The Risk of Permanently Losing Local News
When local news disappears, local democracy suffers: Civic engagement decreases, mis- and dis-information spreads, corruption rises, and polarization increases. Rural communities and small towns are most at risk of permanently losing local news because their demographics and economics will not readily sustain replacements. Indeed, most local news startups are concentrated in cities with growing populations and established local philanthropy. This map shows where communities are most at risk of permanently losing their local news.
In partnership with the Local News Initiative at Northwestern University’s Medill School and with the support of the National Conference on Citizenship, our research shows that 1,424 counties
in the U.S. are at the highest risk of permanently losing local news.
These counties have one remaining print news title in operation,
no digital alternative, and median household incomes below the national average.
Which types of communities are most at risk?
Small Urban Communities
Counties with Rural Urban Continuum Codes 1–3. These comprise: counties in metro areas of 1 million population or more; counties in metro areas of 250,000 to 1 million population; and counties in metro areas of fewer than 250,000 population. Of the at-risk counties in this class, 98% have total populations of less than 250,000.
Small Towns and Rural Communities
Counties with Rural Urban Continuum Codes 7–9. These comprise: counties with urban population of 2,500 to 19,999, not adjacent to a metro area; completely rural counties or less than 2,500 urban population, adjacent to a metro area; and completely rural or less than 2,500 urban pop- ulation, not adjacent to a metro area. All of the at-risk counties in this class have less than 60,000 total population.
Small Exurban Communities
Counties with Rural Urban Continuum Codes 4–6. These comprise: counties with an urban population of 20,000 or more, adjacent to a metro area; counties with an urban population of 20,000 or more, not adjacent to a metro area; counties with urban population of 2,500 to 19,999, adjacent to a metro area. All of the at-risk counties in this class have less than 135,000 total population.
How many counties are at risk?
In the West, over half (57%) of the communities at risk of permanently losing their local news are located in small rural areas. In the Southeast, the majority (61%) of communities at risk of permanently losing their local news are located in small rural and exurban areas. In the Southwest, a majority (84%) of communities at risk of permanently losing their local news are located in small rural and exurban areas.
We are currently fundraising to support the conservation and transformation of community news in the regions we have identified as target areas in 2023. These funds will allow us to scale our work and pilot our impact metrics in a total of five states.
Data generously provided by Penelope Muse Abernathy and the Medill Local News Initiative at Northwestern University.
