Although local newspapers are shrinking nationwide, they remain a vital provider of original important information to U.S. communities, per a recent study by the DeWitt Wallace Center for media & Democracy at Duke University. Among the study’s findings:
Did You Know?
- In a study of over 16,000 stories provided by 663 local media outlets, local newspapers produced 50% of original news stories despite accounting for only 25% of the sample
- Further, local newspapers provided 60% of the local news stories in the sample.
- Radio stations broadcasts were the most common media outlet in the sample, et they evaluated the weakest due to content not meeting the criteria: information is original, local and addresses critical information needs.
Source: Publishers’ Auxiliary – November 2019