By Dee Anne Finken, LWV of Clark County, and Delores Irwin, LWV of Kittitas County, Local News Study Co-chairs

The state study The Decline of Local News and Its Impact on Democracy is nearly complete and goes to the LWVWA Board of Directors for consideration at its September meeting. Meanwhile, study committee members are preparing a presentation to share highlights of the report with local Leagues. The study focuses on the impact that the closure of local newspapers—whether print, online, or a hybrid version—has had on life in Washington state.

While the United States has lost more than a quarter of its local newspapers since 2004, Washington state has lost about 20%, with the closure of more than two dozen weeklies and three dailies. The loss of newspaper jobs in Washington state is greater than the national average—the Evergreen State has lost 67% of its newsroom employees compared with 50% nationwide.

The report also talks about the effect of reduced coverage by existing papers. Coverage by remaining local news publications, both nationally and statewide, has decreased dramatically, with hundreds of papers publishing far fewer pages—in some cases as much as 50% fewer.

The LWVWA study looks at whether the state has experienced the same results that national studies have identified: less oversight of local government, higher financing costs for public construction projects, reduced voter participation, less community engagement, and other developments.

In a nutshell, the findings about the impact of the decline for both Washington state and the nation can be summarized in this observation by a Washington State University communications professor: “It’s not a journalism problem. It’s a democracy problem.”

An early overview of the study is available now. Committee members Joanne Lisosky and Carol Rikerd, both of the Tacoma-Pierce County League, have produced a three-minute video of the report. Meanwhile the 10-member study committee is preparing an hour-long program of the study’s highlights for local Leagues (available after Oct. 2), which will be helpful for those Leagues seeking details in advance of considering the report’s consensus questions and a potential policy position vote at the LWVWA convention in May 2023.

If your local League would like the committee to present the program via Zoom, contact co-chairs Dee Anne Finken or Delores Irwin.