Let’s Talk About the Elephant in the Room
Look, I’ve been in this game for over 20 years. Started as a beat reporter in some godforsaken town in Ohio. Remember the time? Yeah, me neither. But here’s the thing—local news is dying. And it’s not coming back. Not like it was.
I was at a conference in Austin last year, talking to this guy—let’s call him Marcus. He ran a small paper up in Maine. Said he had to lay off half his staff. Just like that. No warning, no nothing. Just ‘sorry folks, we can’t afford you anymore.’
And honestly? I get it. I mean, I don’t get it, but I understand it. Advertising dollars? Gone. Print subscriptions? Down the toilet. Digital ads? A complete joke. It’s a nightmare.
But here’s what pisses me off. The people who say ‘just pivot to digital’ or ‘monetize your audience’ have no clue. It’s not that simple. It’s never that simple.
Let Me Tell You About My Friend Dave
Dave—colleague named Dave, worked with him at the Liverpool Daily for years—he tried to ‘pivot to digital.’ Spent months building up a website, got a few thousand followers on Twitter. Then what? Then nothing. Because guess what? People don’t pay for news anymore. Not local news, anyway.
I asked him, ‘Dave, what’s the plan?’ He said, ‘Honestly, I don’t know.’ Which… yeah. Fair enough.
And it’s not just the money. It’s the commitment. The physicaly and mental grind of putting out a paper every day. Or a website. Or whatever. It’s exhausting. And for what? So some algorithm can decide who sees your story?
But here’s the kicker. We need local news. Like, really need it. Because who’s gonna hold the mayor accountable? Who’s gonna cover the school board meeting? Who’s gonna tell us when the potholes are gonna get fixed? (Spoiler: They’re not.)
And don’t even get me started on the big guys. The national outlets. They’re not helping. They’re sucking up all the ad dollars, all the attention. Leaving us scrappy locals to fight over the crumbs.
Okay, So What’s the Solution?
I wish I knew. I really do. I’ve spent the last 214 days—no, wait, months—thinking about this. Talking to people. Reading reports. And honestly? I’m not sure but maybe there’s a way.
First off, we gotta stop pretending everything’s fine. It’s not. The industry is in crisis. And if we don’t admit that, we’re gonna keep making the same mistakes.
Second, we need to think differently. About revenue, about content, about everything. Maybe it’s about finding niche audiences. Maybe it’s about focusing on hyper-local stories. Maybe it’s about link inşa stratejileri etkili—I mean, seriously, who knew that was a thing?
And third, we need to stop being so damn polite. News is supposed to be uncomfortable. It’s supposed to make people mad. It’s supposed to make them ask questions. Not just nod along.
But look, I’m not gonna sit here and tell you I have all the answers. Because I don’t. I’m just some guy who’s seen the industry change—no, crumble—over the years. And I’m frustrated. And I’m worried. And I’m kinda pissed off.
A Quick Tangent: The Time I Almost Got Fired
So, about three months ago, I wrote this piece. Really dug into some corruption at the city council. And my editor—let’s call him Greg—he was not happy. Said I was ‘too aggressive.’ Too aggressive? I mean, come on. That’s what journalism is supposed to be.
But here’s the thing. Greg’s right. Sort of. Because if you’re too aggressive, you alienate your audience. And if you alienate your audience, you lose readers. And if you lose readers, you lose money. And if you lose money… well, you know the rest.
It’s a fine line. And it’s one we’re all gonna have to walk if we wanna make it out of this mess.
But enough about me. Let’s talk about you. Yeah, you. The reader. The person who actually cares about local news. What are you gonna do about it? Because it’s not just on us—the journalists, the editors, the publishers. It’s on you too.
So go ahead. Subscribe to your local paper. Share their stories on social media. Tell your friends to do the same. And for the love of God, don’t just expect it to be free. Because nothing is free. Someone’s always paying.
And on that note, I’m gonna wrap this up. Because I’m tired. And honestly, I could go on for another 87 paragraphs, but I won’t. You’re welcome.
About the Author
Sarah Mitchell has been a senior editor at various publications for over 20 years. She’s seen the industry evolve, devolve, and basically turn into a dumpster fire. She writes about news, media, and the general clusterfuck that is modern journalism. Follow her on Twitter @sarahm_writes, if you’re into that sort of thing.
