A university steps in with a new model for preserving local news
Edward Lopez, a multimedia intern at Central California news outlet Stocktonia, talks with consultant Corinne Kappeler in Stockton, Calif., in September. Stocktonia is one of three California news organizations acquired by NEWSWELL, a nonprofit that aims to strengthen local news in areas known as news deserts. Photo by Robyn Jones / Special for Stocktonia
By Nicole Carroll for The Poynter Institute
When I left USA TODAY in 2023 after five years as its editor-in-chief, I was eager to get back to local news.
Leading a national newsroom was an honor – and our work made a difference across the country. But that role also gave me a firsthand view of our nation’s polarization and the chaos spawned by misinformation.
Local news was a solution for both.
Local news decreases political divisiveness and knits together disparate communities.
Local news readers are more likely to know their neighbors. They’re more active in their communities. They’re more likely to vote. This isn’t just what journalists think – extensive research proves it.
ADDITIONAL NEWS FROM THE INTEGRITY PROJECT
