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WARC suggests that reports of the news industry’s death have been greatly exaggerated.
On one hand, local newsrooms are being gutted or shut down everywhere, but this also is a time of experimentation and innovation as the industry looks for a new way forward, according to a new report by The Poynter Institute.
Surveys suggest people suffer from news fatigue but, as is often the case with survey data, that tells an incomplete story. People may be fatigued by how the news is often presented, but that doesn’t mean they are fatigued with news. In fact, the Poynter report suggests many people want better explanations of complex stories and news that focuses on solutions rather than problems.
Local media is transforming, with niche publications popping up in communities across the US and social media influencers playing a larger role in disseminating news. Legacy outlets are also experimenting with new ways of reaching their communities and generating revenue – like the 100-year-old radio station in Fargo, North Dakota, that is making a killing livestreaming local high school sports to subscribers for $19.99 a month.
On a larger scale, The Economist now has a podcasting staff of 30 people whose content is available via an audio subscription. Organizations such as Table Media have created specialist newsletters dedicated to addressing issues in depth. The Financial Times has a low-cost newsletter aimed at people who don’t want to pay for a full subscription.
In a way, it’s a back-to-the-future moment. In 1860, there were 3,000 newspapers published in the US, many of which were aimed at specific audiences. (By contrast years later, in the so-called heyday of media, there were fewer than 2,000 papers serving, of course, a much larger national population.) Some of these 19th century papers came and went in a blink, while others became entrenched. But it was a spirit of, “Let’s see what works,” much like today.
The report is rich, with details about foundations sponsoring innovative journalism, examples of how AI can assist and not replace reporters, and stories of nontraditional outlets making a huge splash in their home regions.