Local news is collapsing at an alarming pace — more than 3,500 newspapers have vanished since 2005, with 130 disappearing just last year. In this episode, we interview Tim Franklin and Zach Metzger of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, the researchers behind the 2025 State of Local News report, which paints a dire picture of vanishing watchdogs, expanding news deserts, and a shrinking connection between journalism and the communities it serves. Yet amid the bleak data are signs of reinvention, from public radio stations stepping up to statewide networks and philanthropic partnerships gaining traction outside major metros. This isn't just a crisis — it's a make-or-break moment for rebuilding local journalism from the ground up.

Access more at this episode's landing page, at:

https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/the-state-of-local-news-more-urgency-than-optimism,258462