Local
What the Local News Desert Numbers Actually Show
Northwestern Medill's reporting puts the loss at roughly a third of American newspapers since 2005 — the transferable lesson is narrower than the eulogy.
Nathan Brooks · August 26, 2026
Local
Coverage of journalism at city and county level: closures and launches, staffing at surviving papers, the spread of news deserts, and research linking lost coverage to lower turnout and higher municipal borrowing costs. Read by community publishers, local officials and philanthropies funding regional reporting.
Local
What a News Desert Actually Measures — and What It Misses
The county-level count is the best supply map local journalism has, and it was never built to tell you whether anyone is at the council meeting.
Nathan Brooks · August 17, 2026
Local
How to Cover the Local Housing Market With Public Data Nobody Else Reads
Permits, assessments, deeds, and HUD datasets turn housing coverage from vibes into numbers — a monthly routine a one-reporter desk can run with a spreadsheet.
Nathan Brooks · August 10, 2026
Local
Reporting in a Local Weather Emergency: The Checklist That Runs Before the Storm Does
The outlets that serve communities in disasters prepare in calm weather — charged gear, standing source lists, pre-written explainers, and a publishing plan that assumes the power is out.
Rosa Marchetti · July 18, 2026
Local
How Local Newsrooms Partner With Student Journalists Without Exploiting Either Side
Paid, credited, edited work — the partnerships that last treat students as staff and the newsroom as a teaching hospital, with liability and credit rules written before the first assignment.
Rosa Marchetti · June 25, 2026