The Medill professor sees an industry marked by newspaper closures and news deserts—but also experimentation, entrepreneurship and new opportunities for growth.
Local news is shrinking and growing at the same time.
That apparent contradiction is at the heart of what Tim Franklin describes as a historic transformation — perhaps the industry’s most significant since the arrival of the penny press in the 1830s.
“We are still in the early innings of this thing, and nobody knows exactly how it’s going to shake out,” Franklin said during a conversation recorded at Local Media Fest 2026 in Chicago.
Franklin, professor and John M. Mutz Chair in Local News at Northwestern University’s Medill School, joined Ryan Welton, host of Local Media Association’s Keep It Local podcast, to discuss the condition of local journalism, the consequences of news deserts and the need for news organizations to adapt.
The challenges remain severe. Newspapers continue to disappear at a rate of more than two per week, according to research conducted by the Medill Local News Initiative. But digital-only publications and local news networks are growing, while independent content creators are beginning to occupy a larger role in local information ecosystems.
“I’m encouraged about all the experimentation that’s happening in local news these days, which is great,” Franklin said. “We still need to figure out a sustainable business model for local news. Some, I think, have gotten there. Others, not so much.”
Local news as community infrastructure
Franklin described local news as the glue that binds a community together—a place where people see their neighbors, local businesses, schools and sports teams represented.
Its importance became especially apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said, when residents needed reliable information about nearby hospitals, schools and businesses.
Research has also documented what happens when that source of information disappears. Communities without adequate local news experience declines in civic participation and voter turnout, as well as fewer candidates seeking local office. Government spending can increase without journalists monitoring public institutions.
The economic consequences can extend to the cost of government borrowing. Bond-rating agencies consider the presence of local journalistic oversight when assessing risk, meaning communities without strong local news may face higher borrowing costs.
“But this is, I think, the time that if you don’t change, you could die. Like, changing is not an option anymore. You have to do it,” Franklin said.
Some entrepreneurial publishers are already experimenting with delivery through WhatsApp, text messaging, Instagram and TikTok. Franklin pointed to The Daily Memphian, led by LMA board member Eric Barnes, as an example of a digital-only local publication developing a sustainable model around original local reporting.
Sports can bring audiences into the fold
The conversation also explored the role of sports in rebuilding local news audiences.
Franklin, a former Chicago Tribune sports editor, said Medill’s audience research consistently shows sports to be a significant traffic driver. College sports can help publications in university communities retain and grow subscribers, while high school coverage connects news organizations with students, parents, schools and neighborhoods.
He highlighted the Minnesota Star Tribune’s ambitious investment in high school sports coverage as an example of using sports to deepen community engagement.
“Sports coverage can really be an important component of driving traffic, subscriptions, memberships — all of it,” Franklin said.
The sports discussion also gave Franklin an opportunity to revisit one of Chicago’s enduring divisions: Cubs versus White Sox. After maintaining neutrality as a sports editor, Franklin now acknowledges that he is a Cubs fan.
Helping journalists become business leaders
Franklin founded the Medill Local News Initiative in 2018. What began as a single program has grown to encompass research, newsroom acceleration, leadership development and other efforts supporting sustainable local journalism.
Its work includes the State of Local News Project, which maintains a national database of local news organizations and tracks both news deserts and growth in the industry. The Local News Accelerator works directly with publishers on business strategy, product development and audience engagement.
The Media Innovation and Leadership Academy helps prepare newsroom leaders for another increasingly important responsibility: operating a business.
“Many news organizations are run by well-intended journalists, but they really have never run a small business before,” Franklin said.
That challenge will become even more important as local journalism’s transformation continues. Franklin does not claim to know precisely what the industry will look like when it emerges. But he sees experimentation, adaptability and a commitment to original community reporting as the essential ingredients for survival.
Listen to the full conversation with Tim Franklin on Keep It Local, a podcast from Local Media Association. Links are below.
Learn more about the Medill Local News Initiative at localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu.
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