The state of newspapers
Back in 2004, there were over 8,800 local daily and non-daily newspapers in publication in the United States. This figure fell gradually over time, and in 2022 amounted to less than 6,400, of which the majority were non-daily papers. Over 100 dailies closed down or merged with weeklies during that time period, but the plight of weeklies was substantially higher, with over 2,270 closures. The publication frequency of the largest daily newspapers is also not what it once was, with 42 out of the top 100 dailies operating via 6-day print delivery or less, many of which came out only once or twice a week. The obstacles facing print news only continue to grow as labor, distribution, and printing costs increase whilst advertising revenue falls further into decline. Paid circulation of daily newspapers in the U.S. drops every year and is now roughly two and a half times lower than in the mid-80s.It is true that for many consumers, websites and social media networks have replaced print publications as daily sources of news. However, online news sites mostly operate from metropolitan areas where their audiences have higher internet speeds and a range of ways and means of accessing digital news. Such areas also afford companies greater chances of securing ad revenue and other investments. So, what are the consequences of news deserts for consumers, and why are news deserts an issue?
The effects of news deserts on communities
The South, which is home to some of the country’s poorest states, had 108 counties without a local newspaper at last count. This is not helped by the digital divide – many consumers in rural communities struggle with limited or expensive internet access, and those on a lower income are less likely to have home broadband. Indeed, data on the demographic profiles of news deserts. showed that these communities tend to have an older and less educated population, as well as a lower average annual income and a higher poverty rate.The fact that local news is scarcest in these communities signals a wider problem. A lack of local journalism keeping the public informed, in either print or digital form, risks people missing information about key events like local elections, for example. Additionally, the fewer reliable local news outlets there are, the likelier consumers are to head to social media, where they risk encountering low-quality content like mis- or disinformation.
