News Deserts
Southern counties are more likely to be news deserts than the national average. 2/3 of Southern counties have 1 or no newspaper, meaning a critical vehicle for informing the public about local Covid policies is absent.
Counties with no or only one newspaper (“news deserts”)
News deserts as of 2020
Source: UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media, inspired by Brookings research
With many upcoming local elections covering important and rapidly-changing policy decisions regarding Covid, local news sources are an essential platform for both transparency and public understanding of proposed policy measures. However, more than half of counties nationwide are what experts describe as “local news deserts'' that have either no newspaper or only one (often a weekly or a thinly staffed daily).1 2 out of every 3 Southern counties are news deserts, meaning a critical vehicle for trusted information during the recovery is absent. Since the pandemic, over 100 local newsrooms in Southern states have closed, merged, or laid off/furloughed employees.2
Across the South, remaining local news sources continue to inform the public of local issues and related policy measures that affect their community. In New Orleans, LA, The Lens reports on the tension between the state Department of Education and the NOLA Public Schools district regarding the state’s decision to remove quarantine requirements for asymptomatic school children, highlighting that the state has not released any data to validate their claims.3 A Fluvanna County local newspaper in VA, the Fluvanna Review, engaged school board candidates and shared their respective platforms in an effort to inform and educate voters.4
Local news deserts tend to be more common in rural areas, ultimately priming the atmosphere for misinformation to spread rapidly.5 As the need for local news sources remains critical, many are finding new and unique ways to strengthen their relationships and build trust with the communities they serve. Canopy Atlanta, a nonprofit journalism program in Atlanta, GA partners journalists with local community members to develop and publish stories together — allowing journalists to understand what matters to the community, and allowing community members to take ownership of the information consumed.6 The South Florida Sun Sentinel developed a “Coronavirus” section that includes daily Covid-19 reports and a Covid-19 Vaccine Q&A column that rounds up expert knowledge for the South Florida community.7 Revitalizing local news sources and rebuilding trust are vital for public participation in recovery efforts.
“News Deserts And Ghost Newspapers: Will Local News Survive?” UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media. 2020. https://www.usnewsdeserts.com/reports/news-deserts-and-ghost-newspapers-will-local-news-survive/
“Here are the newsroom layoffs, furloughs and closures that happened during the coronavirus pandemic”. Hare. Poynter. October, 2021. https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2021/here-are-the-newsroom-layoffs-furloughs-and-closures-caused-by-the-coronavirus/
“What we know about how schools collect COVID data and make quarantine decisions”. Kiefer. The Lens NOLA. October, 2021.
“School board candidates explain their vision”. Carr. Fluvanna Review. September, 2021.
http://fluvannareview.com/2021/09/school-board-candidates-explain-their-vision/
“Covid vaccine mistrust is fueling a spike in rural deaths. Here’s what’s fueling the mistrust”. Thomson. NBC News.
October, 2021.
“The view from here: Rethinking what local news can and should be”. Goodwin. Nieman Lab. October, 2021.
https://www.niemanlab.org/2021/10/the-view-from-here-rethinking-what-local-news-can-and-should-be/
“Coronavirus”. The Sun Sentinel. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/coronavirus/