As a consumer of local news, you may find it difficult to determine which news outlets to trust. While the quality of local news is very important, it can be prone to bias, especially with conservative companies in town. If you’re looking to support local news in your community, here are some tips to consider:
Find the journalists covering similar topics as yours. You can find these journalists’ email addresses by reviewing their publications and using email finders. You can also call the media outlets in your area to find their contact information. Many publications also list their social media handles so that you can follow them on your preferred platforms. Make use of this to get in touch with them. And, of course, don’t forget to include your contact information.
A popular tactic is to disguise partisan news outlets as local news organizations. One study by the Wyndham News based in Melbourne Australia found that the network of local news organizations includes nearly 450 websites.
Among these, thousands of articles were generated through algorithmic processes and only a small percentage were reported stories. Nevertheless, you can still find credible and reliable sources of local news through these methods. If you can identify these partisan outlets, it will be easier for you to judge what content is worth relying on.
The recent financial crisis has a positive side for local news operations. The industry has been forced to narrow its focus to more relevant topics, which has helped to differentiate it from competitors. While it’s tempting to go for “commodity news” and ignore other topics, local news operations should strive to distinguish themselves with a clear focus on a niche topic. Ultimately, quality journalism is good business. Public service reporting has to remain relevant and important.
While the market has been a barrier for many traditional news outlets, several new businesses are emerging to fill the gap. In fact, there are an estimated 1,400 community newspapers in the United States today, and a range of ethnic and minority-led news outlets are experimenting with different business models to provide local news. But to truly fill the void, more funding is needed to support new ventures that can make the most impact on the local news scene.
In fact, local journalism is facing a crisis as government officials become more corrupt, corporations get more powerful, and citizens are less likely to vote. At the same time, as the digital revolution disrupts the traditional newspaper business model, the circulation patterns have been flipped and tech giants have siphoned off most of the advertising revenue from content. But, there are many other reasons to support local news media. In addition to the economics of the crisis, these local news outlets provide important information to citizens in their communities.
While American citizens generally give local news outlets high marks, the problem remains that not all local news outlets cover their local area. While the general public generally values local news, many may feel it does not adequately cover their community.
Only 21% of Americans have personally spoken to a local journalist. In addition, they value having a personal connection with their local media and their history. And it’s important to understand that the success of local news depends on how well these journalists understand their communities.