Skip to content
TrackPodcasts
newsFeb 2, 202643:18pending

'If You Can Keep It': The Future Of The Free Press

1A

About this episode

The biggest news stories, the ones that shape our democracy, don’t just play out in Washington. They unfold in neighborhoods, on street corners, and around the country.

In many cases, the first images and explanations of what’s happening don’t come from national news outlets, but the people who are there with cellphones and cameras in hand. That includes local journalists who are out in their communities. Journalists are trained to confirm and contextualize, but what does that look like in today’s shifting media landscape?

Local reporters on the ground are crucial. But nearly 40 percent of local newspapers in the U.S. have disappeared since the early 2000s. Even the largest newspapers — providing national coverage out of major cities — are on shaky ground. Layoffs are expected at The Washington Post in the coming weeks.

What does it all mean for how news gets made and who gets heard? What’s at stake for our democracy? And who is trying to chart a new path forward?

Find more of our programs online. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at plus.npr.org/the1a.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy

Get every episode summarized

Each time 1A publishes, we email you a written briefing from the transcript — the topics, who appeared, and any specific claims, with the ad reads skipped.

Email me new episodes

Free for 3 shows. No card needed.

Hosts & guests

No transcript yet

This episode has not been transcribed. Request it and it moves to the front of the queue.

'If You Can Keep It': The Future Of The Free Press

1A

0:00
43:18

More episodes

More from 1A

View all episodes →