September 2023
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Editorial members of the Austin American-Statesman's protest the company's leadership and cost-cutting measures imposed since its 2019 merger with GateHouse Media, June 5, 2023 (Eric Gay/AP Photo)
** From the assistant editor
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It’s been a hard couple of years for local news. Since 2005, over 2,220 newspapers in the U.S. have shuttered. About one-fifth of Americans live in a news desert, without reliable reporting on the issues that most affect their communities. And the erosion of local news has serious stakes for our democracy in the face of rampant disinformation and a turbulent presidential election ahead.
That’s why the Sept. 7 announcement that a coalition of over two dozen foundations were committing $500 million to local news offered a beacon of hope to many in the industry. The initiative, called Press Forward, will allocate the funds over five years, in addition to advocating for public policy that increases access to local reporting, investing in enabling technology, and more. For Nieman Reports, Jim Friedlich, CEO of the Lenfest Institute for Journalism, which is one of Press Forward’s funders, wrote about the multiplier effect the initiative could have ([link removed]) : “If the Press Forward initiative tops out at $500 million, arguably we will have failed. But the energy, creativity, and spirit of Press Forward so far is almost certain to create a much larger movement.”
Half a billion dollars is a monumental amount of money, but Press Forward alone will be no panacea for local news, writes Lookout Local founder Ken Doctor ([link removed]) . From hedge funds’ stronghold on newspapers to the role of state funding, Doctor’s Nieman Reports piece shares his nine truths for reviving local news and reminds us of the challenges still ahead for funders. “The $500 million-for-local-news campaign does rivet attention,” Doctor writes. “And that provides us all with the opportunity to assess where we are as 2024 approaches and Press Forward moves into high gear.”
We hope you take the time to read both pieces and let us know your thoughts.
Wishing you all the best,
Natalie De Rosa
Assistant Editor, Nieman Reports
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** ‘It Was Hard to Put Words to Something So Raw and So Recent’ ([link removed])
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Daily Tar Heel editor-in-chief Emmy Martin shares the story behind the paper’s viral front page
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** Diversity is at Risk in Twitter’s New Era ([link removed])
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The changes to the platform pave an uncertain future for young, diverse voices in journalism
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** How to Pay Freelancers More Without Increasing Your Newsroom Budget ([link removed])
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Follow these steps to create a more loyal, reliable, and productive contributor pool
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** More from Nieman Foundation publications:
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Four girls, 60 years, 11 students, 2,800 miles and a new awareness of history ([link removed])
A journalist-turned-teacher takes students on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail to explore the nation’s challenges through a journalistic lens
Read more from Nieman Storyboard ([link removed]) . ([link removed])
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“These dollars are not reaching BIPOC newsrooms”: Tracie Powell and Meredith Clark on funding inequities and local news ([link removed])
“You say you’re giving more dollars to BIPOC newsrooms? Well, you’re actually giving to intermediaries who are filtering down those dollars to BIPOC newsrooms. But they’re not filtering down enough.”
Read more from Nieman Lab ([link removed]) .
Read more from Nieman Reports ([link removed])
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