Reports

Our 2020 report explores what’s at stake for our democracy and what can be done to save local news. It measures what has been lost over the past 15 years, while also assessing what must be done to revive local news.

Our 2018 report identifies the U.S. communities most at risk for losing their newspapers and delves into the implications for the news profession and the country. Our sense of community and our trust in democracy at all levels suffer when journalism is lost or diminished. In an age of fake news and divisive politics, the fate of communities across the country – and of grassroots democracy itself – is linked to the vitality of local journalism.

A March 2017 update to our Fall 2016 report on the emergence of news deserts, this collection of articles includes analysis of U.S. newspaper ownership patterns, coverage of the 2016 elections by local newspapers, and more.

Over the past decade, a new media baron has emerged. Private equity funds, hedge funds and investment groups have swooped in to buy and manage newspapers. With the industry in distress and publishers struggling to adapt to the digital age, communities are losing their primary source of local news and information. This 2016 report explores the long-ranging social, economic and political impact of this shift in ownership.