Building a Stronger Local Media Ecosystem: The Role of Media Policy

Abstract

This paper plays out against a backdrop of continued closures and diminished local news reporting across much of the United States. It explores the role that media policy can and should play in supporting local journalism. In examining this topic, we investigate three fundamental questions: What is local media policy? What are the key existential issues and/or problems local media policy must wrestle with? What potential solutions to the local news crisis can media policy potentially help address? The core of our response to these questions is derived from a series of five public webinars hosted by the Tow Center. Through these events, we invited a range of industry and academic experts to share their perspectives on areas related to these major themes. Our conversations explored the scope of media policy, barriers to implementation, opportunities for policy to make a difference, and some of the unique characteristics that shape U.S. media policy and attitudes toward potential policy interventions. To this, we have added further context and updates on some of the latest policy developments, based on a literature review and our continued interest in this subject.Tow Center at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalis