In a time where local news coverage is dwindling, the importance of journalism in informing voters and uncovering election scandals is more critical than ever. In North Carolina, the lack of local news coverage played a role in a congressional election scandal that led to a do-over. An expert on declining local news coverage, Penny Muse Abernathy, highlights how the decrease in quality and quantity of local news has led to voter apathy and decreased participation in local elections.
The scandal in the North Carolina 9th Congressional District, where absentee ballots were manipulated, was not initially uncovered by local journalists but by political scientists. This emphasizes the impact of shrinking newsrooms in local newspapers on political transparency and trust in the electoral process. Carolina Public Press, a nonprofit in North Carolina, is working to fill in the gaps left by traditional newspapers by providing investigative journalism that drives legislative change.
Around the country, efforts are being made to fill in news deserts through innovative solutions, such as student-led newspapers and nonprofit organizations taking over for-profit news outlets. However, the rise of news-like publications filled with partisan content poses a new challenge to ensuring accurate and unbiased reporting. As the importance of local news outlets continues to be recognized, it is crucial for communities to support independent journalism that keeps them informed about what matters most to them.
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