Local news is information about events that directly affect a specific geographic area. It plays a critical role in providing community members with important civic information and fostering local identity and engagement by covering the issues that matter most to them. Local news also serves as a watchdog for local government and public services, holding officials accountable and informing communities of local issues and decisions that impact their daily lives.
In 2022, nearly half (49%) of Americans reported that they get local news at least occasionally. Of those who report getting local news, most are highly satisfied with the information they receive. However, there is significant variation across the different topics that local news covers, with the exception of news about weather and sports.
Among those who get local news, most are highly satisfied with news about local traffic and sports (63% and 44% respectively). People are less satisfied with news about the economy (26%), and more dissatisfied with news about local politics and government (14%).
While there is much to celebrate about these trends, the future of local journalism remains a concern. In order to ensure that the needs of local communities are met, strategies can be taken that provide audiences with more relevant and trustworthy local news. These include partnerships between for-profit and nonprofit media companies, collaborative reporting between multiple stakeholders and newsrooms, and alternative reporting approaches like solutions journalism and restorative narratives.