Local News & Information

Ken Doctor’s media brand Lookout in Santa Cruz and Eugene, Oregon uses AI to automate the assembly of hyperlocal neighborhood newsletters from public data sources like permits, roadwork, inspections, crime reports, weather, and events. But Lookout is more than a local news outlet. It is a platform for solving local problems together with the... See more

In 2019, 21% of Americans had ever met a local reporter, down from 26% in 2016. That’s not surprising given that the number of reporters per 100,000 has dropped a staggering 62% since 2004. That will lead to local news being less trusted.

We’re the providers of information and we want to be the distributors. But Google now wants to be the distributor.

Journalists are needed so people have access to the information and answers they need to guide their lives.

1/This study suggests that global use of social media over time leads to global sorting into just two primary camps, or worldviews. If their hypothesis is correct, it has profound implications for the world in the coming years. h/t @jonathanstray https://t.co/sPbQufHfSG https://t.co/DgFukvxvh5

Brown and Jaźwińska posit that there are some counterforces in the publisher toolkit, including owned-and-operated platforms and cultivating more direct relationships with audiences.