The Medill State of Local News Report for 2024 reveals that local “news deserts” have expanded across the United States. This broadening gap limits local news access for millions of Americans.
However, the report also shows a net increase in local digital news sites. Some journalists call for optimism and greater promotion of the new generation of local news outlets for 2025.
News Deserts and How They Affect Local Populations
According to the UNC Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media, a “news desert” is an evolving term generally used to describe the growing phenomenon of local news publishers closing their business or being consolidated by the larger broadcast industry.
These local news providers are often the primary or only source of credible news and information about major issues and topics of importance within communities. In addition to losing local newspapers, UNC notes a significant decrease in the quality and quantity of news pieces these papers have been publishing.
As more newspapers shut down or are acquired and many operate at diminished quality of output, large amounts of the US population, particularly in rural and economically struggling areas, are at risk of losing access to reliable local news.
News Deserts Expanding per Medill Report
As reported by Northwestern Medill, the Medill State of Local News Report for 2024 shows that 127 newspapers shuttered in the past 12 months, affecting the local news access of nearly 55 million Americans. This marks a nationwide decline of 3,300 newspapers since 2005, as of September 2024.
Newspaper closures and acquisitions increased the number of news desert counties to 208 from 204 in 2023. Closing these papers also resulted in newspaper job losses of over 7,000 between 2022 and 2023.
Meanwhile, newspaper mergers and acquisitions skyrocketed to 43% over the past year. Smaller, newer chains, such as Carpenter Media Group, made most of these acquisitions.
Standalone Local Digital News Sites on the Rise
Even as an increasing number of local newspapers close their offices, the Medill State of Local News Report for 2024 reveals that standalone local digital news sites have been on the rise, with a net increase of 81 new sites. This marks the most significant one-year gain in recent years.
This gain in local news sites includes 30 newspapers converted from print to digital publishing. About one-third of these news publishers are less than five years old.
Additionally, nearly 90% are local in metro areas rather than the rural counties that struggle most with news access.
Calls for Optimism for the Future of Local News
The statistics included in the Medill State of Local News Report for 2024 paint a grim picture for local news access across the U.S. However, the rising trend of digital local news publishers has sparked some optimism among journalists.
In her article “The Rebirth of Local News,” published by Nieman Lab, Sarabeth Berman calls for greater reporting on these growing digital news sources. Berthman predicts that in 2025, a new generation of local news outlets will garner more nationwide attention. She is particularly optimistic about the growing contributions of local nonprofit news organizations.
“From my vantage point at the American Journalism Project, I see local nonprofit news organizations that are changing the way we sustain news, benefiting from a widening recognition that local news as a public good,” Berman writes.
Berman goes on to cite examples of nonprofit news outlets that are expanding, including Signal Ohio, which expanded with Signal Akron in 2023 and recently unveiled a statewide bureau while announcing plans for Signal Cincinnati, and the Texas Tribune, which announced the creation of a network of community newsrooms this past fall.
Although a growing population of Americans lack access to quality news sources for their communities, these expanding local nonprofits could fill some of that gap in the coming years.
