By Congressman Jim Himes
One of the most critical functions of a free press is to hold public officials – people like me – accountable. Local journalists have accomplished some of the best investigative reporting of the past 20 years, despite being cash-strapped and short-staffed. It was a tiny paper on Long Island, the North Shore Leader, that first reported on the glaring discrepancies in George Santos’ biography. Local reporters know where to look for a story. They know who the best sources are and how to reach them, and they have a personal stake in their stories.
Connecticut has over 80 local newspapers and 14 local television stations, but they have faced layoffs and cutbacks in the last few decades — a pattern exacerbated by COVID-19. Ironically, the pandemic reinforced the necessity for local news. In March of 2020, visits to local new sites rose 89% from the month before as Americans sought clarity on a disease that had drastically different impacts by state, county, and town. Local case numbers, vaccine information, school closures, and government responses could not be found in the national outlets but were shared by hometown papers and reporters. Nevertheless, ad revenue sank, and small outlets struggled. Between 2005 and 2021, an estimated 2,200 local print newspapers closed nationally, and newspaper employment fell by roughly 70 percent.
The decline in local newspapers is not affecting us all equally. According to Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, news deserts are rapidly growing, leaving one fifth of Americans, over 70 million people, with very limited or no access to local news.
This trend will deepen the isolation of marginalized communities, with consequences for American politics. Insufficient access to local news has been linked to less competitive elections and the entrenchment of the party-line, neither of which are in the best interest of a strong and enduring democracy. Local newspapers allow readers to consider each issue at an independent, personal level. Rather than falling into partisan divisiveness, the lens of local journalism often highlights how a community stands to gain – or lose – from choices made by their elected leaders. The impact of federal legislation– for example the bipartisan gun safety bill passed by Congress last summer, or the infrastructure law that went into effect in 2021 – varies widely from community to community. In a dangerously polarized country, personal connection is key.
The core tenet of any democracy is that community is strengthened by a multitude of voices. My time in Congress has made clear the necessity of dissenting opinions in reaching the best conclusion, and I look forward to respectful debates with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Thoughtful pushback against our beliefs exposes us to previously undiscovered perspectives and forces us to reexamine our principles to properly defend them. Debate without fear of censorship is perhaps our nation’s greatest asset, and a key reason why America remains a sanctuary for those fleeing oppressive regimes.
Sadly, too many American citizens turn to big national outlets not to learn the news or to be challenged, but rather to have pre-existing beliefs strengthened, cheered, and intensified. Social media, which has exploded in importance, is driven by algorithms designed to enrage, not to inform. Often, the only voice for truth, objectivity, and relevance is our local press. While any media outlet is subject to the biases of its writers, editors, or owners, a collective of good local journalism will ultimately point to the truth.
Congressman Jim Himes serves Connecticut’s Fourth Congressional District.
