Local news is vanishing fast, and what’s replacing it isn’t filling the void. Over 2,000 communities have lost their newspapers in the last 20 years. That’s like shutting down 2.5 papers every single week. These closures hit poor and rural areas hardest, leaving folks with no way to track local elections, schools, or crime. Even big cities like Austin and San Antonio are feeling the pinch, with empty press tables at city council meetings.

The shift to digital hasn’t saved local news. Sure, more people scroll social media or check websites for updates, but online ads don’t pay enough to keep reporters on the beat. Newspapers that survive are often “ghost papers”—shells of their former selves, crammed with clickbait instead of city hall scoops. Meanwhile, shady “pink slime” sites backed by political dark money are popping up, peddling fake stories that divide communities.

Trust in media is tanking, and it’s no wonder. With fewer journalists holding power accountable, corruption thrives. Studies show towns without local news have higher taxes and lower voter turnout. Polarization spikes too, as national cable news and partisan ranters drown out hometown voices. Even public safety suffers—when disaster strikes, who’s left to warn families or coordinate help?

Conservatives see this crisis as a wake-up call. Grassroots journalism matters for freedom and accountability. Letting Big Tech monopolize ads while local papers starve isn’t the answer. Instead, solutions should empower communities: tax breaks for small news startups, nonprofits partnering with churches or civic groups, and readers stepping up to fund honest reporting. The goal isn’t handouts—it’s rebuilding a Fourth Estate that’s rooted in Main Street, not D.C. or Silicon Valley.

Local news shouldn’t be a luxury. It’s the glue holding towns together, the watchdog keeping bureaucrats honest, and the antidote to toxic national divides. Saving it means fighting for truth at the street level—where real life happens.