A closer look at communities labeled news deserts finds information and independent reporting continuing outside established newspaper structures, Nieman Lab reports. The Independent Journalism Atlas examined 46 of the 238 news-desert counties identified in Medill’s latest State of Local News report.
The project distinguishes routine updates, such as official notices and weather alerts, from reporting that supplies explanation and accountability. It also highlights new outlets that emerge after newspapers close, including the Anaconda Weekly Review in Montana.
The work adds nuance to assessments of local-news availability. A county may lack a traditional outlet without being entirely devoid of information, but the existence of updates alone does not establish that residents have sufficient independent journalism.
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