The path to restoring journalism as a pillar of our democracy

Dorothy Butler Gilliam, the first Black woman reporter at The Washington Post, said in 2019, “When journalists are being called ‘an enemy of the people,’ and Black women reporters, and other reporters, are being called names and treated with such disrespect, I think it’s just so important to remind people of the importance of the media.”

Robust, quality journalism, particularly at the local level, is undoubtedly critical for a functioning democracy. It supports civic engagement and provides communities with vital information on issues such as health care, public safety and economic development. Journalism provides the tools necessary for a well-informed public and sustainable self-government.

Unfortunately, journalism today is unable to meet the civic information needs of our nation’s communities. This is not particularly surprising given that journalism has been facing a decline for years. Waves of media consolidation has led to newspapers laying off nearly half of their employees since 2008. Hedge funds, who own controlling stakes in local and regional newspapers across the country, have implemented cost-cutting strategies that have significantly diminished newsrooms. Thousands of communities now live in news deserts — places with little to no access to local news.

Despite the diversity that makes up our nation’s communities, there are still significant gaps in what news stories the media covers and what issues are presented as part of our civic discourse. This is directly tied to the abysmal rates at which women and people of color own broadcast stations. A media ecosystem where women and people of color are not present in programming, newsroom jobs