DETROIT – Technology has made it possible to get news in many ways. But an alarming number of people lack access to real journalism at the local level.
On Tuesday (July 22) in downtown Detroit, a meeting of the minds aimed to address that problem.
Chuck Todd, former moderator of “Meet the Press,” and Catherine Badalamente, president and CEO of Graham Media Group, were among the leaders participating.
Michigan is one of the hardest-hit states in terms of the loss of local news. In the past two decades, 40% of Michigan’s newspapers have vanished.
At the Detroit Athletic Club, the impact on communities was a key topic of discussion.
“We are facing a crisis that doesn’t always make headlines but affects every single one of us,” a speaker said.
Across the country, more than 50 million Americans have little or no access to local news.
That lack of coverage from journalists working within their own communities has deep and measurable effects.
Studies show a drop in civic engagement, lower voter turnout in local elections, increased polarization, and higher levels of misinformation.
“Our misinformation crisis is fueled by people who were accidentally misinformed,” one participant noted.
On Tuesday afternoon, leaders in television, print, and radio gathered to discuss the changing landscape of news.
Graham Media Group president and CEO Catherine Badalamente spoke alongside Todd, who moderated one of the discussions, highlighting today’s divisions.
“National news isn’t going to earn its trust back until local news, the foundation of news, is rebuilt,” Todd said.
There is no easy solution to fixing the problem. But what was clear was the shared desire to reach people where they are — across platforms and in the communities where stories unfold.