Local news is a crucial component of community life. It promotes accountability and transparency by keeping citizens informed about local government activities, and provides essential information like weather alerts and traffic updates. It also connects communities by fostering engagement and providing platforms for residents to share their perspectives. Finally, it supports local businesses by helping them reach a more targeted audience.
Americans rely on a variety of local sources to stay informed, with most turning to mainstream sources such as television newscasts (local commercial broadcasting affiliates) and local radio. A smaller number of people turn to social media or personal networks for their local news. The average amount of time devoted to weekday local TV news programming increased slightly in 2022.
While a handful of local news organizations have gone out of business, most remain financially healthy. In fact, a 2022 Pew Research Center survey found that overall opinions about local news organizations are more positive than those about the national media. Additionally, views of local news are not as politically polarized as views about the national media.
Local news can be a rich source of civic information, from breaking news about crime and school closures to in-depth reporting on the challenges facing a local economy. One way that local news organizations can enhance their offerings is to collect user-generated content, such as photos and videos, from community members, as well as aggregated data from public sources. This can help to fill gaps in coverage and foster a sense of ownership among readers.