Local news refers to newspapers, radio and TV outlets that tell the stories of a specific community. The term is often used to describe traditional commercial print publications, but it also includes digital news organizations that serve geographically defined markets and other forms of media that inform a community, such as blogs, hyperlocal websites and noncommercial, nonprofit journalism.
Most Americans have positive views of local media. Roughly three-in-ten say local media in their area do a good or excellent job of reporting important news, providing watchdog accountability of elected leaders and serving as a forum for discussion of community issues. Views toward local media are not as politically polarized as opinions about the national press.
The majority of Americans who get local news report doing so from TV stations, although fewer do so from newspaper websites or social media sites. More than half of those who consume local news report getting it through the TV set itself, while another 37% access it through digital pathways like apps, email and websites that feature content from a newspaper.
Despite the financial challenges, there are signs that many local media are beginning to find viable business models. In some cases, these are for-profit ventures that seek to capitalize on the demand for locally based news, while in others, the growth of nonprofit news organizations is driven by a commitment to community engagement and quality journalism.
For some, this means embracing change. For example, when the small town of Eudora in Kansas lost its newspaper in 2019, University of Kansas journalism students established an online publication to fill the void, which they call The Eudora Times.