune and other local media which filled the gap," Ramshaw said. "The reason we knew even a fraction of what we knew was because of them, not because of the people who are elected and appointed to inform us."

The media plays a crucial role in battling vaccine misinformation. But here’s what not to do.

Local reporters — who tend to be relatively well-trusted — are especially important in this effort, providing basic information, and pointing readers or viewers to credible public-health sources. Sadly, there are far fewer of these reporters than when the pandemic began.

The ‘audacious lie’ behind a hedge fund’s promise to sustain local journalism

When Alden comes in, it’s slash-and-burn time. Newsroom jobs — reporters, editors, photographers — are cut to the bone. Decisions are made not for long-term sustainability, not for service to the community, not for humane treatment of skilled and dedicated staff, but for next quarter’s profit-and-loss statement.

Accountability suffers as newspaper closures grow in SC, nation

Corruption is flourishing in the rural corners of South Carolina as newspapers fold or shrink coverage amid a financially crippling pandemic.

Alden Is in Talks to Buy Tribune Publishing

A hedge fund that owns a big stake in Tribune Publishing Co. is in talks to buy the newspaper chain behind titles including the Chicago Tribune and New York Daily News. ... A deal would have far-reaching implications for an industry beset by sharp declines in revenue over the past 20 years that have led to a wave of consolidations and cost cuts. Between 2008 and 2019, the industry shed 51% of its newsroom jobs, according to the Pew Research Center.

New Jersey Hills signs letter of intent to convert to non-profit status

In an effort to preserve and expand community journalism, the Corporation for New Jersey Local Media (CNJLM) today announced a letter of intent has been signed with the New Jersey Hills Media Group, publisher of this newspaper, to work together on converting the group’s 14 weekly newspapers in Morris, Somerset, Essex, and Hunterdon counties to non-profit ownership.