The Issue
Local journalism in Colorado is in crisis. Nearly one in five Colorado newspapers has closed since 2004. The number of professional reporters covering critical information needs of Coloradans across all media formats declined by nearly 44% between 2010 and 2018, from 1,010 to 570 reporters statewide.
The business model for local journalism is broken. Twenty years ago, local advertising sustained local news outlets and subsidized the creation of civically important content. Today, two global companies, Facebook and Google, are capturing the lion’s share of revenue from digital ads — 60% in 2019 — and they’re capturing almost all the growth in digital ads, too.
Most Coloradans are largely unaware of the financial crisis in local news or its causes. In fact, seven in 10 Americans believe their local news outlets are doing “very or somewhat well financially,” according to a 2019 Pew Research survey. While trust in national news is low and polarized, more than 70% of Americans across the political spectrum trust their local news outlets.
But the most critical issue goes beyond job losses or a struggling industry: Most important, Coloradans are increasingly disengaged from the news and information we need to make decisions about civic issues, candidates, and elected officials and the future of our state. It’s time to begin a serious conversation about ways to take action to make sure that trustworthy, independent local news and information is available to all Coloradans.
• How Do We Know Local News is Good for Democracy?
• What’s Happened to the Business of Local News?
• Where Are Colorado’s News Deserts and What Are the Implications?
• What’s Working and Where Do We Go from Here?
