Did You Know? The State of Georgia Has Less Than Six Journalists Per 100k Population

According to Muck Rack: "In 2000, many Americans lived in a community with journalists — people whose job it was to cover school board decisions, announce small business openings and closures, root out corruption at city hall, warn commuters about road work, and trumpet the exploits of the high school teams. Today, most of those journalists are gone. The evaporation of local news coverage has hit small towns and big cities, suburbs, and rural areas. Even as the country has grown, we’ve lost journalists..."

They report a 75% loss since 2002, and local presses are shutting down exponentially due to a lack of funding.

In the State of Georgia, in a nation where there was once about 40 journalists per 100,000 in population, there are now fewer than six (5.80 to be exact) reporters per 100,000 residents; and Paulding County, Georgia, with a population of more than 180,000 (about the same as Muscogee County, give or take a few thousand) is in the Top 10 List of counties that are journalist deserts.

You might ask, what's wrong with that? All we don't need around here is more nosy news reporters--besides we get our news online or on cable networks. Well...

📰 Why Small Towns Need Journalists
1. They hold local power accountable.
From town councils to school boards, small-town journalists attend meetings, ask tough questions, and report on decisions that directly affect residents. Without them, local officials operate with less scrutiny.
2. They preserve community memory.
Local journalists document the everyday stories that national outlets overlook—church anniversaries, high school sports, local heroes, and neighborhood milestones. These stories build a shared sense of identity and belonging.
3. They connect neighbors.
Whether it’s a new business opening, a public health alert, or a community event, local reporting keeps residents informed and engaged. It fosters civic participation and helps people show up for one another.
4. They combat misinformation.
In the absence of trusted local news, rumors and misinformation can spread unchecked. Journalists provide verified facts and context, helping communities make informed decisions.
5. They’re rooted in the place they serve.
Unlike national media, local reporters live among the people they cover. They understand the nuances, histories, and values of their town. Their reporting reflects lived experience, not parachuted perspective.

In a small town, news doesn’t break—it ripples. 

A school board vote, a zoning change, a new pastor’s arrival—these aren’t just headlines. They’re the heartbeat of a community. And yet, across America, local journalism is vanishing, leaving towns like ours without the eyes, ears, and voice we need to stay informed, connected, and accountable.

When a local reporter sits through a three-hour city council meeting, they’re not just gathering quotes. They’re bearing witness. They’re translating policy into plain language, spotlighting decisions that shape our schools, streets, and safety nets. Without them, power operates in shadows. Misinformation fills the void. And neighbors lose the thread that binds them.

Local journalists don’t parachute in for a crisis. They live here. They know the names behind the storefronts, the stories behind the statistics. They cover the high school band concert with the same care they give to a budget hearing. They honor our joys, document our losses, and remind us—week after week—that our lives matter.

In Columbus, GA, where I help lead a community-rooted birthing center on the rise in a small town in Georgia, and design tools and apps for the homeless, I’ve seen firsthand how storytelling can help heal, especially in places riddled with crime and no real solutions for how to end it.

But healing requires truth. And truth requires trust. 

That’s what local journalism offers—not just information, but affirmation. A record of who we are, what we face, and how we rise. So if you value your town, value its journalists. 

Subscribe. Share. Speak up. 

Because when the local paper folds, it’s not just the news that disappears. It’s the memory of the town itself.

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