033 - What's at Stake When Local News Disappears and How You Save it, with Dale Anglin

Local News Funding Through Philanthropy: What Happens to Your Community When News Disappears?

Episode Overview

Local news across the United States is in decline, and the consequences extend far beyond media. When communities lose access to consistent, reliable reporting, they also lose transparency, civic awareness, and the ability to make informed decisions. This episode explores the growing crisis in local journalism and why it directly impacts everyday life. Dale Anglin, Executive Director of Press Forward, shares how a national network of funders has mobilized more than 400 million dollars to strengthen local news systems. Through coordinated, nonpartisan collaboration, this effort is working to rebuild the infrastructure that supports community-based journalism.

The Problem: Decline of Local News

Traditional advertising once sustained most local news organizations. As those revenue streams have shifted to digital platforms, many outlets have downsized or closed entirely. This has created information gaps in cities, towns, and rural communities. Without local reporting, residents lose access to practical, daily information, public institutions face less accountability, civic participation decreases, and communities become more vulnerable to misinformation. The absence of local journalism affects not only what people know, but how communities function.

The Solution: New Funding Models for Journalism

This episode introduces a key shift in how journalism is funded. Philanthropy is emerging as a critical solution to replace declining advertising income. Dale outlines how sustainable local news now depends on philanthropic investment from foundations and donors, community-based giving and memberships, partnerships across sectors and political perspectives, and diverse revenue streams that reduce reliance on a single source. Press Forward has played a central role in advancing these efforts, helping to coordinate funding at a national scale while supporting local decision-making.

Why Philanthropy Matters Now

Philanthropy is no longer limited to large institutions. This conversation reframes philanthropy as a practice that includes individuals, communities, and everyday giving. Supporting local journalism becomes part of a broader responsibility to strengthen the systems that communities depend on. Listeners will gain a deeper understanding of how philanthropy can support public goods like journalism, why individual contributions matter alongside large-scale funding, and how local communities can participate in sustaining their own information systems.

Leadership and Collaboration Insights

Beyond the funding strategies, the episode offers lessons in leadership and problem-solving. Dale emphasizes the importance of listening, collaboration, and building coalitions across differences. Key insights include effective solutions requiring shared ownership across stakeholders, progress often beginning with small, focused efforts, long-term change depending on trust and sustained relationships, and complex problems demanding both patience and adaptability. These insights are relevant for fundraisers, nonprofit leaders, and anyone working to create change within systems.

What This Means for You

This episode provides a clear takeaway: supporting local journalism is not only a media issue, but a community issue. Individuals can take meaningful action in several ways, including subscribing to or donating to local news organizations, sharing and supporting credible sources of information, advocating for investment in local journalism, and recognizing information as a critical community resource. Even small actions contribute to strengthening the flow of reliable information.

Key Topics Covered

Local news crisis and journalism decline, philanthropy as a funding model for media, sustainable nonprofit and community-based journalism, media trust and civic engagement, the relationship between information and democracy, and collaborative funding strategies across sectors.

Why This Episode Matters

Access to reliable local information shapes how communities respond to challenges, participate in civic life, and hold leadership accountable. As traditional systems change, new models must emerge to sustain these essential functions. This episode offers both a clear explanation of the problem and practical pathways toward solutions, making it relevant for anyone interested in philanthropy, media, community development, or the future of democracy.