Fading Headlines
Why Local News Still Matters — Even as It Fades By Chloe McKay Published: April 27, 2025 Vanishing Voices: The Underappreciated Role of Local Newspapers In today’s digital-first society, the quiet and consistent presence of local newspapers has become a fading tradition. Once the cornerstone of trusted community information, local newspapers are now viewed by many as relics of a bygone era. Yet their importance remains critical. This blog post explores the undervalued role local newspapers have played—and the consequences we face as they continue to disappear. The Rise of News Deserts Across the United States, "news deserts"—regions with little to no local news coverage—are expanding at a concerning rate. According to Abernathy (2018), over 200 U.S. counties currently lack a single local newspaper, while more than 1,500 counties are served by only a small weekly publication. Despite these alarming statistics, the decline of local journalism receives minimal attention from bot...