Why do we need journalists?

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A lot of people on the internet have been cheering on the death of journalism over the past 48 hours. But the decline of journalism is already having a profound and unimaginable impact on our information ecosystem and democracy.

Share these stats the next time you see someone say that layoffs in journalism are a good thing:

* Cities and regions with no local news pay higher taxes and have less democratic engagement.

* Voter turnout is lower in areas without journalism and news organizations.

* People are less likely to vote in down-ballot and midterm elections in areas with fewer news outlets.

* The fewer journalists covering election, the more likely it is that the incumbent will win.

* Political polarization among voters increases when newspapers shut down.

* Businesses in regions with journalists are more likely to be held accountable for misconduct.

* When journalists leave a region, labor violations increase across the board.

* Factories whose businesses are covered by journalists produce 29% less emissions vs factories and power plants that are not reported on.

* Every dollar spent on journalism produces hundreds of dollars in public benefit by exposing corruption and keeping an eye on government spending.

* Elected leaders who have engaged in wrongdoing resign at higher rates in areas with more journalists.

* The fewer journalists in a region, the more likely congressional representatives for that region are to vote against the interest of their own constituencies

* Cities where newspapers closed down saw massive increases in government spending due to lack of oversight

* People in regions without news media are more likely to report increased loneliness, disconnection from community, and diminished local pride.

* Areas without journalists are less likely to get federal or state funding in times of crisis

* Historians and academics rely on news reporting to catalog and contextualize crucial historical events

* Campaign spending is lower in areas with fewer journalists.

* Regions without journalists experience a “significant” drop in civic engagement

Journalism clearly has positive outcomes for democracy, but that doesn't mean all journalism is inherently good.

A huge part of the current resentment toward the press is due to the harm the corporate media has caused to various communities. And the ways that many reporters stoke outrage, feed extremist ideology, and use their platforms irresponsibly is reprehensible.

Local and national media outlets have inflicted enormous harm over the years on Black people and other marginalized groups. Many journalists continue to cause immense damage to vulnerable communities with bad reporting that exacerbates inequalities.

Corporate media often aligns itself with business interests and political power and sensationalized coverage emphasizes short-term attention rather than lasting change.

But the vast majority of journalists, especially those most likely to be impacted by the recent layoffs, are incredibly hard working, honest people, trying to speak truth to power on a shoestring salary.

I’d love to see the rise of a robust independent, worker owned journalism landscape. But in the meantime, we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

Our system is increasingly polluted with AI content, misinformation, disinformation and pure self-serving lies. Just look at the people spending millions of dollars a year to dismantle trust in journalists.

Are these people you want to align yourself with? Grifters, far right extremist billionaires and political actors who want to take away our rights and operate without oversight?

Journalism, with all its flaws, plays a crucial role in our democracy and culture, and we need to find a way to preserve it.

*Stats collected by Democracy Fund:

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