National project ranks local journalism efforts, including Saratoga
How does the Spa City compare in New York, U.S.A.?
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If you’re reading this, you probably know that here at the Dispatch, we’re concerned about the decline of local journalism. After all, we believe the need for more of it here in Saratoga is so serious that we’ve pledged to report 5-7 days a week for as long as we can afford to do so.
So when a reader sent me a new Local Journalism Index released this week, I dove in with great interest — and some dread. “The first report of its kind to map the presence of working local journalists, county by county, across the nation” is definitely a noble and timely endeavor.
But what would it say about our little slice of Upstate New York?
First, some background. The index was a joint effort between media monitor Muck Rack and Rebuild Local News, a national, nonpartisan nonprofit that advocates for public policies that increase the number of reporters covering local, community life.
The report on the state of the industry I’ve devoted my life to was as dire as I feared: “We’ve estimated how many journalists remain” — that word alone! — “in each U.S. county, revealing a nationwide shortage…that’s more widespread and severe than previously understood.”
Saratoga County, with 9.1 journalists per 100,000 residents, ranks 33 out of 62 in New York State. Nationally, we come in at 1,072 out of 3,142.
For reference, the organization says that the sweet spot for healthy, comprehensive journalism coverage is between 40 and 250 journalists per 100k.