News Deserts Bring Misinformation, Stereotypes, and ‘Parachute Journalism’. But There Is a Way To Fight Them.
The U.S. community newspapers have long been fighting an uphill battle. Once a leading source of information for their respective neighborhoods, local papers have since suffered a loss of funds, layoffs, and closures.
The growing news deserts in rural and suburban America created a vacuum, too easily filled with misinformation. Events important to communities are left unreported by bigger outlets, while major stories are subject to ‘parachute journalism’, and therefore to stereotyping and misrepresentation.
The battle is not over, however. Both public and private initiatives are fighting to stem the tide of the news desertification. Newsmatics’ Affinity Group Publishing is seeking just that – returning local communities their own voice.
The Growing Newspaper Void
In 2004, local papers were the chief source of community news across the States. Residents stayed informed on local cultural events, sports teams’ accomplishments, weddings, deaths, everything that held importance mainly for the given town.
Major and regional outlets, in turn, cited local journalists when reporting on their respective communities.
Relying primarily on advertising revenue, and, to a lesser amount, on readers’ subscriptions, local outlets built a functioning business model. This system was not, however, ready for the major economic downturns that lay ahead.
The 2008 financial crisis struck a first major blow. Local companies closed down, drying up the advertising revenue. Subscribers sought to cut down personal spending; apparently, the local paper was something they could do without. Especially since social media soon became a free alternative source of news.
The covid pandemic, the lockdown, and the resulting economic crisis hastened the decline even further. Smaller and poorer communities were the most affected, as there simply was not enough capital to sustain a local newspaper.
Some outlets tried to adapt – slimming down the staff, transforming from dailies to weeklies, or going digital. Moving online presented its own challenges, however, since the digital advertising market is by two-thirds dominated by Facebook and Google. Oftentimes, these changes just delayed the inevitable.
Other failing newspapers were swallowed up by larger regional media or bought out by private equities and hedge funds. These new owners tend to focus on maximizing the profit rather than the outlet’s sutainability, its staff or readers. Some use outright predatory tactics when buying out and cannibalizing struggling publications.
Since 2004, around 9,000 newspapers have closed down. Out of America’s 3,143 counties, around 2,000 have no daily newspaper, 1,500 have only one outlet, and 200 have none at all.
What Fills the Vacuum? Misinformation and Stereotypes
The dangers of news deserts go deeper than residents losing touch with their communities.
While the covid pandemic hastened the decline, it also highlighted the importance of local media. Without a reliable source for relaying credible information from public officials and medical professionals, the vacuum was filled with misinformation. Without the editorial oversight of newsrooms, social media proved conducive to dangerous fake news.
The loss of local newspapers also shapes the image of their communities. Missing the hands-on approach of resident journalists, major media turn to ‘parachute journalism’ instead.
Outside reporters are ‘air-dropped’ in, scrambling to make sense of local complexities. Having limited time to finish their story, these journalists have little chance to fully grasp the context of their environment. Instead, their perspective is shaped by first impressions, stereotypes, and prejudices.
This leads not only to misrepresentation of the story but also perpetuates the stereotypical image of the ‘flyover country.’
Through the lenses of a city reporter, rural areas can convey a vibe of a sluggish backwater, while industrial regions can feel like a gray, desolate semi-dystopia. This further reinforces the sense that apart from a few irregular and unexpected happenings, these communities are not worth reporting on. After all, big outlet journalists write mainly for their audiences ‘back home’, not for the locals.
Stemming the Tide
Both public broadcasters and private initiatives are looking for ways to stop the growth of news deserts. Digitalization may have presented challenges to legacy media outlets, but it also represents a chance for transformation and growth.
Newsmatics’ Affinity Group Publishing (AGP) strives for just that. By launching thousands of unique online publications, dedicated to all of the world’s countries, the US states, and its territories, the company seeks to give back voice to smaller communities.
Currently, Newsmatics indexes hundreds of the US’ local and regional online outlets, republishing their content on relevant AGP publications. By giving community media free exposure, Newsmatics hope to breathe a new life into local reporting.
This is only the beginning, however. The AGPs strive to become the go-to place for local announcements, events, service postings, or job offerings. The Affinity Group Publications are to become a community platform, a connection between local citizens, aspiring journalists, and entrepreneurs.
New technologies are certain to transform the world of news. Whether for better or worse depends both on the media publications and their readers.
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