“I never thought I would witness the day when reporters were more scarce than bald eagles.”
That’s a quote from a newspaper publisher who was referencing a recent story in Daily Clips, a publishing industry newsletter. The story is entitled, “Our Local-News Situation Is Even Worse Than We Think.” The headline is startling. The numbers are frightening.
Consider this from the story: From 2004 to 2020 the number of…
• newsroom employees dropped 57%
• reporters per 100,000 population dropped 62%
• reporters per $100 million in state and local government spending dropped 67%
The story shares that, as the number of newspaper journalists per 100,000 people decreased, the number of teachers and nurses per 100,000 rose. Also, interestingly, the number of librarians per 100,000 has held steady since 2000. The story states how librarians and local reporters have two things in common: they’re both in the information-providing business. As with journalists, we need librarians, the story says, to help people separate fact from fiction on the Internet.
As the number of reporters declined, the amount spent by state and local governments increased by a whopping 76 percent. Unfortunately, fewer journalists exist to report on where those taxpayer dollars are being spent. Meanwhile, government entities are taking it upon themselves to report and distribute their own version of the news.
The decline of local news has also fueled polarizing national news and social media platforms that have increased the spread of misinformation. One of the most alarming entities is the data-collecting tech giant Nextdoor, which is now in 233,000 communities. Aside from gathering mass amounts of personal data on its users, a plethora of reports show how the service has become a major spreader of misinformation and falsehoods. Researchers have found similar problems with local Facebook groups. Some 75 percent of Americans said they encountered misinformation on Facebook, according to a Gallup/Knight Foundation survey.
As the Daily Clips story states, this all shows statistically what we have known anecdotally: reporters are spread far thinner than they used to be — and that’s not good for anyone.
With strong conservation efforts, bald eagles made a comeback. With equally strong attempts, local journalism will, too.
Have a terrific Tuesday, and thanks for reading.
Shane Goodman
President and Publisher
Big Green Umbrella Media
shane@dmcityview.com
515-953-4822, ext. 305 | 
