Democracy, Journalism, & the Informed Community: News Deserts
Without local journalism, people are more disconnected from their communities, more uninformed about local events, and less aware of developments that impact their own backyards.
Insufficient news coverage has been linked to more corruption in local government, less competitive elections, weaker municipal finances, and the pervasiveness of party-line politicians who don’t care about their constituents.
Listen to five perspectives from Maine on the impact of News Deserts, from interviews with:
Eric Conrad – Former Executive Director and Editor, The Maine Monitor, Augusta, Maine
Sarah Fuller – Town Council Chair, Winthrop, Maine
Emily Hayes – Former Reporter and Writer, The Lincoln County News, Newcastle, Maine
Judy Meyer – Managing Editor, Sun Journal, Lewiston, Maine
Bill Nemitz – Former Columnist, Portland Press Herald, Portland, Maine
These interviews were created with a grant from the Maine Humanities Council. They were created in collaboration with the nonprofit organization, Oral History and Folklike Research, Inc. To listen in more detail to each interview, check out the embedded podcasts below.