Local media outlets are essential for keeping citizens informed about local government, elections, and other civic events. In the digital age, the practice of ethical and effective journalism is more important than ever, as the press faces corporate ownership, public distrust, new forms of censorship, political controversy, and an unclear definition of what constitutes journalism. Deborah, a professional journalist with over 30 years of experience as a reporter, editor, and senior media executive, specializes in preserving quality journalism by helping news organizations succeed economically in the digital environment. Studies have revealed that counties at risk of losing a newspaper or running out of it are mostly located in the southern United States. Additionally, the average poverty rate is “substantially higher” in counties without newspapers than in counties with local news coverage.
Misinformation in the media is not a new phenomenon; however, it spreads quickly in today's social media speech environments. To gain a comprehensive understanding of information environments and their interaction with technology - particularly in the context of disinformation, partisanship, polarization, propaganda, and political institutions - interdisciplinary research and collaboration is necessary. Kreiss has published several articles and chapters that analyze the effects of changing media environments on the organization and practice of journalism. In addition to inconsistencies on social media platforms, platforms are also internally inconsistent when it comes to enforcing their own guidelines. This has led to large conglomerates backed by investors buying newspapers with the goal of reducing costs and making profits by any means necessary.
This has resulted in sharp cuts in newsroom staff in an effort to meet short-term profit objectives. In an era when there were few media sources, newspapers were able to position themselves as an effective way for advertisers to target consumers in a particular market. Any First Amendment role that more actively promotes public interest journalism will be subject to significant political difficulties. To address the decline of local news, legislators have proposed various forms of support - from direct government funding to indirect support in the form of regulatory, tax, and legal changes that strengthen journalism and allow local news organizations to thrive.
