Trusted and reliable, local newspapers matter to their communities

Dean Ridings, CEO | America's Newspapers

A recent Gallup study showed that American’s confidence in the national mass media has reached a near record low. While that’s disturbing, it’s not unexpected. The digital age has brought a barrage of national news sources that are focused on sound bites, opinions, partisan views and a race to push out breaking news, even if it hasn’t been properly fact-checked or vetted. The problem has been exasperated by social media channels that allow disinformation to be distributed virtually unchecked.

However, Americans feel differently when it comes to their local newspaper. According to a 2023 national survey of 5,000 adults, local newspapers are the most relied on and trusted media source of original reporting: more than television and radio, and significantly more than social media. Trust in local newspapers extends across age groups and demographics, as adults of all segments recognize the value of reliable local reporting that newspapers deliver.

READ MORE and REPRINT EDITORIAL

LEARN MORE about the Community News & Small Business Support Act

Senior executives: We need your assistance with a very important project

Please take 10 minutes to take our Health of Local Newspapers survey. The results of this study are critical to America’s Newspapers advocacy efforts in Congress.  

https://survey.alchemer-ca.com/s3/50216472/StateofLocalNewspapers

This study will broadly examine the current state of local newspapers and the outlook for the next few years. We are asking you to provide the information for your newspaper, or group of newspapers, to the best of your ability. This is not a deep dive into financials, we are looking for directional information. 

As always, time is of the essence. We are having regular discussions with members of the House of Representatives and Senate and would like to provide results as quickly as possible. Please take 10 minutes and answer the survey as soon as you can.

READ MORE

Boone Newsmedia and Carpenter Newsmedia announce plans to separate the companies; leadership changes announced

Boone Newsmedia, Inc [BNI], and Carpenter Newsmedia, LLC [CNL], which have jointly owned and managed newspapers for the past two decades, announced to employees last week that a long-planned, orderly transition to separate companies has begun. A number of leadership changes also were announced.

READ MORE

Paxton Media Group acquires The Southern Illinoisan newspaper

Paxton Media Company (PMG), a family-owned media company currently managed by fifth generation family members, has agreed to purchase The Southern Illinoisan newspaper. Lee Enterprises had owned The Southern Illinoisan since 1979.

READ MORE

Carlos Mureithi named Africa climate correspondent for AP

Carlos Mureithi comes to the AP from the Christian Science Monitor, where he covered a wide range of stories as Africa correspondent, from refugees fleeing South Sudan to African animators creating cartoons focused on African kids.

READ MORE

Matthew Brown named race and politics reporter with The Associated Press

Matthew Brown has been hired as our new race and politics reporter, joining AP’s growing national Race and Ethnicity team.

He will be working closely with the politics and democracy teams, as we gear up for what will undoubtedly be a most consequential 2024 election cycle.

READ MORE