Within the last two decades, the U.S. has seen a massive decline—of 75%—in the proportion of journalists covering local news and those covering news of the communities in which they reside. Even more dire, “more than 1,000 counties — one out of three — do not have the equivalent of even one full-time local journalist.” Many are talking about this profound change in our communities, but there have been challenges to finding the right solution to address it. Considering innovative ways to address this crisis is increasingly urgent for our society, and the social change sector in particular, because of how essential local news is for nonprofits to engage with their key audiences. This becomes even more important as we face the reality of an authoritarian federal government and mounting political conflict at the state and local levels.
It shouldn’t be surprising that local news plays an integral role in strengthening foundations of and resisting harms to democratic societies, in the face of authoritarian attacks. As was illustrated in the 2025 Summer Issue of Responsive Philanthropy, there are many examples such as: the role of the Black press in the Jim Crow era (e.g., the Chicago Defender and the Pittsburgh Courier), the essential part played by “underground newspapers” and “rogue radio broadcasts” in the fight against apartheid, and the “clandestine publishing network” of the former Soviet Union known as the samizdat. In times of peace, as well as in times of turmoil, local journalists are in the right place all the time. Local journalists are able to report on the mundane as well as the essential happenings at the heart of our communities, that impact our day-to-day lives. We believe that nonprofits have a role to play, as one incredibly important source of news within their communities.
What lessons can be drawn from recent attempts to solve this issue? For one, we shouldn’t underestimate the importance of the nonprofit approach in filling the gap. Specifically, the role that can be played by those organizations that are not full-fledged newsrooms, but that are already embedded in a history of relations with and service provision to local communities on other issues. Highly successful organizations that are actively serving a range of diverse audiences show that nonprofits are perfectly placed “where information is already being exchanged” and are able to identify “what information people are missing, and how to design solutions that meet people where they are.” Furthermore, analysis of full-fledged newsrooms that have not survived also points to the same conclusion: Already established nonprofits working in sectors beyond local news often have the key components necessary to serve as a trusted source of local information and relevant stories. For example, these organizations often have:
- Clearly defined audiences with established relations and entrenched trust already built. This helps solve one of the major sticking points that newly established newsrooms sometimes confront—trying to be too many things at once for too many different people.
- An internal structure and process for garnering community insight and perspectives. Whether this is formalized or characterized by the relationships of your staff and partners, these insights ensure the organization can speak to relevant topics and information for their audiences.
- A high level of social capital (in the form of interpersonal exchanges and networks amongst community members and other local partners) which automatically facilitates audiences’ ability to see the organization as a trusted source of information.
- Experience and expertise needed to generate funding to serve your communities, whether that is through ongoing funding relationships with previously established donors, or growing new partner relationships. Part of the story behind the disintegration of local news at the national level has been that revenue incentives have shifted to benefit conglomerate news agencies that have no incentive to stay local. Many newly established newsrooms—even those using the nonprofit model—must start from scratch within that context. On the other hand, already established nonprofits have the preexisting know-how and connections.
For these reasons, all nonprofits working to enact social change today should consider launching their own internal process—what we refer to as a nonprofit newsroom model. Communities already know and count on your organization, for example, to provide essential services or to increase the capacity of local leadership to grow community power. You already share vital information in many of your programs. Now is the time to lean into your organization’s ability to do just that, in a more focused and strategic manner.
The challenges to local journalism negatively affect us all, and particularly local nonprofits whose engagement with the surrounding community is an essential function of their existence. We must reimagine what providing local news stories looks like. For example, a nonprofit that runs a food kitchen, or a residence for youth seeking safe spaces, could absolutely benefit from being a trusted source of news on local events such as:
- Pending local levies that help to orient tax spending in particular ways
- City council deliberations and decisions relevant to low-income families or public spaces often used by community youth
- Open public comment windows for proposed land use or legislation being considered by local and state legislatures
- Recent increases in crime or police activity that may be framed by conventional media in ways that negatively impact perception of the nonprofit, or the communities it serves.
This may appear to be a shift in the role your organization tends to play. But, even small changes in the way you think about and share information can be valuable to you and your audiences. The demise of local journalists and the ongoing importance of local news reporting is not going away. This is part of our new normal. What is more, it actually provides a window of opportunity for your organization to further establish trusted relations with your key audiences and develop new connections to community members who may not have been previously in your organization’s orbit, but who value an organization that can help address local issues. Whether your stories are sharing insight on breaking news or simply increasing awareness of some of what happens on a local level, communities will benefit from your nonprofit taking on this slightly new role to help fill the gap. In turn, nonprofits like yours can further their objectives to increase awareness of their work and adoption of the narratives and frames that justify its importance, which can help to foster continued or even new funding partnerships.
Re-thinking your organization’s role in providing local news and information is an essential component of long-term strategy to navigate the polycrisis of our time. If you are interested in learning more about how your nonprofit can use this approach to build out your work, reach out to the Wakeman Agency for a private consultation.