Let’s Talk About This Mess
Look, I’ve been in this game for 20-odd years. I’ve seen the rise and fall of newspapers, the birth of digital journalism, and the never-ending dance with social media. I’m Sarah, by the way. Sarah Miller. You might’ve seen my byline in The Boston Globe, or maybe you caught my TEDx Talk last year. (It went viral, kinda. 214,000 views, which is alot for a rant about ad revenue.)
But today? Today we’re talking about local news. And, honestly? It’s a disaster. A complete and utter disaster. I mean, I was just at a conference in Austin, right? And even there, people were whispering about layoffs, about papers folding, about how no one’s reading the local stuff anymore.
So, let’s break this down. Or, more accurately, let’s just throw it all against the wall and see what sticks.
Why Local News Matters (And Why It’s Dying)
First off, local news matters. It’s the lifeblood of communities. It’s how we know if the school board’s up to no good, if the mayor’s embezzling funds, if the pothole on Main Street is finally gonna get fixed. I remember back in ’98, when I was just a wet-behind-the-ears reporter at the Duxbury Gazette, we broke a story about the town selectmen cooking the books. And, look, it wasn’t pretty. But it mattered. People needed to know.
But now? Now we’re all screwed. Because local news is dying. And it’s dying fast. I was talking to a colleague named Dave last Tuesday, and he told me his paper just cut its staff by 40%. Forty percent! And they’re not alone. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, local newsrooms have shed more than 25% of their staff since 2008. That’s, like, 24,000 jobs. Gone. Poof.
And it’s not just jobs. It’s commitment. It’s community. It’s, I don’t know, the soul of journalism. I mean, I was at this diner in Duxbury last week, right? And the owner, let’s call him Marcus, he told me he hasn’t seen a reporter from the local paper in months. ‘Not since the aquisition,’ he said. (That’s a whole other can of worms, by the way. Corporate buyouts. Ugh.)
But Wait, There’s More
So, why is this happening? Well, it’s complicated. It’s never just one thing. It’s a perfect storm of bad decisions, bad luck, and bad timing. I mean, I think it started with the internet, right? Suddenly, news was free. Everyone could be a journalist. And, look, don’t get me wrong, I love citizen journalism. But it’s not a replacement for real, factual, hard-hitting news.
And then there’s the whole ad revenue thing. I mean, I was talking to this digital analyst, her name’s Lisa, and she told me that in 2006, newspapers made $49 billion from ads. In 2018? $19 billion. That’s a drop of, like, 61%. And, look, I’m not great at math, but even I know that’s bad. Really bad.
And, honestly, I’m not sure what the answer is. I mean, I’ve got ideas. But they’re not perfect. They’re not gonna save the world. They’re just… ideas.
First off, we gotta stop expecting news to be free. I mean, I was at this panel discussion in Boston, and this guy, let’s call him Greg, he said, ‘Why should I pay for news when I can get it for free?’ And I looked at him, and I said, ‘Because it costs money to make news, Greg. It costs money to pay reporters, to pay editors, to pay for fact-checkers and copy editors and all the other people who make sure the news you’re reading is, you know, accurate.’
And, look, I get it. I do. I’m not saying it’s easy. But if we want quality news, we gotta pay for it. It’s that simple.
Second, we gotta support local news. And I don’t just mean reading it. I mean subscribing. I mean donating. I mean telling your friends to do the same. I was talking to a friend of mine, her name’s Emily, and she told me she started a little ‘news pool’ with her friends. They all chip in $20 a month and use it to subscribe to local papers and magazines. It’s a small thing, but it’s something.
And, look, I’m not gonna lie. I’m not optimistic. I mean, I was just looking at the development projects update for Duxbury, and it’s not pretty. There’s a lot of red ink. A lot of ‘we’re gonna have to cut back’ talk. But, you know what? We can’t give up. We can’t just let local news die. Because if we do, who’s gonna hold the powerful accountable? Who’s gonna tell us what’s really going on in our communities?
So, yeah. That’s where we are. It’s messy. It’s complicated. It’s depressing as hell. But it’s also important. Really, really important. And, look, I’m not sure what the answer is. But I know we gotta keep fighting. Keep pushing. Keep supporting local news, in whatever way we can.
Because, honestly? We’re all screwed if we don’t.
About the Author: Sarah Miller is a senior editor with over 20 years of experience in journalism. She’s worked at major publications like The Boston Globe and has given talks at conferences around the world. She’s passionate about local news and the future of journalism. She lives in Duxbury with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and drinks too much coffee.
For a thoughtful analysis of the challenges facing journalism today, consider exploring this in-depth piece on how our collective actions have shaped the current state of the news industry at the evolving landscape of news media.