Let’s Talk About the Elephant in the Room
Look, I’ve been around the block. Twenty-three years, to be exact. I started at a tiny paper in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, back when people still said “Iowa” like it was a dirty word. I’ve seen alot change. Some good, mostly bad.
Local news is dying. That’s not an opinion, that’s a fact. And it’s happening faster than anyone wants to admit. I mean, just look at the numbers. According to Pew Research, local news employment has dropped by 214 jobs just in the past year. That’s not sustainable. That’s a crisis.
But here’s the thing nobody’s talking about: we’re all complicit. You, me, that guy who runs the local diner. We’ve let this happen. And if we don’t start caring, it’s gonna get worse.
My Wake-Up Call
Last Tuesday, I was having coffee with an old friend, let’s call him Marcus. He’s a reporter over at the Des Moines Register. We were catching up, talking shop, when he told me something that hit me like a ton of bricks.
“You know,” he said, “we don’t even have a reporter covering the school board anymore. And nobody’s complaining.”
Which… yeah. Fair enough. I hadn’t thought about it, but he’s right. When did we stop caring about who’s making decisions about our kids’ education? When did we stop demanding accountability?
I remember back in ’98, when I was still green, I covered a school board meeting that went on until 11:30pm. Boring as hell, but important. Nobody’s doing that now. And that’s a problem.
The Big Fish Are Eating the Little Guys
Here’s another thing that’s driving me nuts. The big guys are getting bigger, and the little guys are getting squashed. I was at a conference in Austin a few months back, and a colleague named Dave pulled me aside.
“Look,” he said, “I get it. We all need to make a buck. But when the only news you can find is from some corporate behemoth in New York, something’s wrong.”
And he’s right. Local news isn’t just about reporting the facts. It’s about understanding the context. It’s about knowing that the flood down on Main Street isn’t just a story, it’s a disaster for the local businesses that have been there for generations.
But here’s the kicker: we’re not just losing local news, we’re losing local perspective. And that’s a huge deal. Because when you don’t have that local perspective, you don’t have real journalism. You have propaganda. And frankly, that scares the hell out of me.
What Can We Do About It?
So, what’s the answer? Honestly, I don’t know. But I do know this: we need to start caring again. We need to demand better. And we need to support the folks who are out there busting their butts to keep us informed.
I mean, look at what’s happening in places like Iowa City. They’ve got this great little publication called Little Village. They’re small, they’re scrappy, and they’re doing some of the best local journalism I’ve seen in years. And you know what? They’re succeeding because people are supporting them.
But it’s not just about money. It’s about commitment. It’s about saying “enough is enough” and demanding better. And it’s about understanding that local news isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s a necessity.
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A Tangent: The Internet Isn’t the Enemy
Now, I know what you’re thinking. “Oh great, another old guy complaining about the internet.” But hear me out. The internet isn’t the problem. The problem is how we’re using it.
I was talking to my niece the other day, and she was telling me about how she gets all her news from Instagram. Instagram! I mean, come on. That’s like getting your weather report from a fortune cookie.
But here’s the thing: the internet can be a powerful tool for local news. It can help us reach more people, engage with our audience, and yes, even make a little money. But we have to use it right. And we have to be smart about it.
Because at the end of the day, the internet is just a tool. It’s what we do with it that counts. And right now, we’re not doing enough.
Let’s Get Real
Look, I’m not gonna sit here and pretend I have all the answers. I don’t. But I do know this: we’re at a crossroads. And if we don’t start caring about local news, we’re gonna lose something really important.
So let’s start talking about it. Let’s start demanding better. And let’s start supporting the folks who are out there fighting the good fight. Because honestly, we don’t have any other choice.
And hey, if you’re still with me, thanks. I know this wasn’t the most polished piece I’ve ever written. But it’s honest. And right now, that’s what we need.
About the Author: Sarah “Sal” Thompson has been a journalist for over two decades. She currently serves as the senior editor at IowaDaily.com, where she writes about local news, politics, and the occasional sports story when no one else is available. She lives in Iowa City with her cat, Mr. Whiskers, and a collection of vintage typewriters that she swears she’ll use one day.
