Local journalists have long been a trusted source of information when it comes to our elections. Yet with traditional newsrooms becoming less populous across the country, particularly in rural areas, over one-fifth of Americans currently live in so-called “news deserts” with little to no access to local news sources.
At the same time, bad actors are working to undermine confidence in our elections and manipulate election results for their own political gain. So-called election deniers frequently make false or misleading claims about how elections work, sowing distrust among voters and threatening the very fabric of our democracy.
In this current environment, journalists are having to navigate the onslaught of misinformation and disinformation surrounding our electoral process in a whole new way, sometimes on a shoestring budget. Panelists will discuss the state of local news and how this impacts voters’ understanding of the electoral processes in their states.
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