Across Western North Carolina and Central Appalachia, the absence of local media outlets leaves many of our communities without the vital local information needed for longterm health and resilience, especially for community members who don't speak English. In this episode, we speak with Ryan Eller, Executive Director of the Appalachia Funders Network, about the state of rural news, how crises like COVID-19, Hurricane Helene, and political polarization demonstrate its importance, and opportunities to strengthen and sustain local media outlets across our region.

Learn more through these resources mentioned in the podcast: