On the one hand, good local news coverage brings big societal benefits, as multiple studies have found. When newspapers shrink or close, voter turnout and civic engagement tend to decline, while political corruption and polarization rise. Even I — a journalist, obviously — have been surprised by the magnitude of these findings.
On the other hand, some of the country’s largest local newspaper owners, like GateHouse Media (which recently bought Gannett) and Alden Global Capital, don’t seem to care about good local news coverage. They’re stripping newspapers of their assets to make a buck. So if you decide to support your local newspaper by subscribing to it, you may be supporting good journalism — but you may not.