What can we learn from digital-first news orgs?
The term “news desert” was coined to label the growing swaths of the country that lack local news coverage. These deserts have been expanding as newspapers and other media outlets across the U.S. have struggled to stay afloat. Residents in more than half of U.S. counties have no, or very limited, access to a reliable local news source — either print, digital or broadcast.
Digital news startups are launching to fill the gap. They face steep challenges but are also employing innovative tactics to stay afloat – tactics that may ultimately be useful to traditional media outlets.
