This is a repost of a blog post I originally contributed to Medium.com, related to my local news research project from 2015-2017.

Local news outlets contribute more to communities than just access to relevant information. Ryerson Professor, Joyce Smith, has published a paper in The Future of Local News: Research and Reflections that shows how embedded local news outlets have traditionally been in the practice of charitable giving in their communities. Her work details a historical connection between local news and charitable giving, and then touches on the ways that new media technologies have influenced, and in some cases disrupted this relationship.

Local news outlets play a role in their communities that digital replacements have yet to replicate… To read more visit Medium.