Dear Supporters of Truth,
“Democracy Dies in Darkness,” “The World’s Greatest Newspaper,” “America’s Finest News Source,” and “All the News That’s Fit to Print.” All these incredible news publication slogans, yet none of them are lived up to. Journalists, who are the front line of Democracy, are failing to protect what the core of democracy is–the people. Seek the truth and report it, even as a student journalist I know that because that’s our mission as journalists. However, the people no longer trust us and believe everything is “fake news” or trying to push a certain agenda.
A Gallup/Knight Foundation study shows that 53% of the country has an unfavorable opinion of the media. This has been shown through the recent scandal with The Washington Post’s decision not to endorse a candidate for the 2024 presidential election because of its owner, Jeff Bezos. The New York Times explains that initially, the editorial board had been set to endorse Kamala Harris, but the endorsement was ultimately blocked by the Post’s owner, Bezos. This led to the Post losing about 250,000 subscribers. This is only one example of why people have been losing trust in the media.
So what should we do? We cannot surrender our right to knowledge simply based on the fact of what others decide to do. So, who can we trust? Our local news publications. They are within our communities and prioritize local needs by sharing stories that larger media outlets overlook. Organizations like the American Journalism Project provide grants for non-profit news organizations to help them grow because their mission is to emphasize how important local news is to the community. These local journalists actively engage with the community by attending council meetings, holding government officials accountable, and explaining changes that affect the area.
If there was ever a time to turn to local news publications, it is now. They’re endangered of being closed due to lack of funding, which will leave thousands of journalists without jobs and the communities without knowledge. According to the American Journalism Project, the decline in the newspaper industry’s advertising revenue has been dramatic, falling by 80% in comparison to 20 years ago when advertising accounted for 80% of newspaper revenue. This decline has led to around 1,800 communities losing their local newsrooms since 2004. The lack of funding restricts newsrooms’ access to valuable resources that allow them to publish great journalism.
The fight against misinformation and protecting the integrity of the truth is up to our support, and a great place to start is by subscribing. I urge you to invest in the future of journalism by subscribing to a local news outlet, whether it is digital or print. This is to ensure that power remains in the hands of the people and that news continues to be about raising awareness rather than being a cash grab. You won’t only be supporting journalists, but your community as well. Local news can promote your neighbor’s small business, share concerns you have over certain policies, or report the crash that happened that will cause traffic to increase.
Let’s preserve what is rightfully ours, the truth.
