In these strange times, as we stay at home and self-quarantine in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, many of us find ourselves redefining community — at least temporarily.
My wife and I have set up Zoom cocktail parties with various friends, attended virtual book readings, participated in Zoom exercise meet-ups, Zoom movie watching and even a game of Zoom bananagrams. But there is something important for all of us to do to ensure that our local community stays vibrant and strong during these difficult times — support our local newspapers.
For years, print media outlets across the country have been struggling to find innovative ways to continue investigative journalism. The continual attacks on the free press by the current president of the United States has made media outlets even more vulnerable. Since the 2016 election, I subscribed to many magazines and newspapers in an effort to support the brave journalists in the face of constant attacks and bullying from the current administration. I even bought subscriptions for family and friends because a free press is the cornerstone of a thriving democracy.
The COVID-19 pandemic has reminded me of the importance of truth and open information to the health of a population. While the daily press briefings continue to be littered with lies from the president, it is the journalists who spend countless hours fact-checking and sharing up-to-date information backed by science. But being sequestered from much of my local community has made me think more locally. It is not just crucial to support the national news, but our local news as well.
On March 24, Gazette Publisher Michael Moses wrote a letter to readers. He described the need to reduce expenses and lay off staff — a measure he hopes is temporary. Just the other day, I received a link for donations to the Gazette so they can provide news on COVID-19 to the public at no cost. Both are distress signals for our local paper.
Local newspapers across the country are essential to the health, civic engagement and social cohesion of a community. Research has shown that when local newspapers shut their doors, the community within which they reported does not fare well. It turns out, what the public loses is more than just local stories.
Local reporting is directly linked to disease surveillance as it is often the vehicle for revealing unique illnesses in communities. The World Health Organization encourages countries to supplement their official surveillance with what they call event-based surveillance, a more informal process of surveillance that relies on local journalism to uncover outbreaks and public health matters that might otherwise be missed.
The financial health of a community is also impacted by such closings. Without the scrutiny into government accountability, the cost of not having a paper becomes greater than the cost of investing in that paper. In a 2018 study, researchers found that when local papers shut down, within three years the financial costs became apparent. Municipal salaries increased (median increase equals $1.4 million), average taxes increased ($85 per capita), and average deficits increased ($53 per capita). It also became more expensive for municipalities to borrow money as municipal bond rates increased by 5.5 points.
Politically, in communities where local newspapers closed, fewer candidates ran for mayor (and or local legislative positions) and fewer people in that community voted. Local newspapers are responsible for providing government accountability, including information on local legislative issues and how public monies are spent.
While we have many different places to obtain news these days, our local news sources remain critical for keeping our community active. At a time when many of us yearn for connection and seek new ways of building community, the stories within the local newspaper keep us connected to each other.
These times are financially hard for all of us. Many have lost their jobs and are unsure of what the future holds. Supporting the local paper is not manageable for everyone. But if you are able, ensuring the survival of our local news is one way to ensure our community stands long after this pandemic.
Gloria DiFulvio, of Hadley, is a faculty member in the Health Promotion and Policy Department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and director of the Undergraduate Program in Public Health.