Americans need accurate, contextual news and information to make decisions that help our communities thrive. It’s tempting to think that means news leaders need only focus on gathering and publishing facts. But local news has other essential roles that complement and enhance reporting.
Media should also be a force for social connection, a convener of people across differences and a facilitator for what to do after the facts are laid bare.
In some ways, local and community-based media have long served this role. Opinion sections, for instance, are one way legacy newspapers have created space for conversation about what people find important or necessary. Radio talk shows do this, too, as do the various in-person and online forums we’ve seen with the rise and growth of the internet.
