Conclusion and Invitation
The future of local journalism is at a crossroads. Access to trustworthy, nonpartisan local news is essential for democracy, yet the old models for
sustaining mass media are broken and not serving our communities. As the commercially profitable aspects of local news have spun off into new tech ventures the less profitable daily accountability coverage and the more expensive investigative journalism are all that remain unsubsidized.
Most Coloradans are largely unaware of the financial crisis in local news. Yet the vast majority across the political spectrum still place great trust in their local news outlets, even as trust in national news and government institutions is polarized. Colorado’s rural and low-income communities suffer most when local news declines. Over half of Colorado newspapers are still locally owned small businesses that provide vital services to their communities.
There is hope on the horizon. Newsrooms of all business models and platforms are adopting a new spirit of collaboration, recognizing that competition is not with each other but for Coloradans’ trust, time, and attention. Developing new, innovative ways of meeting communities’ information needs with public interest, accountability, and educational news is squarely in the public interest to sustain. There are a number of viable paths forward, but all will require more support from philanthropy and the public sector to navigate this time of great transition.
The ideas contained in this paper are not meant to be the end point in a conversation but the beginning. The Colorado Media Project welcomes additional input, new thinking, contradictions, corrections, and all types of feedback as we seek to improve these recommendations and chart a path forward for sustainable, independent local news and civic information that better serves the people of Colorado. We know that with great challenge comes great opportunity, and so we invite you to join us in an urgent reimagining of the role of local news as a vital and relevant component of civic engagement and a reinvigorated public square.
To see a series of essays from Colorado Media Project working group members on various topics contained within this report, visit
https://www.coloradomediaproject.com/public-good.
Follow our ongoing work at
www.coloradomediaproject.com.
