A coalition of more than 100 newspapers is calling on state lawmakers to pass legislation that could keep doors open in struggling newsrooms across the state.

North Country This Week is among the founding members of the Empire State Local News Coalition, a joint advocacy effort to advance legislation that would deliver long-term sustainability to local news organizations

The coalition is launching at a watershed moment for the journalism industry — and democracy. 

Since 2005, more than 3,000 newspapers have shuttered across the country, according to research at Northwestern University. That has resulted in thousands of layoffs and communities losing essential platforms for reporting on local government.

New York State experienced a 40% decrease in newspapers between 2004 and 2019, according to University of North Carolina research, and the number of journalists has halved.

“Democracy places a responsibility on citizens to be informed so they can effectively participate in the electoral process and in local government. A trusted local news source is essential for that to happen,” said Bill Shumway, editor & publisher of North Country This Week / NorthCountryNow.com.

“This legislation would ensure we can continue covering local government meetings as part of our comprehensive coverage of six village and town boards, the Ogdensburg City Council and the St. Lawrence County Legislature. Healthy communities need an unbiased news organization to connect, enrich and inform citizens.”

Other founding members of the Empire State Local News Coalition from northern and central New York include Ogden Newspapers, owner of the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Saranac Lake, and the Lake Placid News; Johnson Newspapers, owner of Watertown Daily Times and three St. Lawrence County weeklies; Daily Gazette Inc., owner of the Schenectady Gazette, Amsterdam Recorder and Gloversville Leader-Herald; Sentinel Media, owner of the Rome Daily Sentinel and Utica Daily Sentinel; and Capital Region Independent Media, owner of seven Albany area weeklies.

There is a growing number of New York State communities with little to no access to local newspaper coverage: 13 counties are down to just one newspaper and Orleans County is the first with no local newspaper at all.

The decline of local journalism is a threat to the health of our democracy, coalition members emphasize. 

If newspapers continue to shutter, communities across the state risk being effectively disenfranchised, losing the ability to shape policy conversations and hold local officials accountable, coalition members say.

“All New Yorkers deserve to have their voices heard, and hometown newspapers are key to that mission. We urge government officials and local stakeholders to rally behind us, safeguarding democracy and bolstering the future of local journalism in New York,” said founding member Zachary Richner, director of Long Island-based Richner Communications.

The Empire State Local News Coalition is championing legislation that ensures local papers will survive through the 21st century and beyond. Key priorities include:

• The Local Journalism Sustainability Act (S.625B/A2958C): Sponsored by Sen. Hoylman-Sigal, provides tax credits to local news outlets for the employment of local news journalists. The bill ensures New York’s journalists and supporting workers will have job stability while paving the way for more hiring opportunities and an expanded workforce in the future.
• This proposal would incentivize local businesses to advertise in local media, driving revenue for hometown papers, while connecting businesses with their customers.

A 2022 analysis found approximately 354 newsrooms in New York State would benefit from the local journalism payroll tax credit.

“Professionally-reported, fact-checked local news forges community, keeps elected officials in check, and strengthens democracy. This important legislation would help fortify our business and allow us to keep reinvesting in high-quality local journalists,” said Adam Stone, publisher at Examiner Media in Westchester.

“Independent local newspapers serve as the vital threads weaving together stories of triumphs and challenges, keeping us connected to our neighborhoods and shared experiences,” said Bradley Waters, president and publisher, Sentinel Media Co.

The coalition’s website is at SaveNYLocalNews.com .