I’ve Been a News Junkie Since I Was 12
Look, I’m gonna be honest with you. I’ve been obsessed with news since I was a kid. It started when I found my dad’s old newspapers in the garage—back when news was just ink on paper, you know? I’m talking 1998, in a small town called Meadowgrove. Anyway, fast forward 25 years, and here I am, still addicted to the news cycle. But lately, I’ve been thinking alot about local news. Like, really thinking.
Last Tuesday, I was having coffee with an old friend, let’s call him Marcus. He’s a journalist, been in the game longer than me. We were talking about the state of news today, and he said something that stuck with me: “Local news is the immune system of democracy.” Which… yeah. Fair enough.
But First, a Quick Story
About three months ago, I was covering a city council meeting in Crawley. It was 11:30pm, and I was the only reporter there. The council was discussing a new zoning law that would affect, like, 214 local businesses. 214! And there I was, the only one taking notes. No TV crews, no other journalists. Just me and my laptop. That’s when it hit me—local news is dying, and it’s a big problem.
I mean, think about it. Who’s gonna hold these people accountable if we’re not there? Who’s gonna tell the story of the little guy? It’s not like the national outlets are gonna send a crew for a zoning meeting. But local news? That’s our job. And frankly, we’re failing at it.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Let’s talk numbers. Since 2008, more than 2,000 local newspapers have shut down in the US alone. That’s a quarter of all newspapers. And the ones that are left? They’re running on fumes. Staffs are half the size they used to be. Budgets are tighter than a drum. It’s a crisis, and nobody’s talking about it.
I talked to a colleague named Dave about this. He works for a small paper in Ohio, and he told me, “We used to have 12 reporters on staff. Now? It’s just me and one other guy. We’re spread thinner than butter on toast.” And that’s the reality for so many local newsrooms.
But Here’s the Thing…
Local news isn’t just about holding city council accountable. It’s about community. It’s about telling the stories that matter to real people. It’s about the high school football team winning the state championship, or the new park opening downtown, or the local business that’s been around for 50 years and is finally getting the recognition it deserves.
And yeah, I get it. It’s easy to scroll past the local news on your phone. It’s easy to click on the big, flashy headlines from national outlets. But at what cost? When we stop paying attention to our local news, we lose something important. We lose our connection to our community. We lose our ability to hold local officials accountable. We lose our voice.
So What Can We Do?
First off, subscribe to your local newspaper. I mean it. Even if it’s just the digital edition. Every subscription counts. And if you can’t afford to subscribe, share their stories on social media. Engage with their content. Let them know you care.
Second, support local journalism in other ways. Attend local events, like town halls and city council meetings. Talk to your neighbors about the issues that matter to your community. And if you see something that needs coverage, reach out to your local news outlet. Tell them about it. They might not have the resources to cover everything, but they can’t cover what they don’t know about.
And look, I’m not saying it’s gonna be easy. Local news is in a tough spot. But it’s not hopeless. There are alot of smart, dedicated people working to save local journalism. And if we all pitch in, maybe—just maybe—we can keep our local news alive.
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Anyway, I gotta run. I’ve got a city council meeting to cover. And who knows? Maybe this time, I won’t be the only one there.
About the Author: Sarah Jenkins has been a journalist for over 20 years, working for various local and national outlets. She currently lives in Crawley with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and spends her free time reading, writing, and complaining about the state of modern journalism.
