Local News Is Good for Business

It's no secret that America's confidence in national mass media has dropped to a record low. But Americans still trust their local newspaper. According to a 2023 national survey of 5,000 adults, local newspapers are the most reliable and trusted media source of original reporting, more than television, radio, and social media.

Trust in local newspapers extends across age groups, demographics, and party lines. People value the reliable local reporting that newspapers deliver and recognize the importance of having a healthy local newspaper in their community. In fact, 74 percent of Americans believe it is important to have a local newspaper provide community news and information. Six out of 10 Americans turn to a local for advertising information about local businesses.

? Local newspapers shine a light on issues.

? Local newspapers are a trusted advertising source.

? Supporting local newspapers makes a difference.

The Southwest Connector, a local newspaper in Minneapolis, still delivers newspapers to people’s front doors the old-fashioned way, with a newspaper placed door-to-door by a carrier walking from house to house in all kinds of weather. The Southwest Connector is published twice a month and delivers 25,000 copies of each edition.

The Connector is one of three newspapers publisher Tesha M. Christensen owns with her TMC Publications CO group. The Longfellow Nokomis Messenger (22,000 copies monthly) and Midway Como Frogtown Monitor (23,500 copies monthly) are the others.

I write a column for the Southwest Connector, lead audience development and community engagement, and support revenue growth. In December, we started a monthly community speaker series called "Let's Connect" that celebrates great locals doing great things. We are rebooting the Southwest Connector newsletter and have more new and exciting things on the horizon for the newspaper.

However, getting all of the papers delivered to the front door has gotten a little harder after our longtime delivery service, Independent Delivery Service (IDS), shut down at the end of December 2023 after being a staple in the Twin Cities for 50 years since 1973. The IDS owners decided to close up shop after some publications stopped using IDS, and others cut back on weekly deliveries.

One publication dropped its print circulation, opted for paid subscribers to get the paper in the mail, and shifted its focus to its website. Another publication discontinued its free weekend products, the small editions with lifestyle content, coupons, and sale flyers. The decrease in business for IDS added up to over 450,000 deliveries a month and made business operations unsustainable.

That won't stop Christensen from delivering the Connector, the Messenger, or the Monitor. TMC Publications has joined forces with three other local papers, the Northeaster, St. Paul Publishing, Community Reporter to deliver papers.

?? If you want to join our group of carriers, send a note to [email protected].

Christensen explains why we need printed newspapers:

"Why do we still want to deliver this way?

We do it because we want everyone to get a paper, to have the same information and news no matter whether you own or rent, have a big house or a small one, make a lot of money or just get by.

When you blanket a neighborhood like we do, the paper goes to all ages, all races, and all ethnic groups. There is no discrimination. We require no payment. Local businesses support the writers, printing, and delivery through ad sales.

And we do it because we believe it is vitally important.

Newspapers, as my children hear often, are fundamental to democracy, and neighborhood newspapers are a great equalizer. These small little papers are creating community with each issue that comes out.

You might say, they are community."

This is why good journalism matters and why revitalizing local news is vital.

Access to trustworthy and reliable news and information is more important than ever. Without quality local news and good journalism, people will suffer from more inefficient and expensive government, higher taxes, and the loss of community. When the public is well-informed, communities can prosper.

The good news is a lot of smart people (like TRACIE POWELL at The Pivot Fund , Kevin D. Grant at The GroundTruth Project , and Jim Brady at the Knight Foundation, among many others) are working on equitable solutions to strengthen local news and help local news thrive.

One of those solutions is SpotlightNews?, which has been developed by Spotlight Media Labs, Inc. SpotlightNews is a new way to distribute news that provides revenue for publishers and increases news literacy for readers. I am working with Spotlight CEO Tamer Morsy, Spotlight CTO David Kaufman, and the whole Spotlight team to grow SpotlightNews. We are on a mission to provide a sustainable path for news publishers and deliver news and information to the next generation.

But it's not just local news that can make communities stronger, safer, and healthier. We can get more connected and help more people prosper by supporting more things local.

Support local businesses. Support means buying something. Support the local shop you always walk past. Support the community organization you've always heard about doing good work. Support the places that need the support the most and will benefit most from the support.

Supporting local is not a revolutionary idea. Putting local newspapers and local news at the top of the local list is. We do that by being more generous.

Local news is good for business, and there are easy ways to support your local newspaper or local news service and ensure that quality local journalism remains in your community. You can subscribe to a paper, read the paper, visit their website, comment on articles, share articles, advertise, or sponsor an event.

In addition to all those ways to support local news organizations, the Community News and Small Business Support Act (HR 4756) has recently been introduced in Congress to provide tax incentives that bolster small businesses and local newspapers/media.

The bipartisan bill provides much-needed support to local newspapers and local media that invest in journalism and their communities. Ask your congressional representatives to support the Community News and Small Business Support Act. This legislation can:

? Bring back local jobs to community newsrooms.

? Strengthen Main Street businesses.

? Increase access to information that reflects hometown values.

?? Visit www.supportcommunitynews.com to learn more.

The local news issue impacts everyone in every community in the United States. The good news is that we can strengthen local news in America. We can restore faith in journalism. We can create more connected communities where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

The way we get there will require some paradigm shifts in journalism and education. Those shifts are in motion and getting stronger. Those shifts will create positive ripples in the world.

Stay tuned.