Local news continues to be a big part of the media landscape. Americans are following their local news less closely than they did eight years ago, but they still feel strongly that it is important to them. But as advertising revenue has declined and audiences have moved online, many local outlets are struggling to maintain a profitable model.
Most of the time, Americans get their local news from a television station or newspaper in their own community. TV stations operate in designated market areas (DMAs) based on population and geographic size. The same is true for radio stations. This means that people living outside of the DMA cannot access the broadcast signal. However, most of these local broadcasts are available digitally via websites, apps, emails or social media posts.
This has helped some local news organizations to survive. But, as the new report points out, these organizations will need to find other ways to raise funds if they want to remain independent and continue reporting on issues that are important to their communities.
One way for local news to do this is to offer services that make it more attractive to advertisers. For example, offering daily notifications to users that help them stretch, breathe or give positive reinforcement can increase engagement with the content and also provide opportunities for partnerships with local fitness centers, spas or wellness brands. In addition, local news sites can use technology to offer data-driven information that helps readers navigate their communities and stay up to date on important information. This can include things like weather forecasts, event calendars and traffic information.
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