News Deserts

Before taking my Media Law and Literacy class at High Point University, I can honestly say I never heard of news deserts. I am assuming many of you are in the same boat as me, especially if you are apart of the younger generation. So what is a news desert you may ask? Well, a news desert occurs in a community that no longer has local news coverage by a newspaper. The University of North Carolina's Hussman School of Journalism and Media provides a more robust definition stating that news deserts are "a community, either rural or urban, with limited access to the sort of credible and comprehensive news and information that feeds democracy at the grassroots level." The term became prevalent when many local newspapers across the United States closed beginning in the twenty-first century.

Prevalence 

Poynter, a reputable news site, reported on the prevalence of news deserts using data collected from a study conducted by the University of North Carolina. According to the article, around 20% of all United States' newspapers have merged or completely gone out of business since 2004. This has left 1,300 communities without any type of local news coverage. Additionally, many of the remaining newspapers have drastically scaled back reporting creating what some are calling "ghost newspapers."

Image taken from Columbia Journalism Review

Columbia Journalism Review created an interactive map for readers to see how many newspapers remain in their communities, which you can find here. I have inserted a still image of the map to give you a general idea. The white counties represent communities with zero local newspapers. As the red color gets darker, that represents an increase in the number of local newspapers. I encourage you to click the link to access the interactive map to see if you are living in, or near a news desert.

Implications 

News deserts can have dire consequences. The media is an important part of the checks and balances of democracy and our government, even being called the "watchdog." Without an abundance of news reporting, citizens could potentially be taken advantage of simply because they are not informed. Additionally, local news reporting helps create a sense of community by reporting feel-good stories. For example, you won't hear about the local high school football team that just won a state championship, or the local police department donating meals to the homeless on the national news. It is the personal touch of local news reporting that makes them stand out from national networks. Lastly, PBS ran a news segment on the implications of news deserts, which you can watch to gain more information.

The Future 

While I would like to be optimistic about the future of local news reporting and news deserts, the nature of online sources makes the future scary. Newspapers were the foundation of American media. It would be a true shame to see newspapers completely go away. However, we must be realistic about the times. I would rather see local newspapers all turn to online publications than see all newspapers go away completely. I think it is important for all of us, especially the younger generation, to support our local news outlets to ensure that they are here for future generations.