New Hope for Local News

Back in my reporting days, the Cleveland Plain Dealer was one of my “dream papers.”

For journalists like me, it was destination paper where reporters could earn a decent living and have access to the resources and support to dig into big stories and meaningful investigative pieces.

And, of course, the name was cool.

Those days – and that dream -- are long since gone. The Plain Dealer is a shell of its storied past following years of slash-and-burn to newsroom staff.

While Cleveland is far from alone in experiencing the dramatic decline in local journalism, the unraveling there has seemed particularly pronounced.

That’s why my heart soared with the news that the Cleveland Foundation has partnered with the American Journalism Project to launch a nonprofit newsroom in 2022.

We’ve been heartened to see similar ventures sprouting up in cities like Wichita, Milwaukee, and Atlanta.

But this one stands apart in its scope and ambition. It will launch with 25 reporters backed by a nearly $6 million in funding.

First and foremost, this is great news for journalists and the communities that will benefit from the enhanced coverage of local news and key issues.

Yet it is also very welcome news for anyone working in communications and PR.

Dwindling newsrooms has had a negative ripple effect on those of us who are trying to get coverage of organizations we represent and issues that matter.

Pitching media has never been more challenging. But if we can see more legitimate news outlets sprout up, we will have a better chance of placing stories and keeping the public informed.

Local news is the lifeblood of American democracy and essential to much of the work we do. Now is the time to support local news startups that are providing hope for the future of journalism — and our democracy.

That’s a dream we all can get behind.