News Deserts

75% of Southern counties are “news deserts,” counties with no or only one newspaper, compared to 50% of non-Southern counties.

Counties with no or only one newspaper (“news deserts”)

News deserts as of 2022

Source: Northwestern Medill Local News Initiative.

The steady decline of local newspapers across the nation has accelerated since the start of the pandemic, with over 300 news sources closing their doors.¹ Southern counties are more likely to be what experts call “news deserts,” counties that have either no or only one newspaper. 75% of Southern counties are news deserts, compared to only 50% of non-Southern counties.

As local news sources rapidly disappear, “pink slime” journalism slowly attempts to fill the void. “Pink slime” journalism utilizes partisan reporting, mis- and disinformation, and political propaganda that disguises itself as legitimate local news, exploiting the vulnerability of news deserts and threatening journalistic integrity.^2,3,4 However, a Stanford University study under preliminary review finds that consumer usage of these sites still remains low, signaling that the ability to revive trusted local news remains hopeful.

Community- and federal-based solutions are critical to revitalizing local news. The Southern Newspaper Publishers Association granted $25,000 to Charleston, South Carolina newspaper The Post and Courier in an effort to help expand local news in deserts across the state.⁵ At the state and federal level, legislation such as the Local Journalism Sustainability Act (a bipartisan bill that would provide tax credits for subscriptions and employment at local news organizations) could provide needed support to the struggling industry.^6,7,8,9

1. “The State of Local News”. Abernathy. Northwestern Local News Initiative. June, 2022. https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/research/state-of-local-news/report/ 

2. “As ‘pink slime’ aims to fill local news vacuum, is anyone reading?” Caro. Northwestern Local News Initiative. March, 2023. https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2023/03/28/pink-slime-stanford-study/ 

3. “‘Journalistic meat or fraudulent filler’ – What is pink slime journalism?” David. Poynter. October, 2022. https://www.poynter.org/tfcn/2022/journalistic-meat-or-fraudulent-filler-what-is-pink-slime-journalism/ 

4. “‘Pink slime’ network gets $1.6M election boost from PACs backed by oil-and-gas, shipping magnates”. Bengani. Columbia Journalism Review. October, 2022. https://www.cjr.org/tow_center/pink-slime-network-gets-1-6m-election-boost-from-pacs-backed-by-oil-and-gas-shipping-magnates.php 

5. “Post and Courier awarded $25K grant to stem news deserts throughout SC”. Altman. The Post and Courier. April, 2023. https://www.postandcourier.com/news/post-and-courier-awarded-25k-grant-to-stem-news-deserts-throughout-sc/article_23e50af0-de06-11ed-9f1f-779896cecb25.html 

6. “Summary: H.R.3940 — 117th Congress (2021-2022)”. Congress.Gov. https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3940

7. “Rebuilding Local News”. Rebuild Local News. https://www.rebuildlocalnews.org/solutions/our-plan/ 

8. “Pro-Journalism Legislation Faces a Make-or-Break Session”. Burns. Northwestern Local News Initiative. October, 2022. https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2022/10/31/jcpa-congress-lame-duck/index.html 

9. “The case for government support of local journalism”. Caro. Northwestern Local News Initiative. March, 2023. https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/posts/2023/03/01/anna-brugmann-rebuild-local-news/index.html